Explore Cities/Compare Cities/Lima vs San Salvador

Lima vs San Salvador

Side-by-side comparison for digital nomads

Lima 37% cheaper Lima +134 Mbps Low / Moderate

Lima

Eduardo Flores/Unsplash

San Salvador

Esaú Fuentes González/Unsplash

Nomad Cost

$1,284

Lima

$2,054

San Salvador

Internet

219

Mbps

Safety

Low

Lima

Moderate

San Salvador

Air Quality

5/5

Lima

5/5

San Salvador

Healthcare

High

Lima

High

San Salvador

Population

8.9m

Lima

238.2k

San Salvador

Lima (Peru) and San Salvador (El Salvador) are both in Latin America, offering different takes on the nomad lifestyle. Here is how they compare across the metrics that matter most.

Cost of Living

Lima is significantly cheaper for digital nomads at $1284/mo — 37% less than San Salvador's $2054/mo. Over 12 months, the difference adds up to $9240.

For families, Lima costs $2188.437491200074/mo compared to San Salvador's $2719.2125/mo.

Internet & Infrastructure

Lima leads on internet connectivity at 219 Mbps (ranked #26 globally) versus San Salvador's 85 Mbps (#102). The speed gap is notable for video-heavy remote work.

Quality of Life

San Salvador has a stronger safety profile than Lima, which may be a deciding factor for solo travelers or families.

Healthcare quality is rated similarly in both Lima and San Salvador.

Monthly Weather Comparison

The best time to visit Lima is January (around 27 degrees, 0mm rain, score 454), while San Salvador peaks in January (33 degrees, 0mm rain, score 433). Timing your stay around these months can make a big difference in your experience.

Cost of Living

LimaSan Salvador

Nomad$1,284/mo$2,054/mo

Expat$794/mo$1,229/mo

Local$625/mo$777/mo

Family$2,188/mo$2,719/mo

Internet & Infrastructure

LimaSan Salvador

City Speed

219 Mbps#26

85 Mbps#102

Country Speed200 Mbps80 Mbps

Environment & Health

LimaSan Salvador

Air Quality Score5/55/5

PollutionHighHigh

ClimateHighHigh

Humidity7068

Quality of Life

LimaSan Salvador

SafetyLowModerate

HealthcareHighHigh

Monthly Weather Comparison

Lima

San Salvador

Jan

27°

0mm454

33°

0mm433

Feb

29°

0mm454

33°

0mm433

Mar

28°

0mm454

35°

0mm413

Apr

25°

0mm434

34°

1mm371

May

21°

0mm414

34°

3mm361

Jun

18°

0mm414

32°

10mm207

Jul

17°

0mm414

34°

6mm361

Aug

17°

0mm414

33°

6mm330

Sep

18°

0mm414

33°

8mm423

Oct

19°

0mm414

33°

3mm350

Nov

23°

0mm434

30°

4mm345

Dec

25°

0mm434

31°

0mm433

Who Should Choose Lima?

Great for budget nomads — monthly costs around $1284
Excellent for video calls and large uploads with 219 Mbps
Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $2188.437491200074/mo for families
Major city energy with 8.9m residents
Peak season in January — 27 degrees, score 454

Who Should Choose San Salvador?

Clean air with a 5/5 air quality score
Family-friendly at $2719.2125/mo for families
Smaller city feel with 238.2k residents
Peak season in January — 33 degrees, score 433

Overall Verdict

Overall, Lima edges ahead for most digital nomads — at $1284/mo it runs 37% cheaper than San Salvador's $2054/mo, with 219 Mbps internet for reliable remote work.

Granular Price Comparison

Lima San Salvador

ItemLimaSan SalvadorDiff

🍽️Restaurants8 items

Meal, inexpensive restaurant$3.92—

—

Meal for 2, mid-range (3-course)$22.19—

—

McMeal or equivalent combo$5.22—

—

Cappuccino (regular)$2.66—

—

Domestic beer (0.5L draught)$2.09—

—

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$3.92—

—

Coke/Pepsi (0.33L)$0.86—

—

Water (0.33L)$0.57—

—

🛒Markets19 items

Milk (1L)$1.22—

—

White bread (500g)$1.83—

—

White rice (1kg)$1.11—

—

Eggs (12)$1.81—

—

Chicken fillets (1kg)$4.99—

—

Beef round (1kg)$8.2—

—

Local cheese (1kg)$6.89—

—

Apples (1kg)$1.54—

—

Bananas (1kg)$1.02—

—

Oranges (1kg)$0.93—

—

Tomatoes (1kg)$0.98—

—

Potatoes (1kg)$0.74—

—

Onions (1kg)$0.89—

—

Lettuce (1 head)$0.72—

—

Water (1.5L bottle)$0.72—

—

Wine, mid-range bottle$7.83—

—

Domestic beer (0.5L bottle)$1.6—

—

Imported beer (0.33L bottle)$2.33—

—

Cigarettes (pack of 20)$5.22—

—

🚌Transport8 items

One-way local transport ticket$0.52—

—

Monthly transport pass$15.66—

—

Taxi start (normal tariff)$2.61—

—

Taxi per 1km$1.44—

—

Taxi 1hr waiting$6.27—

—

Gasoline (1L)$1.31—

—

Volkswagen Golf (new)$18,274.38—

—

Toyota Corolla (new)$21,697.31—

—

⚡Utilities3 items

Utilities, 85m² apartment/mo$71.32—

—

Internet 60+ Mbps/mo$30.91—

—

Mobile prepaid per minute$0.18—

—

🏋️Sport & Leisure3 items

Fitness club, monthly$37.19—

—

Tennis court rent (1hr weekend)$12.4—

—

Cinema, 1 ticket$5.48—

—

👶Childcare2 items

Preschool, full-day private/mo$213.5—

—

International primary school/yr$5,851.01—

—

👗Clothing4 items

Jeans (Levi's 501 or similar)$43.81—

—

Summer dress (chain store)$28.35—

—

Nike running shoes (mid-range)$71.57—

—

Men's leather business shoes$68.37—

—

🏠Rent4 items

1-bedroom apartment, city centre$511.24—

—

1-bedroom apartment, outside centre$349.69—

—

3-bedroom apartment, city centre$954.12—

—

3-bedroom apartment, outside centre$701.14—

—

🏗️Buy2 items

Price per m², city centre$1,962.17—

—

Price per m², outside centre$1,483.1—

—

💰Finance2 items

Average monthly net salary$489.76—

—

Mortgage interest rate (20yr fixed)$8.29—

—

Lower is better for all cost items.

Data from Open-Meteo (weather) and global internet speed rankings. Updated monthly.

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