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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,491 in San Salvador versus $617 in Zaragoza.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,161 in San Salvador versus $1,019 in Zaragoza.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,831 in San Salvador versus $1,420 in Zaragoza.

Living in San Salvador is roughly 142% more expensive than Zaragoza, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: San Salvador is 11% above, Zaragoza is 54% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.18 $8.18

$8.14 $8.14

0.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.47 $35.47

$29.72 $29.72

19.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 $7.09

$7.20 $7.20

-1.53%

Cappuccino

$3.19 $3.19

$1.49 $1.49

114.09%

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

$1.14 $1.14

$1.10 $1.10

3.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 $0.87

$0.91 $0.91

-4.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.28 $1.28

57.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.08 $2.08

48.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.78 $1.78

1.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.97 $1.97

4.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 $1.54

$0.94 $0.94

63.83%

Eggs

$2.90 $2.90

$2.52 $2.52

15.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.13 $7.13

$7.24 $7.24

-1.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.89 $6.89

$3.97 $3.97

73.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 $10.66

$5.37 $5.37

98.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 $3.14

$3.26 $3.26

-3.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.62 $1.62

7.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.50 $2.50

3.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$2.18 $2.18

23.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.15 $2.15

-0.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.85 $1.85

17.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.96 $0.96

-1.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 $1.07

$0.77 $0.77

38.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.07 $4.07

$3.81 $3.81

6.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.84 $10.84

$7.82 $7.82

38.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.54 $1.54

11.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.30 $2.30

8.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 $0.36

$0.57 $0.57

-36.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.13 $25.13

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.48 $5.48

$5.04 $5.04

8.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.98 $2.98

1.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.21 $20.21

$19.82 $19.82

1.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.03 $1.03

0.97%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$24.8K $24.8K

1.84%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$24.5K $24.5K

13.11%

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

$101 $101

$44.97 $44.97

124.06%

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

$19.05 $19.05

$19.19 $19.19

-0.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.29 $41.29

$35.44 $35.44

16.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.69 $31.69

$34.86 $34.86

-9.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.10 $20.10

Cinema Ticket

$5.09 $5.09

$4.98 $4.98

2.21%

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

$147 $147

$145 $145

1.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,971 $5,971

$5,880 $5,880

1.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.3 $66.3

$66.5 $66.5

-0.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.65 $43.65

$42.82 $42.82

1.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$109 $109

6.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$70.0 $70.0

47.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 $827

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$697 $697

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,454 $1,454

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 $1,107

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

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 Zaragoza: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $35.00 in San Salvador vs $30.00 in Zaragoza for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $257 vs $207 per month, with Zaragoza 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 Zaragoza: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zaragoza wins on cost – living expenses run 142% lower than in San Salvador. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Zaragoza the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,236 in San Salvador and $925 in Zaragoza to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $147 in San Salvador versus $145 in Zaragoza. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Zaragoza – 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 $617 in Zaragoza versus $1,491 in San Salvador, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Zaragoza but tight or insufficient in San Salvador. The gap between the two cities makes Zaragoza 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 Zaragoza gentler on the wallet – expenses run 142% less than in San Salvador. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.