🇸🇻Cost of Living in San Salvador

El Salvador · Population: 1,800,000 · Cost Index: 34/100

Cost of Living in San Salvador

El Salvador · North America

San Salvador is the capital and largest city of El Salvador, located in a fertile valley at the base of the San Salvador volcano. The city has undergone significant modernization and uses the US dollar as its official currency, making it a straightforward destination for American expats and digital nomads.

1,800,000

Population

Cost Index

Safety Index

Quality of Life

Average Monthly Cost: $880 (single person, excluding rent)

Estimated monthly budget in San Salvador

Typical total monthly cost by household type.

Single person

$880

per month

Couple

$1,320

per month

Family of 4

$1,850

per month

Student

$660

per month

Estimates based on the average cost of living in San Salvador, scaled by household size. Actual costs vary with lifestyle, neighbourhood and housing.

Cost Breakdown

Housing

Avg: $520.00

1-Bedroom Apartment (City Center)(per month)

$450.00

1-Bedroom Apartment (Outside Center)(per month)

$280.00

3-Bedroom Apartment (City Center)(per month)

$850.00

3-Bedroom Apartment (Outside Center)(per month)

$500.00

Food & Groceries

Avg: $4.76

Meal at Inexpensive Restaurant(per meal)

$4.00

Meal for 2 at Mid-Range Restaurant(per meal)

$25.00

McMeal at McDonald's(per meal)

$5.50

Milk (1 liter)(per liter)

$1.30

Bread (500g loaf)(per loaf)

$1.20

Rice (1 kg)(per kg)

$0.90

Eggs (12)(per dozen)

$2.00

Chicken Breast (1 kg)(per kg)

$4.50

Apples (1 kg)(per kg)

$2.50

Banana (1 kg)(per kg)

$0.70

Transportation

Avg: $5.10

Monthly Public Transit Pass(per month)

$22.00

One-Way Ticket (Local Transport)(per trip)

$0.25

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)(base fare)

$1.50

Taxi 1km (Normal Tariff)(per km)

$0.65

Gasoline (1 liter)(per liter)

$1.10

Utilities

Avg: $33.33

Basic Utilities (85m² Apt)(per month)

$60.00

Mobile Phone Plan(per month)

$12.00

Internet (60 Mbps+)(per month)

$28.00

Healthcare

Avg: $15.00

Doctor Visit(per visit)

$18.00

Dentist Visit(per visit)

$22.00

Prescription Medicine (avg)(per prescription)

$5.00

Entertainment

Avg: $9.20

Fitness Club Monthly(per month)

$28.00

Cinema Ticket(per ticket)

$4.00

Cappuccino(per cup)

$2.80

Beer (0.5l) at Restaurant(per glass)

$2.00

Clothing

Avg: $42.33

Pair of Jeans (Levi's)(per pair)

$40.00

Summer Dress (Chain Store)(per item)

$22.00

Running Shoes (Nike, Adidas)(per pair)

$65.00

Popular San Salvador comparisons

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Frequently asked questions about San Salvador

Is San Salvador expensive to live in?

San Salvador has a cost of living index of 34 out of 100, where New York City scores 100. This makes it one of the more affordable cities we track.

How much money do you need to live in San Salvador?

A single person needs an estimated $880 per month to live in San Salvador, covering rent, food, transport and other essentials. A family or a more comfortable lifestyle will cost more.

What is the cost of living index in San Salvador?

San Salvador's cost of living index is 34 out of 100. The index is relative to New York City (100), so a score of 50 means overall costs are roughly half those of New York.

What is quality of life like in San Salvador?

San Salvador scores 42 out of 100 for quality of life and 35 out of 100 for safety in our index.

Data & sources

As an independent cross-check, the World Bank puts the overall price level in El Salvador at 47 relative to the United States (=100) in 2024. View source

Cost figures on this site are independent estimates, cross-referenced with public data sources including World Bank, Numbeo, Eurostat, OECD.