Moving to El Salvador from Ethiopia

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Ethiopia to El Salvador, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — San Salvador averages 87°F vs 74°F in Addis Ababa, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Ethiopia 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

ET
8.6
SV
7.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

ET
17.7
SV
21.5

Ethiopia generally does better on safety, though El Salvador leads in homicide rate.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

ET
$86
SV
$1,176
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

ET
1.1
SV
15.5

Ethiopia 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

ET
46.0
SV
31.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ET
0.1t
SV
1.5t

Ethiopia 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

ET
0.5
SV
10.6
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ET
32.3%
SV
13.2%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

ET
3.5%
SV
2.8%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

ET
$2,800
SV
$11,300

El Salvador generally does better on employment & economy, though Ethiopia leads in poverty rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

ET
68.2 yrs
SV
75.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ET
33.5
SV
12.1

El Salvador generally does better on family life, though Ethiopia leads in education spending.

Data: Ethiopian Revenues and Customs Authority, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Addis Ababa Rain: 45.9 in/yr (1165 mm)
74° / 49°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Addis Ababa San Salvador
Jan–Mar 76°/48°F (24°/9°C) 89°/64°F (32°/18°C)
Apr–Jun 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) 88°/68°F (31°/20°C)
Jul–Sep 71°/50°F (21°/10°C) 86°/67°F (30°/20°C)
Oct–Dec 73°/46°F (23°/8°C) 86°/65°F (30°/18°C)
View all months
Month Addis Ababa San Salvador
Jan 75°/46°F (24.0°/8.0°C) 87°/62°F (30.8°/16.9°C)
Feb 75°/48°F (24.0°/9.0°C) 90°/64°F (32.0°/17.6°C)
Mar 77°/50°F (25.0°/10.0°C) 91°/65°F (32.7°/18.4°C)
Apr 75°/52°F (24.0°/11.0°C) 91°/68°F (32.7°/19.8°C)
May 77°/52°F (25.0°/11.0°C) 88°/69°F (31.1°/20.4°C)
Jun 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.0°C) 86°/68°F (30.1°/20.1°C)
Jul 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.0°C) 87°/67°F (30.3°/19.5°C)
Aug 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.0°C) 87°/67°F (30.4°/19.7°C)
Sep 72°/50°F (22.0°/10.0°C) 85°/67°F (29.5°/19.6°C)
Oct 73°/48°F (23.0°/9.0°C) 85°/67°F (29.5°/19.4°C)
Nov 73°/45°F (23.0°/7.0°C) 86°/65°F (29.9°/18.4°C)
Dec 73°/45°F (23.0°/7.0°C) 86°/63°F (30.1°/17.4°C)

Data: Ethiopian Meteorological Institute (EMI) Ethiopian Meteorological Institute (EMI), Gerencia de Meteorología Gerencia de Meteorología

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Ethiopia 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.

Ethiopia passport

Ethiopia passport holder visiting El Salvador

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

El Salvador passport holder visiting Ethiopia

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

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 Ethiopia and El Salvador.

Is El Salvador safe for expats?

Ethiopia generally does better on safety, though El Salvador leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in El Salvador is 7.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 8.6 in Ethiopia.

How is healthcare in El Salvador compared to Ethiopia?

Ethiopia 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 1.1 in Ethiopia. El Salvador scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Ethiopia: 35).

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

The average high temperature in San Salvador is 87°F, compared to 74°F in Addis Ababa. San Salvador receives around 70.0 in of rainfall per year, while Addis Ababa gets 45.9 in.

What language do they speak in El Salvador?

The official language in El Salvador is Spanish. In Ethiopia, the official language is Amharic.

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At a Glance

ET SV
Population 113,656,596 6,568,745
Currency Ethiopian Birr (ETB) Salvadoran Colón (SVC)
Languages Amharic Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +251 +503
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 911 911