San Salvador, El Salvador Capital City.
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador — Official figures indicate that increasing food prices continue to burden Salvadoran households, with the basic food basket posing a significant challenge for most Salvadorans.
At the end of 2025, according to government data, El Salvador’s basic food basket cost for urban families ended at $252.08, while rural families paid $184.50.
The monthly cost of both the rural and urban basic food basket increased compared to the end of 2024.
Urban Food Basket Cost
The price of the urban basic food basket dropped in December, decreasing from $253.32 in November to $252.08—a decrease of $1.24.
| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Change 2024-2025 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 199.24 | 213.43 | 245.02 | 256.74 | 246.64 | -10.10 (-3.9%) |
| February | 200.41 | 215.45 | 249.70 | 256.82 | 247.61 | -9.21 (-3.6%) |
| March | 201.31 | 220.95 | 249.09 | 254.79 | 245.89 | -8.90 (-3.5%) |
| April | 200.13 | 223.86 | 247.79 | 255.21 | 247.27 | -7.94 (-3.1%) |
| May | 201.04 | 227.39 | 247.87 | 256.56 | 248.22 | -8.34 (-3.3%) |
| June | 203.72 | 235.47 | 250.77 | 262.17 | 253.06 | -9.11 (-3.5%) |
| July | 202.70 | 238.71 | 255.36 | 264.92 | 255.06 | -9.86 (-3.7%) |
| August | 204.75 | 238.95 | 255.19 | 259.97 | 250.79 | -9.18 (-3.5%) |
| September | 205.43 | 237.89 | 257.61 | 249.26 | 250.71 | 1.45 (0.6%) |
| October | 212.55 | 239.87 | 257.81 | 245.74 | 250.75 | 5.01 (2.0%) |
| November | 214.14 | 240.64 | 255.60 | 244.28 | 253.32 | 9.04 (3.7%) |
| December | 211.81 | 240.37 | 257.06 | 246.06 | 252.08 | 6.02 (2.4%) |
The cost of El Salvador’s basic food basket in urban areas rose $6.02 in 2025, increasing pressure on household budgets despite official claims of economic stability and easing overall inflation.
The basket climbed from $246.06 at the end of 2024 to $252.08 by the end of 2025, a rise that continues to strain low-income families whose wages have not kept pace with food prices.
Rural Food Basket Cost
Rural households spent $184.50 on the basic food basket at the end of 2025, according to the National Census Bureau (ONEC), a $0.81 drop from November, when the cost was $185.31.
| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Change 2024-2025 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 141.68 | 157.13 | 185.26 | 185.12 | 179.97 | -5.15 (-2.8%) |
| February | 143.67 | 156.50 | 187.08 | 185.17 | 181.05 | -4.12 (-2.2%) |
| March | 144.71 | 158.33 | 188.73 | 183.02 | 178.13 | -4.89 (-2.7%) |
| April | 143.77 | 163.93 | 190.10 | 180.70 | 178.76 | -1.94 (-1.1%) |
| May | 145.09 | 163.36 | 188.84 | 179.08 | 179.75 | 0.67 (0.4%) |
| June | 146.31 | 173.74 | 188.89 | 179.23 | 184.57 | 5.34 (3.0%) |
| July | 145.34 | 178.07 | 193.98 | 180.34 | 190.80 | 10.46 (5.8%) |
| August | 148.09 | 179.47 | 189.02 | 177.31 | 189.40 | 12.09 (6.8%) |
| September | 147.12 | 173.97 | 192.27 | 176.21 | 190.94 | 14.73 (8.4%) |
| October | 153.55 | 183.36 | 193.48 | 175.34 | 190.11 | 14.77 (8.4%) |
| November | 153.20 | 183.47 | 189.39 | 175.22 | 185.31 | 10.09 (5.8%) |
| December | 151.88 | 181.54 | 186.08 | 179.00 | 184.50 | 5.50 (3.1%) |
The cost of El Salvador’s rural basic food basket increased $5.50 in 2025, adding pressure to households that already face lower incomes and higher vulnerability to price fluctuations.
The basket rose from $179.00 at the end of 2024 to $184.50 by the end of 2025, continuing a steady climb that limits purchasing power for rural families.
El Salvador’s Basic Food Basket
El Salvador’s Basic Food Basket matters because it reflects the minimum cost of essential foods Salvadorans need to survive. When the basket becomes more expensive, families feel the impact immediately in their daily meals.
For minimum-wage workers, even small increases strain already limited budgets. A rise of just a dollar can force trade-offs between food, transportation, or school expenses for their children.
Those living in poverty are hit the hardest. Many already spend more than half their income on food, leaving little room for unexpected price changes or economic shocks.
Tracking the food basket is crucial for understanding real living conditions. It shows whether salaries keep pace with basic needs and highlights the gap between official wages and the actual cost of survival.
The persistent rise in essential food prices highlights the ongoing economic challenges faced by Salvadorans, even as the country records historic lows in violence and homicides.
With low wages and the rising cost of living, concerns about economic stability have become the primary issue for many households, particularly among those living in poverty.
