El Salvador
El Salvador's compact, volcano-ringed capital with a growing surf tourism reputation, pupusa culture, and an emerging arts scene.
#217 of 250
82% below average
Monthly cost, one adult
$ 254
Based on NYC = 100 index
Total does not include Housing, Basic Grocery Basket, & Healthcare — no scraped prices there (N/A)
San Salvador is the 217. most expensive of the 250 cities we track — a month here comes to $ 254 for one adult.
Cheaper here than almost anywhere else is entertainment, 85% below the median: fitness club (monthly) $ 12. You also get off lightly on restaurants, transportation.
Percentages compare this city against the median of all tracked cities, category by category.
5 prices on this page come from live scrapers (3 sources, observed October 13, 2026 to October 14, 2026). They are free to reuse under CC BY 4.0: credit CostCompass and link this page.
CostCompass (2026). Cost of living in San Salvador, El Salvador. Data as of 2026-10-14. https://costcompass.net/living/cities/san-salvador. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
| Item | Price (USD) | Observations | Last observed | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fitness Club (Monthly) | 12.20 / month | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Gym Chains, Americas Entertainment Chains |
| Jeans (Levis or Similar) | 17.00 / item | 1 | 2026-10-14 | Local Clothing Shops (frontier markets) |
| Summer Dress (Chain Store) | 34.50 / item | 1 | 2026-10-14 | Local Clothing Shops (frontier markets) |
| Running Shoes (Nike, Adidas) | 117.99 / pair | 1 | 2026-10-14 | Local Clothing Shops (frontier markets) |
| Business Shoes (Leather) | 75.99 / pair | 1 | 2026-10-14 | Local Clothing Shops (frontier markets) |
Cities where the money splits the same way
Dominican Republic
Similar share of Restaurants & Utilities · compared on 5 of 8 categories
Philippines
Similar share of Restaurants & Transportation · compared on 5 of 8 categories
Philippines
Similar share of Restaurants & Transportation · compared on 5 of 8 categories
Vietnam
Similar share of Utilities & Transportation · compared on 5 of 8 categories
Monthly average costs by category
N/A
N/A
$ 92
per month
$ 38
per month
$ 87
per month
$ 12
per month
N/A
$ 25
per month