Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Salvador and New York, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in San Salvador: $1,622 a month against $4,906 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $39,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

78

Cost of Living Index in San Salvador
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San Salvador Living Index
234

Cost of Living Index in New York, NY
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New York, NY Living Index

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San Salvador

🇸🇻 El Salvador

$1,622

/mo nomad

New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$4,906

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Salvador and in New York, NY

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 New York, NY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,622 per month in San Salvador vs $4,906 in New York, NY, rent included.

San Salvador $1,622
New York, NY $4,906

A couple spends around $2,452 per month in San Salvador vs $7,273 in New York, NY, rent included.

San Salvador $2,452
New York, NY $7,273

A family of three spends $3,283 per month in San Salvador vs $9,641 in New York, NY, rent included.

San Salvador $3,283
New York, NY $9,641

San Salvador is about 67% cheaper than New York, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both San Salvador and New York, NY sit above the global median – San Salvador by 20%, New York, NY by 263%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.70 $6.70

$26.93 $26.93

-75.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.70 $45.70

$117 $117

-60.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.87 $6.87

$14.60 $14.60

-52.95%

Cappuccino

$3.53 $3.53

$6.54 $6.54

-46.02%

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

$1.12 $1.12

$3.86 $3.86

-70.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 $0.80

$2.95 $2.95

-72.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 $1.95

$8.08 $8.08

-75.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 $3.63

$9.85 $9.85

-63.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.31 $1.31

38.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 $2.84

$4.97 $4.97

-42.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 $1.37

$7.70 $7.70

-82.21%

Eggs

$3.09 $3.09

$6.09 $6.09

-49.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.52 $7.52

$19.55 $19.55

-61.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.02 $7.02

$17.59 $17.59

-60.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.45 $10.45

$20.26 $20.26

-48.42%

Apples (1kg)

$4.99 $4.99

$6.99 $6.99

-28.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 $1.41

$2.21 $2.21

-36.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 $2.57

$6.72 $6.72

-61.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.51 $3.51

$7.12 $7.12

-50.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.86 $2.86

$4.61 $4.61

-37.96%

Onion (1kg)

$3.30 $3.30

$4.78 $4.78

-30.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 $0.95

$2.87 $2.87

-66.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 $0.92

$2.69 $2.69

-65.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.05 $4.05

$19.14 $19.14

-78.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.07 $12.07

$19.63 $19.63

-38.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$3.32 $3.32

-31.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 $2.87

$4.19 $4.19

-31.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 $0.29

$3.02 $3.02

-90.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.05 $15.05

$139 $139

-89.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.85 $5.85

$3.04 $3.04

92.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.20 $2.20

33.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.22 $20.22

$41.33 $41.33

-51.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.13 $1.13

15.93%

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

$24.7K $24.7K

$34.5K $34.5K

-28.17%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$25.8K $25.8K

7.11%

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

$130 $130

$232 $232

-43.98%

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

$21.09 $21.09

$71.0 $71.0

-70.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.77 $41.77

$67.7 $67.7

-38.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.78 $29.78

$115 $115

-74.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.91 $21.91

$76.8 $76.8

-71.48%

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 $4.87

$22.41 $22.41

-78.27%

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

$161 $161

$3,606 $3,606

-95.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,704 $6,704

$68.7K $68.7K

-90.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.0 $68.0

$79.3 $79.3

-14.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.36 $46.36

$51.4 $51.4

-9.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 $120

$121 $121

-0.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 $118

$140 $140

-16.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 $910

$4,555 $4,555

-80.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$767 $767

$3,040 $3,040

-74.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,835 $1,835

$9,742 $9,742

-81.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,370 $1,370

$5,331 $5,331

-74.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,817 $2,817

$18.2K $18.2K

-84.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,855 $1,855

$6,685 $6,685

-72.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$380 $380

$5,096 $5,096

-92.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.5

6.89

23.37%

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

Last update for San Salvador: November 1, 2026

Last update for New York, NY: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Salvador

$767 47.3%

New York, NY

$3K 62% 296% $2.3K

Groceries & Markets

San Salvador

$286 17.6%

New York, NY

$567 11.6% 98.4% $281

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Salvador

$193 11.9%

New York, NY

$371 7.6% 92.2% $178

Clothing & Footwear

San Salvador

$158 9.8%

New York, NY

$176 3.6% 11.4% $18

Eating Out

San Salvador

$141 8.7%

New York, NY

$425 8.7% 201% $284

Sport & Entertainment

San Salvador

$40 2.4%

New York, NY

$160 3.3% 305% $121

Getting Around

San Salvador

$37 2.3%

New York, NY

$165 3.4% 351% $129

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $910 in San Salvador versus $4,555 in New York, NY. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in New York, NY are about 13 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46 in San Salvador versus $117 in New York, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $567 – making San Salvador the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇸🇻 San Salvador

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🕒 Local time

09:32 9:32 AM

10:32 10:32 AM

1 h ahead of San Salvador

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

316,090 Capital

8,804,190

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

San Salvador New York, NY 3,330 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

San Salvador
New York, NY

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 New York, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY costs about 202% more than San Salvador, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,434 per month in San Salvador and $7,358 in New York, NY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Salvador, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $910 there versus $4,555 in New York, NY.

Kindergarten costs $161 per month in San Salvador and $3,606 in New York, NY. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 98% more in New York, NY, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in San Salvador, where all-in costs run around $1,622, than in New York, NY at $4,906. In San Salvador it covers expenses comfortably, while in New York, NY it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Salvador – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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