Moving to Malawi from El Salvador

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from El Salvador to Malawi, and you’d need to navigate life in Chewa and English. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Lilongwe averages 75°F vs 87°F in San Salvador, making it significantly cooler.

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Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

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

per 100,000 people per year

SV
21.5
MW
20.2

Malawi performs significantly 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

SV
$1,176
MW
$125
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

SV
15.5
MW
0.5

Malawi 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

SV
31.0
MW
43.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SV
1.5t
MW
0.2t

El Salvador generally does better on environment, though Malawi 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

SV
10.6
MW
0.1
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SV
13.2%
MW
17.5%

El Salvador performs better than Malawi across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

SV
2.8%
MW
5.0%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

SV
$11,300
MW
$1,700

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

SV
75.4 yrs
MW
72.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SV
12.1
MW
33.4

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

Data: Ministry of Finance, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Lilongwe Rain: 50.7 in/yr (1289 mm)
75° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months San Salvador Lilongwe
Jan–Mar 89°/64°F (32°/18°C) 78°/61°F (25°/16°C)
Apr–Jun 88°/68°F (31°/20°C) 72°/53°F (22°/11°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/67°F (30°/20°C) 72°/45°F (22°/7°C)
Oct–Dec 86°/65°F (30°/18°C) 80°/57°F (27°/14°C)
View all months
Month San Salvador Lilongwe
Jan 87°/62°F (30.8°/16.9°C) 78°/61°F (25.5°/16.1°C)
Feb 90°/64°F (32.0°/17.6°C) 78°/62°F (25.6°/16.5°C)
Mar 91°/65°F (32.7°/18.4°C) 77°/61°F (24.8°/16.0°C)
Apr 91°/68°F (32.7°/19.8°C) 74°/59°F (23.5°/14.9°C)
May 88°/69°F (31.1°/20.4°C) 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.6°C)
Jun 86°/68°F (30.1°/20.1°C) 69°/46°F (20.4°/7.9°C)
Jul 87°/67°F (30.3°/19.5°C) 69°/44°F (20.3°/6.5°C)
Aug 87°/67°F (30.4°/19.7°C) 71°/44°F (21.9°/6.6°C)
Sep 85°/67°F (29.5°/19.6°C) 77°/48°F (25.1°/8.7°C)
Oct 85°/67°F (29.5°/19.4°C) 81°/53°F (27.2°/11.7°C)
Nov 86°/65°F (29.9°/18.4°C) 81°/58°F (27.2°/14.2°C)
Dec 86°/63°F (30.1°/17.4°C) 79°/61°F (26.1°/15.9°C)

Data: Gerencia de Meteorología Gerencia de Meteorología, Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

El Salvador passport

El Salvador passport holder visiting Malawi

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

Malawi passport holder visiting El Salvador

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Malawi?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Malawi has 0.1 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 Malawi safe for expats?

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

How is healthcare in Malawi compared to El Salvador?

Malawi generally does better on health & wellbeing, though El Salvador leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 0.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Malawi, compared to 15.5 in El Salvador. Malawi scores 48 on the WHO universal health coverage index (El Salvador: 78).

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

The average high temperature in Lilongwe is 75°F, compared to 87°F in San Salvador. Lilongwe receives around 50.7 in of rainfall per year, while San Salvador gets 70.0 in.

What language do they speak in Malawi?

The official languages in Malawi are Chewa and English. In El Salvador, the official language is Spanish.

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At a Glance

SV MW
Population 6,568,745 20,794,353
Currency Salvadoran Colón (SVC) Malawian Kwacha (MWK)
Languages Spanish Chewa, English
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +503 +265
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 911