Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Tecla and Aguilares Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Tecla and Aguilares

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,386 in Santa Tecla versus $819 in Aguilares.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,013 in Santa Tecla versus $1,320 in Aguilares.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,639 in Santa Tecla versus $1,821 in Aguilares.

Living in Santa Tecla is roughly 69% more expensive than in Aguilares, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Santa Tecla is 1% above, Aguilares is 40% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.16 $7.16

$7.01 $7.01

2.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.78 $43.78

$43.56 $43.56

0.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.87 $6.87

$6.86 $6.86

0.15%

Cappuccino

$3.51 $3.51

$3.64 $3.64

-3.57%

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

$1.15 $1.15

$1.12 $1.12

2.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 $0.87

$0.79 $0.79

10.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.06 $2.06

-4.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 $3.60

$3.40 $3.40

5.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.77 $1.77

-5.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 $2.25

$2.78 $2.78

-19.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.44 $1.44

-4.86%

Eggs

$2.27 $2.27

$3.15 $3.15

-27.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.65 $7.65

$7.68 $7.68

-0.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.36 $5.36

$7.01 $7.01

-23.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.22 $10.22

$10.43 $10.43

-2.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 $3.17

$4.99 $4.99

-36.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 $1.54

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.98 $2.98

-3.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$3.41 $3.41

-14.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.86 $2.86

-15.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.43 $2.43

$3.25 $3.25

-25.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.03 $1.03

0.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 $0.97

$0.94 $0.94

3.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 $3.99

$4.02 $4.02

-0.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.15 $12.15

$12.24 $12.24

-0.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.17 $2.17

0.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.88 $2.88

-0.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.09 $6.09

$5.85 $5.85

4.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.94 $2.94

$2.98 $2.98

-1.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.79 $19.79

$19.85 $19.85

-0.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.18 $1.18

3.39%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$24.9K $24.9K

1.30%

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

$27.4K $27.4K

$26.7K $26.7K

2.67%

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

$130 $130

-0.33%

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

$21.56 $21.56

$21.01 $21.01

2.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.03 $43.03

$42.64 $42.64

0.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.54 $24.54

Cinema Ticket

$5.10 $5.10

$5.14 $5.14

-0.78%

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

$164 $164

$162 $162

1.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,762 $4,762

$4,713 $4,713

1.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.4 $66.4

$67.8 $67.8

-2.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.83 $46.83

$46.56 $46.56

0.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 $121

$118 $118

2.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 $117

0.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$763 $763

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$586 $586

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,224 $1,224

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$903 $903

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$414 $414

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 Santa Tecla: August 31, 2026

Last update for Aguilares: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $44.00 in Santa Tecla vs $44.00 in Aguilares for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $254 vs $288 per month, with Santa Tecla 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

Santa Tecla vs Aguilares: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Aguilares wins on cost – living expenses run 69% lower than in Santa Tecla. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Aguilares the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,079 in Santa Tecla and $1,228 in Aguilares 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 $164 in Santa Tecla versus $162 in Aguilares. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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

At $819 in Aguilares versus $1,386 in Santa Tecla, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Aguilares but tight or insufficient in Santa Tecla. The gap between the two cities makes Aguilares 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, Santa Tecla and Aguilares 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 Aguilares gentler on the wallet – expenses run 69% less than in Santa Tecla. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.