Moving to El Salvador from Chile

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Chile to El Salvador — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Chile to El Salvador. Expect a noticeable climate shift — San Salvador averages 87°F vs 73°F in Santiago, making it significantly warmer.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Chile to El Salvador, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
232 ↑ 1% vs 2015

people born in Chile live in El Salvador · UN DESA

Who's moving to El Salvador?

Top countries of origin for El Salvador's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Chile and El Salvador stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

CL
6.7
SV
7.8
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

CL
32%
SV
38%

Chile generally does better on safety, though El Salvador leads in feel safe walking at night.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

CL
$3,612
SV
$1,176
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

CL
31.7
SV
15.5

El Salvador generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Chile 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

CL
18.0
SV
31.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

CL
3.9t
SV
1.5t

Chile generally does better on environment, though El Salvador leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

CL
22.7
SV
10.6
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

CL
9.0%
SV
13.2%

Chile performs better than El Salvador across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

CL
9.0%
SV
2.8%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

CL
$29,500
SV
$11,300

Chile generally does better on employment & economy, though El Salvador leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

CL
79.8 yrs
SV
75.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

CL
6.5
SV
12.1

Chile performs better than El Salvador across all family life metrics.

Data: Chilean Tax Administration, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Santiago Rain: 13.5 in/yr (342 mm)
73° / 48°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Santiago San Salvador
Jan–Mar 84°/55°F (29°/12°C) 89°/64°F (32°/18°C)
Apr–Jun 66°/44°F (19°/7°C) 88°/68°F (31°/20°C)
Jul–Sep 63°/41°F (17°/5°C) 86°/67°F (30°/20°C)
Oct–Dec 79°/51°F (26°/10°C) 86°/65°F (30°/18°C)
View all months
Month Santiago San Salvador
Jan 86°/56°F (30.1°/13.3°C) 87°/62°F (30.8°/16.9°C)
Feb 85°/55°F (29.5°/12.8°C) 90°/64°F (32.0°/17.6°C)
Mar 81°/53°F (27.4°/11.4°C) 91°/65°F (32.7°/18.4°C)
Apr 74°/47°F (23.1°/8.6°C) 91°/68°F (32.7°/19.8°C)
May 65°/44°F (18.5°/6.4°C) 88°/69°F (31.1°/20.4°C)
Jun 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.0°C) 86°/68°F (30.1°/20.1°C)
Jul 60°/39°F (15.3°/3.9°C) 87°/67°F (30.3°/19.5°C)
Aug 63°/41°F (17.1°/5.1°C) 87°/67°F (30.4°/19.7°C)
Sep 67°/44°F (19.4°/6.8°C) 85°/67°F (29.5°/19.6°C)
Oct 73°/47°F (22.9°/8.6°C) 85°/67°F (29.5°/19.4°C)
Nov 79°/51°F (26.1°/10.3°C) 86°/65°F (29.9°/18.4°C)
Dec 84°/54°F (28.8°/12.2°C) 86°/63°F (30.1°/17.4°C)

Data: Dirección Meteorológica de Chile Dirección Meteorológica de Chile, Gerencia de Meteorología Gerencia de Meteorología

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Chile 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.

Chile passport

Chile passport holder visiting El Salvador

Visa Free
Chile passport holders can enter El Salvador without a visa.
El Salvador passport

El Salvador passport holder visiting Chile

Visa Free
El Salvador passport holders can enter Chile without a visa.

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?

With 10.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, El Salvador can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Chile and El Salvador.

Is El Salvador safe for expats?

Chile generally does better on safety, though El Salvador leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in El Salvador is 7.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.7 in Chile. About 38% of people in El Salvador feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in El Salvador compared to Chile?

El Salvador generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Chile leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 15.5 doctors per 10,000 people in El Salvador, compared to 31.7 in Chile. El Salvador scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Chile: 82).

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

The average high temperature in San Salvador is 87°F, compared to 73°F in Santiago. San Salvador receives around 70.0 in of rainfall per year, while Santiago gets 13.5 in.

What language do they speak in El Salvador?

Both Chile and El Salvador share the same official language: Spanish.

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At a Glance

CL SV
Population 18,430,408 6,568,745
Currency Chilean Unit of Account (UF) (CLF) Salvadoran Colón (SVC)
Languages Spanish Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +56 +503
Time zones 2 1
Emergency number 131 911