Cost of Living Comparison Between San Salvador and Santa Tecla Cost of Living Comparison Between San Salvador and Santa Tecla

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,628 in San Salvador versus $1,386 in Santa Tecla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,448 in San Salvador versus $2,013 in Santa Tecla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,267 in San Salvador versus $2,639 in Santa Tecla.

Living in San Salvador is roughly 17% more expensive than in Santa Tecla, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Salvador 19% above, Santa Tecla 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.90 $6.90

$7.16 $7.16

-3.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.49 $43.49

$43.78 $43.78

-0.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 $6.84

$6.87 $6.87

-0.44%

Cappuccino

$3.62 $3.62

$3.51 $3.51

3.13%

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

$1.16 $1.16

$1.15 $1.15

0.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 $0.87

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.97 $1.97

4.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 $3.40

$3.60 $3.60

-5.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.67 $1.67

5.99%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.25 $2.25

28.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.37 $1.37

5.11%

Eggs

$3.05 $3.05

$2.27 $2.27

34.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.90 $7.90

$7.65 $7.65

3.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.92 $6.92

$5.36 $5.36

29.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.37 $10.37

$10.22 $10.22

1.47%

Apples (1kg)

$5.08 $5.08

$3.17 $3.17

60.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.54 $1.54

-4.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.89 $2.89

1.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.53 $3.53

$2.91 $2.91

21.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.43 $2.43

22.63%

Onion (1kg)

$3.32 $3.32

$2.43 $2.43

36.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.04 $1.04

-8.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 $0.99

$0.97 $0.97

2.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.91 $3.91

$3.99 $3.99

-2.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.24 $12.24

$12.15 $12.15

0.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.18 $2.18

2.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 $2.97

$2.87 $2.87

3.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 $0.36

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.96 $36.96

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 $6.03

$6.09 $6.09

-0.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.94 $2.94

4.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.97 $19.97

$19.79 $19.79

0.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 $1.22

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

$24.8K $24.8K

$25.2K $25.2K

-1.58%

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

$26.9K $26.9K

$27.4K $27.4K

-1.69%

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

$132 $132

$130 $130

1.49%

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

$21.62 $21.62

$21.56 $21.56

0.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.75 $41.75

$43.03 $43.03

-2.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.02 $32.02

$24.54 $24.54

30.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.90 $21.90

Cinema Ticket

$5.10 $5.10

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

$161 $161

$164 $164

-1.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,667 $4,667

$4,762 $4,762

-1.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.4 $67.4

$66.4 $66.4

1.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.35 $47.35

$46.83 $46.83

1.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 $119

$121 $121

-1.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$117 $117

0.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$885 $885

$763 $763

15.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$782 $782

$586 $586

33.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,831 $1,831

$1,224 $1,224

49.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,368 $1,368

$903 $903

51.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,797 $2,797

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,847 $1,847

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$378 $378

$414 $414

-8.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.5

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

Last update for San Salvador: September 1, 2026

Last update for Santa Tecla: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $885 in San Salvador and $763 in Santa Tecla. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Tecla pays 9% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $43.00 in San Salvador vs $44.00 in Santa Tecla. Groceries flip the comparison at $291 vs $254, with Santa Tecla cheaper for home cooking.

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 Santa Tecla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santa Tecla wins on cost – living expenses run 17% lower than in San Salvador. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Santa Tecla the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 9% lower in Santa Tecla. 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: $885 in San Salvador versus $763 in Santa Tecla. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $161 in San Salvador versus $164 in Santa Tecla. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Santa Tecla – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $43.00 in San Salvador. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,386 in Santa Tecla versus $1,628 in San Salvador, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Santa Tecla but tight or insufficient in San Salvador. The gap between the two cities makes Santa Tecla 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.

Safety-wise, San Salvador and Santa Tecla are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Santa Tecla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in San Salvador. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.