Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Salvador and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in San Salvador: $1,666 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $12,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

80

Cost of Living Index in San Salvador
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San Salvador Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index

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San Salvador

🇸🇻 El Salvador

$1,666

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Salvador and in Austin, TX

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in San Salvador and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,666 in San Salvador versus $2,704 in Austin, TX.

San Salvador $1,666
Austin, TX $2,704

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,465 in San Salvador versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

San Salvador $2,465
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,263 in San Salvador versus $5,562 in Austin, TX.

San Salvador $3,263
Austin, TX $5,562

Living in San Salvador costs roughly 38% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Salvador 24% above, Austin, TX 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.72 $6.72

$20.22 $20.22

-66.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.39 $45.39

$85.0 $85.0

-46.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.07 $7.07

$12.35 $12.35

-42.75%

Cappuccino

$3.53 $3.53

$5.47 $5.47

-35.47%

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

$1.13 $1.13

$3.82 $3.82

-70.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 $0.85

$2.50 $2.50

-66.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 $2.04

$8.06 $8.06

-74.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$8.99 $8.99

-60.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.13 $1.13

65.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 $2.89

$3.78 $3.78

-23.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 $1.40

$3.25 $3.25

-56.92%

Eggs

$3.09 $3.09

$4.14 $4.14

-25.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.88 $7.88

$13.08 $13.08

-39.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.93 $6.93

$14.31 $14.31

-51.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.05 $10.05

$15.96 $15.96

-37.03%

Apples (1kg)

$5.08 $5.08

$4.38 $4.38

15.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.45 $1.45

-4.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.53 $2.53

$4.54 $4.54

-44.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.40 $3.40

$4.19 $4.19

-18.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.63 $2.63

9.13%

Onion (1kg)

$3.28 $3.28

$2.36 $2.36

38.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.76 $1.76

-44.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 $0.97

$2.16 $2.16

-55.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.07 $4.07

$9.81 $9.81

-58.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.21 $12.21

$14.72 $14.72

-17.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.78 $2.78

-21.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 $2.86

$3.48 $3.48

-17.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 $0.34

$1.49 $1.49

-77.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.66 $37.66

$40.51 $40.51

-7.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 $6.04

$2.67 $2.67

126.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.58 $1.58

91.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.11 $20.11

$35.29 $35.29

-43.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 $1.29

$0.99 $0.99

30.30%

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

$24.8K $24.8K

$35.8K $35.8K

-30.87%

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

$27.0K $27.0K

$27.2K $27.2K

-0.75%

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

$130 $130

$219 $219

-40.50%

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

$21.57 $21.57

$58.0 $58.0

-62.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.03 $43.03

$68.4 $68.4

-37.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.99 $31.99

$57.9 $57.9

-44.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.57 $21.57

$14.82 $14.82

45.55%

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 $5.06

$14.13 $14.13

-64.19%

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

$165 $165

$1,509 $1,509

-89.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,640 $4,640

$21.5K $21.5K

-78.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.2 $68.2

$51.7 $51.7

31.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.79 $46.79

$44.05 $44.05

6.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 $120

$85.1 $85.1

41.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 $117

$105 $105

10.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$906 $906

$1,932 $1,932

-53.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$755 $755

$1,272 $1,272

-40.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,804 $1,804

$3,670 $3,670

-50.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,343 $1,343

$2,525 $2,525

-46.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,813 $2,813

$7,617 $7,617

-63.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,845 $1,845

$3,199 $3,199

-42.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$372 $372

$5,105 $5,105

-92.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.5

6.79

25.18%

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

Last update for San Salvador: October 6, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

San Salvador

$755 46.1%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2% 68.5% $517

Groceries & Markets

San Salvador

$287 17.5%

Austin, TX

$403 15.3% 40.6% $116

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Salvador

$195 11.9%

Austin, TX

$346 13.1% 77.2% $151

Clothing & Footwear

San Salvador

$158 9.7%

Austin, TX

$129 4.9% 18.6% $29

Eating Out

San Salvador

$142 8.7%

Austin, TX

$348 13.2% 144% $206

Getting Around

San Salvador

$60 3.7%

Austin, TX

$57 2.2% 5.3% $3.2

Sport & Entertainment

San Salvador

$42 2.6%

Austin, TX

$86 3.3% 105% $44

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $906 in San Salvador and $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 1271% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $45.00 in San Salvador vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $287 vs $403 per month, with San Salvador cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇸🇻 San Salvador

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

20:03 8:03 PM

21:03 9:03 PM

1 h ahead of San Salvador

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

316,090 Capital

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

San Salvador Austin, TX 2,040 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

San Salvador
Austin, TX

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Salvador wins on cost – living expenses run 62% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making San Salvador the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 1271% lower in Austin, TX. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $906 in San Salvador versus $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,666 per month in San Salvador versus $2,704 in Austin, TX – a 62% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in San Salvador runs roughly 8% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,666 in San Salvador versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $2,000 budget is realistic in San Salvador but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes San Salvador the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find San Salvador gentler on the wallet – expenses run 62% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.