Moving to El Salvador from Cambodia

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Cambodia to El Salvador? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Cambodia to El Salvador, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish.

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Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in El Salvador compared to Cambodia.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

KH
1.8
SV
7.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

KH
18.8
SV
21.5

Cambodia performs better than El Salvador across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

KH
$350
SV
$1,176
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

KH
2.1
SV
15.5

Cambodia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though El Salvador leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

KH
60.0
SV
31.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

KH
1.1t
SV
1.5t

Cambodia generally does better on environment, though El Salvador leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

KH
3.0
SV
10.6
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

KH
1.0%
SV
13.2%

El Salvador generally does better on infrastructure, though Cambodia leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

KH
0.2%
SV
2.8%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

KH
$5,100
SV
$11,300

Cambodia generally does better on employment & economy, though El Salvador leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

KH
70.7 yrs
SV
75.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

KH
29.6
SV
12.1

El Salvador performs significantly better than Cambodia across all family life metrics.

Data: General Department of Taxation, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Phnom Penh Rain: 51.8 in/yr (1316 mm)
90° / 75°F

Avg. annual high / low

San Salvador Rain: 70.0 in/yr (1777 mm)
87° / 66°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Phnom Penh San Salvador
Jan–Mar 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) 89°/64°F (32°/18°C)
Apr–Jun 94°/78°F (34°/25°C) 88°/68°F (31°/20°C)
Jul–Sep 90°/76°F (32°/25°C) 86°/67°F (30°/20°C)
Oct–Dec 87°/73°F (30°/23°C) 86°/65°F (30°/18°C)
View all months
Month Phnom Penh San Salvador
Jan 88°/71°F (31.2°/21.5°C) 87°/62°F (30.8°/16.9°C)
Feb 91°/72°F (32.7°/22.5°C) 90°/64°F (32.0°/17.6°C)
Mar 94°/76°F (34.5°/24.2°C) 91°/65°F (32.7°/18.4°C)
Apr 95°/78°F (34.9°/25.4°C) 91°/68°F (32.7°/19.8°C)
May 94°/78°F (34.3°/25.4°C) 88°/69°F (31.1°/20.4°C)
Jun 92°/78°F (33.1°/25.3°C) 86°/68°F (30.1°/20.1°C)
Jul 90°/76°F (32.4°/24.7°C) 87°/67°F (30.3°/19.5°C)
Aug 90°/77°F (32.2°/25.0°C) 87°/67°F (30.4°/19.7°C)
Sep 89°/75°F (31.7°/24.1°C) 85°/67°F (29.5°/19.6°C)
Oct 87°/75°F (30.8°/23.9°C) 85°/67°F (29.5°/19.4°C)
Nov 87°/73°F (30.4°/22.8°C) 86°/65°F (29.9°/18.4°C)
Dec 86°/71°F (30.2°/21.4°C) 86°/63°F (30.1°/17.4°C)

Data: Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology, Gerencia de Meteorología Gerencia de Meteorología

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Cambodia and El Salvador. To live, work, or study long-term in El Salvador, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check El Salvador's immigration authority.

Cambodia passport

Cambodia passport holder visiting El Salvador

Visa Required
Cambodia passport holders need a visa to enter El Salvador.
El Salvador passport

El Salvador passport holder visiting Cambodia

Visa on Arrival
El Salvador passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Cambodia.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from El Salvador?

Connectivity is usually fine (El Salvador: 10.6 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does El Salvador offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is El Salvador safe for expats?

Cambodia performs better than El Salvador across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in El Salvador is 7.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.8 in Cambodia.

How is healthcare in El Salvador compared to Cambodia?

Cambodia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though El Salvador leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 15.5 doctors per 10,000 people in El Salvador, compared to 2.1 in Cambodia. El Salvador scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Cambodia: 58).

What's the weather like in El Salvador compared to Cambodia?

The average high temperature in San Salvador is 87°F, compared to 90°F in Phnom Penh. San Salvador receives around 70.0 in of rainfall per year, while Phnom Penh gets 51.8 in.

What language do they speak in El Salvador?

The official language in El Salvador is Spanish. In Cambodia, the official language is Khmer.

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At a Glance

KH SV
Population 16,713,015 6,568,745
Currency Cambodian Riel (KHR) Salvadoran Colón (SVC)
Languages Khmer Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +855 +503
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 117 911