Cost of Living Comparison Between San Salvador and Antiguo Cuscatlan Cost of Living Comparison Between San Salvador and Antiguo Cuscatlan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,515 per month in San Salvador vs $754 in Antiguo Cuscatlan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,202 per month in San Salvador vs $1,213 in Antiguo Cuscatlan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,888 per month in San Salvador vs $1,672 in Antiguo Cuscatlan, rent included.

San Salvador costs about 101% more than Antiguo Cuscatlan, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

San Salvador sits 13% above the global median, while Antiguo Cuscatlan is 44% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.98 $7.98

$8.14 $8.14

-1.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.79 $34.79

$35.27 $35.27

-1.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.98 $6.98

$7.05 $7.05

-0.99%

Cappuccino

$3.21 $3.21

$3.34 $3.34

-3.89%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.10 $1.10

3.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 $0.85

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.95 $1.95

1.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.95 $2.95

2.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.86 $1.86

1.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.05 $2.05

-3.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.49 $1.49

2.68%

Eggs

$2.90 $2.90

$2.80 $2.80

3.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.88 $6.88

$7.24 $7.24

-4.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.56 $6.56

$6.80 $6.80

-3.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.02 $11.02

$10.76 $10.76

2.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 $3.22

$3.15 $3.15

2.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.65 $1.65

0.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.58 $2.58

-3.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.64 $2.64

3.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 $2.11

$2.19 $2.19

-3.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 $1.02

$0.96 $0.96

6.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.06 $1.06

0.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 $4.10

$3.91 $3.91

4.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.86 $11.86

$12.22 $12.22

-2.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.39 $2.39

2.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 $0.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.13 $25.13

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 $5.64

$5.61 $5.61

0.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.07 $3.07

$3.03 $3.03

1.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.28 $20.28

$19.95 $19.95

1.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.05 $1.05

-3.81%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$25.1K $25.1K

$25.8K $25.8K

-2.75%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$28.3K $28.3K

$28.0K $28.0K

1.23%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$103 $103

$104 $104

-0.58%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$18.98 $18.98

$19.39 $19.39

-2.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.93 $41.93

$41.44 $41.44

1.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.90 $31.90

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.83 $19.83

Cinema Ticket

$5.17 $5.17

$5.23 $5.23

-1.15%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$145 $145

$148 $148

-1.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,041 $6,041

$6,033 $6,033

0.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.4 $67.4

$67.0 $67.0

0.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.12 $43.12

$43.01 $43.01

0.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

-0.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$103 $103

1.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$834 $834

$605 $605

37.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 $693

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,453 $1,453

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 $1,084

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,793 $2,793

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,813 $1,813

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$376 $376

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.58

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for San Salvador: July 13, 2026

Last update for Antiguo Cuscatlan: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $834 in San Salvador versus $605 in Antiguo Cuscatlan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in San Salvador versus $35.00 in Antiguo Cuscatlan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $257 vs $259 – making San Salvador the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

San Salvador vs Antiguo Cuscatlan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,515 in San Salvador, $754 in Antiguo Cuscatlan – roughly 101% apart. San Salvador costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,273 per month in San Salvador and $1,130 in Antiguo Cuscatlan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Antiguo Cuscatlan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in San Salvador and $35.00 in Antiguo Cuscatlan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in San Salvador – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Antiguo Cuscatlan, where all-in costs run around $754, than in San Salvador at $1,515. In Antiguo Cuscatlan it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Salvador it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Antiguo Cuscatlan has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $754 in Antiguo Cuscatlan to $1,515 in San Salvador. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Antiguo Cuscatlan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, San Salvador makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.