The invention discloses an energy-saving method for separating a methylbenzene and 2-methoxyethanol mixture by extractive distillation. An extracting agent for the energy-saving method is dimethyl sulfoxide; the used separating equipment comprises an extractive distillation column, a heat exchanger and an extracting agent recovering tower; in the separating process, methylbenzene steam generated on the top of the extractive distillation column is condensed and then is extracted according to the preset reflux ratio; 2-methoxyethanol and the extracting agent at the bottom of the extractive distillation column are extracted and then are divided into a circulating material flow and a discharging material flow; the circulating material flow is heated by the heat exchanger and then returns to enter the extractive distillation column; the discharging material flow enters the extractive distillation column; the extracting agent is extracted from the bottom of the extracting agent recovering tower and is recycled; and 2-methoxyethanol steam generated on the top of the extracting agent recovering tower is condensed by the heat exchanger and then is extracted according to the preset reflux ratio. According to the method, a double-effect heat-integration technique is adopted, and heat is provided for to-be-reboiled material flow at the bottom of the extractive distillation column by usinga to-be-condensed material flow on the top of the extracting agent recovering tower, so that secondary utilization of energy is realized, energy consumption is effectively reduced and the cost of equipment is reduced.