Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between the United States and El Salvador

Name: El Salvador
Address: SV

For one person, living is cheaper in El Salvador: $1,482 a month against $2,734 in the United States, rent and utilities included – about $15,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

131

Cost of Living Index in the United States
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United States Living Index
71

Cost of Living Index in El Salvador
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El Salvador Living Index

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🇺🇸 United States

$2,734

/mo nomad

🇸🇻 El Salvador

$1,482

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in the United States and in El Salvador

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in the United States and in El Salvador actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,734 per month in the United States vs $1,482 in El Salvador, rent included.

United States $2,734
El Salvador $1,482

A couple spends around $3,985 per month in the United States vs $2,112 in El Salvador, rent included.

United States $3,985
El Salvador $2,112

A family of three spends $5,235 per month in the United States vs $2,742 in El Salvador, rent included.

United States $5,235
El Salvador $2,742

The regional cost range is wider in the United States ($979–$5,160) than in El Salvador ($207–$1,812), so city choice matters more there.

The cost of living in the United States is about 85% higher than in El Salvador on average.

Both the United States and El Salvador are pricier than the global median – the United States by 101%, El Salvador by 9%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.03 $20.03

$6.92 $6.92

189.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.0 $80.0

$45.49 $45.49

75.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.80 $11.80

$6.84 $6.84

72.51%

Cappuccino

$5.55 $5.55

$3.57 $3.57

55.46%

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

$2.66 $2.66

$1.14 $1.14

133.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$0.85 $0.85

155.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 $6.12

$2.04 $2.04

200.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.94 $7.94

$3.60 $3.60

120.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.84 $1.84

-43.48%

White Bread (500g)

$3.59 $3.59

$2.28 $2.28

57.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$1.58 $1.58

186.08%

Eggs

$4.28 $4.28

$2.74 $2.74

56.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.22 $13.22

$7.30 $7.30

81.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.60 $12.60

$5.99 $5.99

110.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.60 $17.60

$9.16 $9.16

92.14%

Apples (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.83 $3.83

38.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.70 $1.70

-0.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.44 $4.44

$2.90 $2.90

53.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$2.86 $2.86

66.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.97 $2.97

$2.91 $2.91

2.06%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.35 $2.35

34.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 $2.20

$0.97 $0.97

126.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.00 $1.00

135.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.98 $10.98

$3.96 $3.96

177.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$11.76 $11.76

27.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.93 $1.93

6.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 $3.79

$2.80 $2.80

35.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

$0.36 $0.36

438.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.4 $59.4

$31.83 $31.83

86.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 $3.58

$6.57 $6.57

-45.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 $1.88

$2.93 $2.93

-35.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.84 $29.84

$19.66 $19.66

51.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.22 $1.22

-16.39%

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

$28.8K $28.8K

$25.1K $25.1K

14.44%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$28.1K $28.1K

-6.60%

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

$218 $218

$115 $115

88.79%

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

$62.5 $62.5

$22.61 $22.61

176.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.5 $74.5

$40.70 $40.70

82.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.86 $41.86

$29.90 $29.90

40.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.81 $22.81

$17.02 $17.02

34.02%

Cinema Ticket

$14.70 $14.70

$5.14 $5.14

185.99%

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

$1,489 $1,489

$168 $168

786.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.3K $25.3K

$4,369 $4,369

477.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 $54.3

$62.9 $62.9

-13.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.71 $42.71

$48.82 $48.82

-12.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.1 $94.1

$119 $119

-21.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$105 $105

7.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,659 $1,659

$745 $745

122.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,348 $1,348

$652 $652

106.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,682 $2,682

$1,269 $1,269

111.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,169 $2,169

$882 $882

145.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,283 $3,283

$2,727 $2,727

20.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,482 $2,482

$1,550 $1,550

60.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,296 $4,296

$433 $433

891.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

8.48

-22.76%

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

Last update for the United States: October 25, 2026

Last update for El Salvador: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

United States

$1.3K 49.3%

El Salvador

$652 44% 51.6% $696

Groceries & Markets

United States

$415 15.2%

El Salvador

$261 17.6% 37.2% $154

Monthly Utilities & Internet

United States

$355 13%

El Salvador

$179 12.1% 49.6% $176

Eating Out

United States

$328 12%

El Salvador

$144 9.7% 56.1% $184

Clothing & Footwear

United States

$137 5%

El Salvador

$151 10.2% 10.5% $14

Getting Around

United States

$80 2.9%

El Salvador

$55 3.7% 32% $26

Sport & Entertainment

United States

$71 2.6%

El Salvador

$40 2.7% 43.6% $31

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,620 in the United States vs $619 in El Salvador. For reference, capital cities sit at $2,768 in Washington, DC and $893 in San Salvador.

Average salary: $4,549 in the United States vs $571 in El Salvador. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 162% higher in the United States.

Dining out costs 79% more in the United States.

Public transport is 142% more expensive in the United States.

Salaries are about 8 times higher in the United States, and purchasing power comes out stronger in the United States.

Good to know

🇺🇸 United States

🇸🇻 El Salvador

🕒 Local time

18:27 6:27 PM

16:27 4:27 PM

2 h behind the United States

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

340,110,988

6,029,976

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.897 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

United States El Salvador 2,450 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

United States
El Salvador

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

United States vs El Salvador: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

El Salvador is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 46% lower on average.

Housing costs more in the United States: a central one-bedroom averages $1,620 versus $619 in El Salvador.

Groceries, public transport, and eating out all cost less in El Salvador, adding to the overall 85% price gap.

$3,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in El Salvador, but in the United States it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

El Salvador is the budget-friendly choice for expats. But cost isn’t everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.