Moving to Portugal from El Salvador

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from El Salvador to Portugal, and you’d need to navigate life in Portuguese. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Lisbon averages 69°F vs 87°F in San Salvador, making it significantly cooler.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from El Salvador to Portugal.

Living there in 2020
96 ↑ 13% vs 2015

people born in El Salvador live in Portugal · UN DESA

Who's moving to Portugal?

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

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

SV
7.8
PT
0.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

SV
21.5
PT
7.2

Portugal performs significantly better than El Salvador across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

SV
$1,176
PT
$4,928
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

SV
15.5
PT
57.7

Portugal 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

SV
31.0
PT
10.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SV
1.5t
PT
3.3t

El Salvador generally does better on environment, though Portugal 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

SV
10.6
PT
43.5
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SV
13.2%
PT
12.3%

Portugal performs significantly 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

SV
2.8%
PT
6.5%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

SV
$11,300
PT
$41,700

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

SV
75.4 yrs
PT
81.5 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SV
12.1
PT
2.5

Portugal performs significantly better than El Salvador 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

Lisbon Rain: 29.6 in/yr (751 mm)
69° / 55°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months San Salvador Lisbon
Jan–Mar 89°/64°F (32°/18°C) 61°/48°F (16°/9°C)
Apr–Jun 88°/68°F (31°/20°C) 71°/56°F (22°/13°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/67°F (30°/20°C) 81°/63°F (27°/17°C)
Oct–Dec 86°/65°F (30°/18°C) 65°/53°F (18°/12°C)
View all months
Month San Salvador Lisbon
Jan 87°/62°F (30.8°/16.9°C) 58°/47°F (14.5°/8.2°C)
Feb 90°/64°F (32.0°/17.6°C) 60°/48°F (15.6°/9.0°C)
Mar 91°/65°F (32.7°/18.4°C) 64°/50°F (17.6°/9.9°C)
Apr 91°/68°F (32.7°/19.8°C) 66°/52°F (19.1°/11.1°C)
May 88°/69°F (31.1°/20.4°C) 71°/55°F (21.7°/13.0°C)
Jun 86°/68°F (30.1°/20.1°C) 77°/60°F (24.8°/15.6°C)
Jul 87°/67°F (30.3°/19.5°C) 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.4°C)
Aug 87°/67°F (30.4°/19.7°C) 82°/64°F (27.9°/17.7°C)
Sep 85°/67°F (29.5°/19.6°C) 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.0°C)
Oct 85°/67°F (29.5°/19.4°C) 72°/58°F (22.4°/14.6°C)
Nov 86°/65°F (29.9°/18.4°C) 64°/52°F (17.8°/11.2°C)
Dec 86°/63°F (30.1°/17.4°C) 59°/48°F (14.8°/8.9°C)

Data: Gerencia de Meteorología Gerencia de Meteorología, Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

El Salvador passport

El Salvador passport holder visiting Portugal

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

Portugal passport holder visiting El Salvador

Visa Free
Portugal passport holders can enter El Salvador 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 Portugal?

Connectivity is usually fine (Portugal: 43.5 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Portugal offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Portugal safe for expats?

Portugal performs significantly better than El Salvador across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Portugal is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 7.8 in El Salvador.

How is healthcare in Portugal compared to El Salvador?

Portugal generally does better on health & wellbeing, though El Salvador leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 57.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Portugal, compared to 15.5 in El Salvador. Portugal scores 88 on the WHO universal health coverage index (El Salvador: 78).

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

The average high temperature in Lisbon is 69°F, compared to 87°F in San Salvador. Lisbon receives around 29.6 in of rainfall per year, while San Salvador gets 70.0 in.

What language do they speak in Portugal?

The official language in Portugal is Portuguese. In El Salvador, the official language is Spanish.

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At a Glance

SV PT
Population 6,568,745 10,242,081
Currency Salvadoran Colón (SVC) Euro (€)
Languages Spanish Portuguese
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +503 +351
Time zones 1 2
Emergency number 911 112