Moving to El Salvador from Cuba

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Cuba to El Salvador — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Cuba to El Salvador.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Cuba to El Salvador, based on official data.

Living there in 2020
129 ↑ 1% vs 2015

people born in Cuba 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

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Cuba to El Salvador.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

CU
4.4
SV
7.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

CU
5.4
SV
21.5

Cuba 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

CU
$2,575
SV
$1,176
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

CU
94.3
SV
15.5

Cuba generally does better on health & wellbeing, though El Salvador leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

CU
31.0
SV
31.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

CU
1.9t
SV
1.5t

Cuba 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

CU
2.9
SV
10.6
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

CU
23.9%
SV
13.2%

El Salvador performs significantly better than Cuba across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

CU
1.2%
SV
2.8%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

CU
$12,300
SV
$11,300

Cuba performs better than El Salvador across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

CU
79.6 yrs
SV
75.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

CU
4.1
SV
12.1

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

Data: The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Havana Rain: 46.8 in/yr (1189 mm)
84° / 71°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Havana San Salvador
Jan–Mar 80°/66°F (26°/19°C) 89°/64°F (32°/18°C)
Apr–Jun 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) 88°/68°F (31°/20°C)
Jul–Sep 88°/75°F (31°/24°C) 86°/67°F (30°/20°C)
Oct–Dec 82°/70°F (28°/21°C) 86°/65°F (30°/18°C)
View all months
Month Havana San Salvador
Jan 78°/65°F (25.8°/18.6°C) 87°/62°F (30.8°/16.9°C)
Feb 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.6°C) 90°/64°F (32.0°/17.6°C)
Mar 82°/67°F (27.6°/19.7°C) 91°/65°F (32.7°/18.4°C)
Apr 83°/70°F (28.6°/20.9°C) 91°/68°F (32.7°/19.8°C)
May 86°/72°F (29.8°/22.4°C) 88°/69°F (31.1°/20.4°C)
Jun 87°/74°F (30.5°/23.4°C) 86°/68°F (30.1°/20.1°C)
Jul 88°/75°F (31.3°/23.8°C) 87°/67°F (30.3°/19.5°C)
Aug 89°/75°F (31.6°/24.1°C) 87°/67°F (30.4°/19.7°C)
Sep 88°/75°F (31.0°/23.8°C) 85°/67°F (29.5°/19.6°C)
Oct 85°/73°F (29.2°/23.0°C) 85°/67°F (29.5°/19.4°C)
Nov 82°/70°F (27.7°/21.3°C) 86°/65°F (29.9°/18.4°C)
Dec 80°/67°F (26.5°/19.5°C) 86°/63°F (30.1°/17.4°C)

Data: Instituto de Meteorología Instituto de Meteorología, Gerencia de Meteorología Gerencia de Meteorología

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Cuba 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.

Cuba passport

Cuba passport holder visiting El Salvador

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

El Salvador passport holder visiting Cuba

Visa Online (e-Visa)
El Salvador passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Cuba.

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?

Internet is rarely the blocker — El Salvador has 10.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is El Salvador safe for expats?

Cuba performs better than El Salvador across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in El Salvador is 7.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.4 in Cuba.

How is healthcare in El Salvador compared to Cuba?

Cuba generally does better on health & wellbeing, though El Salvador leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 15.5 doctors per 10,000 people in El Salvador, compared to 94.3 in Cuba. El Salvador scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Cuba: 83).

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

The average high temperature in San Salvador is 87°F, compared to 84°F in Havana. San Salvador receives around 70.0 in of rainfall per year, while Havana gets 46.8 in.

What language do they speak in El Salvador?

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

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At a Glance

CU SV
Population 11,008,112 6,568,745
Currency Cuban Convertible Peso (CUC) Salvadoran Colón (SVC)
Languages Spanish Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +53 +503
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 106 911