💰 How Much Does a Trip to El Salvador Cost?
Good news: El Salvador is one of the most affordable destinations in Central America! Here's a complete 2025 price guide to plan your budget.
🏨 Accommodation
- Youth hostel (dorm) : $8-15 / night
- Youth hostel (private) : $20-35 / night
- Budget hotel : $25-45 / night
- Mid-range hotel : $50-80 / night
- High-end hotel : $100-200 / night
💡 Accommodation Tip
El Tunco and El Zonte offer excellent hostels for $10-15/night with ocean views. San Salvador is more expensive ($15-25 minimum).
🍽️ Food & Drinks
Local Restaurants
- Pupusas (street food) : $0.50-1 / piece
- Daily menu (comedor) : $3-5
- Local restaurant : $5-10
- Tourist restaurant : $10-20
- High-end restaurant : $25-40
Drinks
- Coffee : $1-3
- Water (bottle) : $0.50-1
- Local beer (bar) : $1.50-3
- Cocktail : $4-8
💡 Food Tip
Eating like the locals costs $5-8/day. Pupuserías are everywhere and delicious!
🚗 Transportation
Local Transport
- City bus : $0.25-0.50
- Intercity bus : $1-4 (trip)
- Uber/Bolt (city) : $3-8
- Airport taxi ➜ San Salvador : $25-30
Car Rental
- Economy car : $30-50 / day
- SUV : $50-80 / day
- Gas (gallon) : $4.50-5
💡 Transport Tip
"Chicken buses" are very economical but slow. Uber is perfect for cities. For exploring, car rental recommended.
🎯 Activities & Excursions
- National park entry : $1-3
- Museum : $2-5
- Surf lesson (2h) : $25-40
- Surf rental (day) : $10-15
- Guided tour (half-day) : $30-60
- Diving (2 dives) : $60-80
📱 Other Expenses
- Local SIM (1 month) : $10-15
- Laundry : $3-5 / load
- Haircut : $3-10
- Massage (1h) : $15-30
💵 Recommended Total Budget
Backpacker
$20-35 / day
- Hostel dorm
- Local food (pupusas, comedors)
- Local buses
- Free activities (beaches, hikes)
Moderate Comfort
$50-80 / day
- Private room hostel/budget hotel
- Mix of local + tourist restaurants
- Uber + some taxis
- Some paid activities
Comfortable
$100-150 / day
- Mid-range hotel
- Various restaurants
- Car rental
- All activities included
Luxury
$200+ / day
- High-end hotels
- Fine dining
- Private tours
- Full comfort
📊 Sample 10-Day Budget
Backpacker Budget: $300-400 total
- Accommodation: $100-150
- Food: $80-100
- Transport: $50-80
- Activities: $50-70
Comfort Budget: $600-900 total
- Accommodation: $300-400
- Food: $150-200
- Transport: $100-150
- Activities: $100-150
💡 Money-Saving Tips
- Eat local: Pupusas are delicious and ultra-economical
- Local buses: 10x cheaper than private taxis
- Negotiate: At markets and with taxis (not Uber)
- Tap water: Use a filter rather than buying bottles
- Happy hours: Beers for $1-2 in beach bars
💳 Payment Methods
- Cash (USD): Preferred everywhere, especially small businesses
- Credit card: Accepted mid to high-end restaurants/hotels
- Bitcoin: Accepted in some places (especially El Zonte)
- ATM: $3-5 fees per withdrawal, withdraw large amounts
🎯 Verdict
El Salvador is a very affordable destination where $30-50/day is more than enough to travel comfortably. It's cheaper than Costa Rica, Panama or touristy Mexico.
For a 10-15 day "comfort backpacker" trip, budget $500-800 all-inclusive (excluding international flight).