Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Salvador and Ilopango

For one person, living costs are similar in San Salvador and in Ilopango: $1,646 and $1,619 a month, rent and utilities included.

80

Cost of Living Index in San Salvador
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San Salvador Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Ilopango
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Ilopango Living Index

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San Salvador

🇸🇻 El Salvador

$1,646

/mo nomad

Ilopango

🇸🇻 El Salvador

$1,619

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Salvador and in Ilopango

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 Ilopango actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,646 in San Salvador versus $1,619 in Ilopango.

San Salvador $1,646
Ilopango $1,619

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,498 in San Salvador versus $1,863 in Ilopango.

San Salvador $2,498
Ilopango $1,863

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,350 in San Salvador versus $2,107 in Ilopango.

San Salvador $3,350
Ilopango $2,107

Living in San Salvador is roughly 2% more expensive than in Ilopango, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Salvador 21% above, Ilopango 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.68 $6.68

$3.23 $3.23

106.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.12 $45.12

$44.80 $44.80

0.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.94 $6.94

$4.97 $4.97

39.64%

Cappuccino

$3.59 $3.59

$2.96 $2.96

21.28%

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

$1.11 $1.11

$0.87 $0.87

27.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 $0.87

$0.99 $0.99

-12.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.92 $0.92

111.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 $3.59

$1.75 $1.75

105.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 $1.89

$3.20 $3.20

-40.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.90 $2.90

$1.49 $1.49

94.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 $1.39

$3.06 $3.06

-54.58%

Eggs

$3.09 $3.09

$2.95 $2.95

4.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.92 $7.92

$4.96 $4.96

59.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.09 $7.09

$5.91 $5.91

19.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.45 $10.45

$10.20 $10.20

2.45%

Apples (1kg)

$5.03 $5.03

$2.98 $2.98

68.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.95 $1.95

-29.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.95 $1.95

34.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.48 $3.48

$2.04 $2.04

70.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.02 $2.02

43.07%

Onion (1kg)

$3.28 $3.28

$2.04 $2.04

60.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.93 $0.93

2.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.03 $1.03

-8.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 $4.03

$3.91 $3.91

3.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.18 $12.18

$11.84 $11.84

2.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$0.98 $0.98

132.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.05 $2.05

42.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 $0.36

$0.88 $0.88

-59.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.98 $37.98

$35.26 $35.26

7.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.06 $6.06

$6.86 $6.86

-11.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.02 $3.02

$2.22 $2.22

36.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.92 $19.92

$4.66 $4.66

327.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.68 $0.68

83.82%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$19.8K $19.8K

26.14%

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

$26.9K $26.9K

$25.3K $25.3K

6.18%

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

$129 $129

$35.69 $35.69

262.57%

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

$21.21 $21.21

$9.91 $9.91

114.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.29 $42.29

$40.70 $40.70

3.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.66 $31.66

$40.29 $40.29

-21.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.56 $21.56

$10.07 $10.07

114.10%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 $4.97

$5.14 $5.14

-3.31%

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

$163 $163

$103 $103

57.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,629 $4,629

$1,882 $1,882

145.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.2 $68.2

$20.18 $20.18

237.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.50 $47.50

$30.10 $30.10

57.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 $120

$74.3 $74.3

61.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 $116

$59.0 $59.0

97.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$901 $901

$672 $672

34.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$761 $761

$1,002 $1,002

-24.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,797 $1,797

$592 $592

203.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,379 $1,379

$619 $619

122.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,807 $2,807

$1,689 $1,689

66.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,843 $1,843

$953 $953

93.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$384 $384

$1,010 $1,010

-61.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.5

41.67%

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

Last update for San Salvador: October 18, 2026

Last update for Ilopango: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Salvador

$761 46.2%

Ilopango

$1K 61.9% 31.6% $241

Groceries & Markets

San Salvador

$290 17.6%

Ilopango

$249 15.4% 13.9% $40

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Salvador

$193 11.7%

Ilopango

$86 5.3% 55.3% $107

Clothing & Footwear

San Salvador

$158 9.6%

Ilopango

$83 5.1% 47.8% $76

Eating Out

San Salvador

$142 8.6%

Ilopango

$92 5.7% 35.4% $50

Getting Around

San Salvador

$61 3.7%

Ilopango

$57 3.5% 6.4% $3.9

Sport & Entertainment

San Salvador

$42 2.5%

Ilopango

$51 3.1% 21.6% $9

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $901 in San Salvador and $672 in Ilopango. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ilopango pays about 2.6 times more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45 in San Salvador vs $45 in Ilopango. Groceries flip the comparison at $290 vs $249, with Ilopango cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇸🇻 San Salvador

🇸🇻 Ilopango

🕒 Local time

06:23 6:23 AM

Same time as San Salvador

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

316,090 Capital

38,890

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.891 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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San Salvador Ilopango 16 km

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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 Ilopango: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ilopango is cheaper overall, especially in clothing, eating out, and groceries. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 62% lower in San Salvador. 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: $901 in San Salvador versus $672 in Ilopango. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $163 in San Salvador versus $103 in Ilopango. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

A monthly transit pass in Ilopango runs roughly 7% less than in San Salvador. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.

Either city works on $2,500 a month, though Ilopango gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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.