Cost of Living Comparison Between San Salvador and Ayutuxtepeque Cost of Living Comparison Between San Salvador and Ayutuxtepeque

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,491 in San Salvador versus $951 in Ayutuxtepeque.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,161 in San Salvador versus $1,389 in Ayutuxtepeque.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,831 in San Salvador versus $1,828 in Ayutuxtepeque.

Living in San Salvador is roughly 57% more expensive than Ayutuxtepeque, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: San Salvador is 11% above, Ayutuxtepeque is 29% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.18 $8.18

$7.83 $7.83

4.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.47 $35.47

$29.61 $29.61

19.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 $7.09

$5.03 $5.03

40.95%

Cappuccino

$3.19 $3.19

$3.17 $3.17

0.63%

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

$1.14 $1.14

$0.66 $0.66

72.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 $0.87

$0.48 $0.48

81.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.32 $1.32

53.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$3.08 $3.08

0.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.39 $1.39

29.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.48 $1.48

39.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 $1.54

$0.98 $0.98

57.14%

Eggs

$2.90 $2.90

$2.39 $2.39

21.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.13 $7.13

$7.07 $7.07

0.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.89 $6.89

$5.50 $5.50

25.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 $10.66

$8.99 $8.99

18.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 $3.14

$3.26 $3.26

-3.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.70 $1.70

2.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.17 $2.17

18.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$2.71 $2.71

-0.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.63 $1.63

31.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.19 $2.19

-0.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.63 $0.63

50.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.03 $1.03

3.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.07 $4.07

$4.08 $4.08

-0.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.84 $10.84

$6.04 $6.04

79.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.51 $1.51

13.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.53 $2.53

-1.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 $0.36

$0.34 $0.34

5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.13 $25.13

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.48 $5.48

$5.65 $5.65

-3.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.03 $3.03

$3.07 $3.07

-1.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.21 $20.21

$20.35 $20.35

-0.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$25.9K $25.9K

-2.22%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$27.8K $27.8K

-0.24%

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

$101 $101

$93.1 $93.1

8.24%

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

$19.05 $19.05

$19.45 $19.45

-2.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.29 $41.29

$34.96 $34.96

18.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.69 $31.69

$14.76 $14.76

114.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.10 $20.10

Cinema Ticket

$5.09 $5.09

$5.34 $5.34

-4.68%

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

$147 $147

$146 $146

0.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,971 $5,971

$3,000 $3,000

99.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.3 $66.3

$24.65 $24.65

168.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.65 $43.65

$30.34 $30.34

43.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$117 $117

-1.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$74.9 $74.9

37.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 $827

$148 $148

459.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$697 $697

$299 $299

132.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,454 $1,454

$408 $408

256.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 $1,107

$394 $394

181.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,759 $2,759

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,822 $1,822

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$377 $377

$425 $425

-11.36%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Ayutuxtepeque: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $827 in San Salvador and $148 in Ayutuxtepeque. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ayutuxtepeque pays 13% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in San Salvador vs $30.00 in Ayutuxtepeque for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $257 vs $215 per month, with Ayutuxtepeque cheaper across the board.

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 Ayutuxtepeque: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ayutuxtepeque wins on cost – living expenses run 57% lower than in San Salvador. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ayutuxtepeque the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Ayutuxtepeque earns 13% less. 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: $827 in San Salvador versus $148 in Ayutuxtepeque. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $147 in San Salvador versus $146 in Ayutuxtepeque. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ayutuxtepeque – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $35.00 in San Salvador. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $951 in Ayutuxtepeque versus $1,491 in San Salvador, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ayutuxtepeque but tight or insufficient in San Salvador. The gap between the two cities makes Ayutuxtepeque 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 Ayutuxtepeque gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in San Salvador. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.