Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
Middle school, High school
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
International Curriculum
Ib Diploma
Ib Middle Years
Ib pathway
Sources checked May 14, 2026View primary source
El Salvador🇸🇻
At a Glance
How El Salvador compares across key indices
Cost of Living
48 vs NYC
100 = NYC
Safety Index
64/100
Healthcare
55/100
Quality of Life
126/200
Cost of Living
How far your money goes in El Salvador
Cost of Living
48
100 = NYC baseline
Rent Index
36
100 = NYC rent
Groceries
48
100 = NYC groceries
Restaurant Prices
50
100 = NYC dining
Safety & Crime
Moderate RiskHow safe residents feel in El Salvador - based on surveys of people living there
Safety Index
64/100
Crime Index
32/100
Lower is better
Walking Safety
Daytime100
Nighttime100
0 point drop from day to night
Cities in El Salvador
El Salvador has 35 cities with Freedom Abroad estimates. Monthly costs for a single person range from $951 in Cojutepeque to $1,196 in San Salvador. Cojutepeque leads on safety, scoring 68/100. Usulután ranks highest for quality of life at 132/200.
đź’¸Most Affordable
Cojutepeque
$951/mo
Safest
Cojutepeque
68/100
Best Quality of Life
Usulután
132/200
Best Healthcare
San Salvador
63/100
City filter
Featured
Curated and popular cities first.
35 of 35 shown| City | Monthly Cost | Safety | Quality of Life | Healthcare | Pollution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Salvador | $1,196 | 61/100 | 128/200 | 63/100 | 44 |
| Soyapango | $1,046 | 64/100 | 130/200 | 57/100 | 39 |
| San Miguel | $1,031 | 65/100 | 130/200 | 56/100 | 38 |
| Santa Ana | $1,014 | 65/100 | 131/200 | 55/100 | 37 |
| Mejicanos | $1,010 | 65/100 | 131/200 | 54/100 | 37 |
| Santa Tecla | $997 | 66/100 | 131/200 | 54/100 | 36 |
| Apopa | $992 | 66/100 | 131/200 | 53/100 | 35 |
| Delgado | $969 | 67/100 | 132/200 | 52/100 | 34 |
| Sonsonate | $959 | 68/100 | 132/200 | 51/100 | 33 |
| San Marcos | $955 | 68/100 | 132/200 | 51/100 | 32 |
| Usulután | $953 | 68/100 | 132/200 | 51/100 | 32 |
| Cojutepeque | $951 | 68/100 | 132/200 | 51/100 | 32 |
| Cuscatancingo | $951 | 68/100 | 132/200 | 51/100 | 32 |
| San Vicente | $951 | 68/100 | 132/200 | 51/100 | 32 |
| Zacatecoluca | $951 | 68/100 | 132/200 | 51/100 | 32 |
| San MartĂn | $951 | 68/100 | 132/200 | 51/100 | 32 |
| Ilopango | $951 | 68/100 | 132/200 | 51/100 | 32 |
| Ahuachapán | $951 | 68/100 | 132/200 | 51/100 | 32 |
| Antiguo Cuscatlán | $951 | 68/100 | 132/200 | 51/100 | 32 |
| Chalchuapa | $951 | 68/100 | 132/200 | 51/100 | 32 |
| Quezaltepeque | $951 | 68/100 | 132/200 | 51/100 | 32 |
| La UniĂłn | $951 | 68/100 | 132/200 | 51/100 | 32 |
| Ayutuxtepeque | $951 | 68/100 | 132/200 | 51/100 | 32 |
| Acajutla | $951 | 68/100 | 132/200 | 51/100 | 32 |
| Aguilares | $951 | 68/100 | 132/200 | 51/100 | 32 |
| Sensuntepeque | $951 | 68/100 | 132/200 | 51/100 | 32 |
| Chalatenango | $951 | 68/100 | 132/200 | 51/100 | 32 |
| Izalco | $951 | 68/100 | 132/200 | 51/100 | 32 |
| Metapán | $951 | 68/100 | 132/200 | 51/100 | 32 |
| San Rafael Oriente | $951 | 68/100 | 132/200 | 51/100 | 32 |
| Puerto El Triunfo | $951 | 68/100 | 132/200 | 51/100 | 32 |
| La Libertad | $951 | 68/100 | 132/200 | 51/100 | 32 |
| San Francisco | $951 | 68/100 | 132/200 | 51/100 | 32 |
| Sonzacate | $951 | 68/100 | 132/200 | 51/100 | 32 |
| Santiago de MarĂa | $951 | 68/100 | 132/200 | 51/100 | 32 |
Freedom Abroad estimates are modeled for a single person including rent. Pollution: lower score = cleaner air. Click column headers to sort.
Compare Cities Side by Side
Detailed comparison of cost of living, safety, and quality of life
Families
Schools
Verified school profiles for families comparing language model, grade range, credentials, and admissions next steps in El Salvador. Tuition appears only when published in verified public sources.
11
Verified records
3
Cities covered
5
Credential signals
Colegio Bilingue Cuscatlan
Verified
International
Nuevo Cuscatlan
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
High school
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
International Curriculum
Ap Course Ledger
Ap pathway
Sources checked May 13, 2026View primary source
Colegio Internacional San Salvador
Verified
International
San Salvador
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
High school
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
International Curriculum
Ap Course Ledger
Ap pathway
Sources checked May 13, 2026View primary source
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
High school
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
International Curriculum
Ib Diploma
Ib pathway
Sources checked May 14, 2026View primary source
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
High school
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
International Curriculum
Ib Diploma
Ib pathway
Sources checked May 14, 2026View primary source
Colegio Maya
Verified
International
Zaragoza
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
High school
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
International Curriculum
Ap Course Ledger
Ap pathway
Sources checked May 13, 2026View primary source
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
International curriculum
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
International Curriculum
Cambridge International School
Cambridge pathway
Sources checked May 13, 2026View primary source
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
High school
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
International Curriculum
Ib Diploma
Ib pathway
Sources checked May 14, 2026View primary source
Escuela Americana
Verified
International
San Salvador
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
High school
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
International Curriculum
Ap Course Ledger
Ap pathway
Sources checked May 13, 2026View primary source
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
Primary
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
International Curriculum
Ib Primary Years
Sources checked May 14, 2026View primary source
Highlands International School San Salvador
Verified
International
San Salvador
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
High school
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
International Curriculum
Ap Course Ledger
Ap pathway
Sources checked May 13, 2026View primary source
School records are maintained from direct school pages, public credential directories, public registry claims, and carefully labeled directory/community sources. Admissions, seat availability, and tuition can change quickly, so Freedom Abroad treats unpublished costs as “Contact school” instead of estimating.
Healthcare
Healthcare system overview for El Salvador
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A portion of affiliate revenue is donated to UNHCR
Environment
ModerateAir quality, water, and environmental conditions in El Salvador
Pollution Index
40/100
Lower is better
PM2.5
20.0ug/m3
Moderate
Environmental Quality
Air Quality100/100
Based on 0 survey responses. Perception scores are 0–100 where higher is better unless noted.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about living in El Salvador, answered with data
What is the cost of living in El Salvador?
El Salvador has a cost of living index of 48 relative to New York City (100). It is moderately affordable compared to the US. Monthly costs for a single person start around $992 in Apopa and reach $1,196 in San Salvador.
What is the cheapest city in El Salvador for expats?
Apopa is the most affordable city in El Salvador in Freedom Abroad estimates, with estimated monthly costs of $992 for a single person including rent. Santa Tecla is the next most affordable at $997/mo.
Is El Salvador safe for expats?
El Salvador has a safety index of 64/100, making it generally safe for expats and travellers. Among cities with data, Apopa scores highest on safety at 66/100.
What is the best city in El Salvador for expats and digital nomads?
Apopa ranks highest for quality of life in El Salvador, scoring 131/200 in Freedom Abroad's modeled quality-of-life estimate. Monthly costs there run around $992/mo for a single person.
How good is healthcare in El Salvador?
El Salvador scores 55/100 in Freedom Abroad's modeled healthcare estimate, making it adequate by global standards. This estimate reflects open public indicators for health outcomes and system capacity.
Is El Salvador cheaper than the United States?
Yes. El Salvador's cost of living is roughly 52% lower than New York City and generally cheaper than most major US cities. Rent specifically is around 64% cheaper. This makes it a popular destination for remote workers looking to stretch their dollar.
Before You Go
Your pre-departure checklist for El Salvador
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Cost of living, safety, school, and quality-of-life figures on this page are Freedom Abroad estimates or verified public records modeled from open sources. Data sources
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