San Salvador vs Montevideo Cost of Living Comparison
Executive summary: San Salvador leads on CPI (20.9 vs 38.2, NYC=100), San Salvador leads on rent index, and Montevideo leads on purchasing power. Validate neighbourhood rents before relocating — city-wide winners can reverse at district scale.
Overall Cost Winner
San Salvador
Lower overall CPI; largest measurable gaps: Utilities (13360% gap, San Salvador ahead); Salary (11461% gap, Montevideo ahead).
Monthly Cost Difference
Estimated monthly housing+utilities+internet basket is about $561 lower in San Salvador than in Montevideo (~218% gap; converted via exchange rates).
Estimated monthly difference: $561 (favoring San Salvador).
Category Winners
| Category | Winner | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Overall CPI | San Salvador | CPI 20.9 vs 38.2 (lower is better) |
| Housing | San Salvador | Rent index 6.3 vs 21.2 (lower is better) |
| Food | San Salvador | Groceries index 29.6 vs 45.4 (lower is better) |
| Transport | San Salvador | One-way ticket 0.31 vs 30.04 (lower is better) |
| Utilities | San Salvador | Utilities (85m²) 12.6 vs 1696 (lower is better) |
| Internet | San Salvador | Internet 24.43 vs 1360.8 (lower is better) |
| Restaurants | San Salvador | Restaurant index 16.8 vs 38 (lower is better) |
| Salary | Montevideo | Avg net salary 111104 vs 961 (higher is better) |
| Purchasing Power | Montevideo | PP index 44.8 vs 15.5 (higher is better) |
Biggest Difference
Utilities: San Salvador leads with a 13360% gap.
Utilities (85m²) 12.6 vs 1696 (lower is better)
Quick Decision
- Students: San Salvador — Lower housing / rent index (237% gap).
- Families: San Salvador — Housing is typically the largest household line; rent index favors San Salvador; purchasing power favors Montevideo.
- Remote Workers: San Salvador — Everyday cost index (CPI) favors San Salvador (~83% gap).
- Budget Living: San Salvador — Lowest overall consumer-price index in this pair.
Key Takeaways
- San Salvador is the overall cost winner on CPI (~83% lower everyday-cost index than Montevideo).
- Housing: San Salvador leads on rent index (237% gap).
- Food / groceries: San Salvador is lower (53% gap).
- Purchasing power: Montevideo scores higher (189% gap).
- Largest category gap: Utilities (13360%), favoring San Salvador.
- Sample monthly basket (1BR + utilities + internet) is ~$561 cheaper in San Salvador.
Analysis
Detailed breakdown uses only paired indices: CPI 20.9/38.2, rent 6.3/21.2, purchasing power 15.5/44.8. Category winners can diverge — a city may win rent while losing CPI. No GDP, climate, or industry claims are invented for either city.
Trust & data transparency
Last updated: 2026-08-20
Data Sources
This page uses CityCost index inputs. Platform sources (see also Data sources):
- Regional
- Regional
On-page labels for this view: Regional · Regional.
Methodology
Each indexed city is associated with a reference basket of common living costs (for example rent, groceries samples, transport tickets, utilities, restaurant meals, and net salary where available). From those items, the platform derives relative indices such as CPI, rent, groceries, restaurants, and local purchasing power, using New York City = 100 as the familiar baseline convention for relative comparison.