Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Ilopango

For one person, living is cheaper in Ilopango: $1,625 a month against $3,744 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $25,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Ilopango
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Ilopango Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,744

/mo nomad

Ilopango

🇸🇻 El Salvador

$1,625

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA 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 Seattle, WA and in Ilopango actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,744 in Seattle, WA versus $1,625 in Ilopango.

Seattle, WA $3,744
Ilopango $1,625

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,703 in Seattle, WA versus $1,858 in Ilopango.

Seattle, WA $5,703
Ilopango $1,858

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,661 in Seattle, WA versus $2,090 in Ilopango.

Seattle, WA $7,661
Ilopango $2,090

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 130% more expensive than in Ilopango, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 179% above, Ilopango 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.56 $24.56

$3.16 $3.16

677.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.5 $99.5

$44.12 $44.12

125.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.30 $15.30

$5.04 $5.04

203.57%

Cappuccino

$6.62 $6.62

$2.94 $2.94

125.17%

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

$3.25 $3.25

$0.93 $0.93

249.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 $3.11

$0.97 $0.97

220.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.77 $7.77

$0.91 $0.91

753.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.93 $7.93

$1.75 $1.75

353.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$3.28 $3.28

-63.11%

White Bread (500g)

$4.94 $4.94

$1.44 $1.44

243.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.17 $6.17

$3.07 $3.07

100.98%

Eggs

$4.96 $4.96

$2.92 $2.92

69.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.00 $19.00

$5.02 $5.02

278.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.69 $18.69

$5.86 $5.86

218.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.14 $23.14

$9.86 $9.86

134.69%

Apples (1kg)

$5.93 $5.93

$2.92 $2.92

103.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.02 $2.02

-3.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$2.03 $2.03

155.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.55 $6.55

$1.95 $1.95

235.90%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.02 $2.02

79.21%

Onion (1kg)

$3.16 $3.16

$1.97 $1.97

60.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.91 $2.91

$0.93 $0.93

212.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 $2.38

$0.97 $0.97

145.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.36 $12.36

$3.95 $3.95

212.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.02 $15.02

$12.18 $12.18

23.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.30 $4.30

$0.98 $0.98

338.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.69 $5.69

$2.06 $2.06

176.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$0.88 $0.88

246.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 $109

$35.67 $35.67

204.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 $2.64

$7.16 $7.16

-63.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 $1.74

$2.16 $2.16

-19.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.02 $30.02

$4.71 $4.71

537.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 $1.46

$0.67 $0.67

117.91%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$19.9K $19.9K

84.24%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.1K $26.1K

-1.49%

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

$299 $299

$34.38 $34.38

770.91%

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

$69.7 $69.7

$9.97 $9.97

598.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$90.1 $90.1

$39.70 $39.70

127.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.0 $80.0

$39.80 $39.80

100.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.62 $35.62

$10.04 $10.04

254.78%

Cinema Ticket

$17.33 $17.33

$4.97 $4.97

248.69%

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

$2,986 $2,986

$104 $104

2759.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$1,904 $1,904

1543.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.7 $77.7

$20.18 $20.18

284.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.9 $54.9

$29.95 $29.95

83.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 $126

$75.4 $75.4

67.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$165 $165

$58.9 $58.9

180.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,407 $2,407

$677 $677

255.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,963 $1,963

$1,038 $1,038

89.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,788 $4,788

$585 $585

718.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,561 $3,561

$640 $640

456.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,430 $7,430

$1,747 $1,747

325.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,010 $5,010

$949 $949

428.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,280 $6,280

$976 $976

543.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.85

14.17%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 6, 2026

Last update for Ilopango: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.6%

Ilopango

$1K 62.9% 47.1% $925

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$541 14.2%

Ilopango

$248 15% 54.1% $293

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$459 12.1%

Ilopango

$84 5.1% 81.7% $375

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$402 10.6%

Ilopango

$91 5.5% 77.3% $311

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$191 5%

Ilopango

$83 5% 56.5% $108

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5%

Ilopango

$57 3.5% 56.7% $75

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$115 3%

Ilopango

$50 3% 56.6% $65

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,407 in Seattle, WA and $677 in Ilopango. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 543% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $99.0 in Seattle, WA vs $44.00 in Ilopango for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $541 vs $248 per month, with Ilopango cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇸🇻 Ilopango

🕒 Local time

00:16 12:16 AM

01:16 1:16 AM

1 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

38,890

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Ilopango 4,870 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

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Seattle, WA
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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

Seattle, WA vs Ilopango: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ilopango is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 130% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 543% higher in Seattle, WA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,407 in Seattle, WA versus $677 in Ilopango. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,986 in Seattle, WA versus $104 in Ilopango. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 118% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,625 in Ilopango versus $3,744 in Seattle, WA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Ilopango but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Ilopango the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ilopango is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Seattle, WA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Ilopango gentler on the wallet – expenses run 130% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.