Moving to El Salvador from Jamaica

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Jamaica to El Salvador, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Living there in 2020
10

people born in Jamaica 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 Jamaica and El Salvador stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

JM
49.4
SV
7.9
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

JM
70%
SV
38%

Jamaica 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

JM
$869
SV
$1,176
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

JM
4.6
SV
16.2

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

JM
22.0
SV
31.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

JM
2.8t
SV
1.5t

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

JM
16.0
SV
12.5
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

JM
12.4%
SV
12.1%

Jamaica generally does better on infrastructure, though El Salvador leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

JM
3.3%
SV
3.3%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

JM
$8,003
SV
$5,767

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

JM
71.6 yrs
SV
72.3 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

JM
16.4
SV
8.8

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

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Tax Admministration of Jamaica (2016), Ministry of Finance (2016), The World Factbook (2015). How we calculate this

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Kingston Rain: 32.0 in/yr (813 mm)
89° / 73°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Kingston San Salvador
Jan–Mar 87°/70°F (30°/21°C) 89°/64°F (32°/18°C)
Apr–Jun 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) 88°/68°F (31°/20°C)
Jul–Sep 91°/76°F (33°/24°C) 86°/67°F (30°/20°C)
Oct–Dec 88°/73°F (31°/23°C) 86°/65°F (30°/18°C)
View all months
Month Kingston San Salvador
Jan 87°/70°F (30.3°/21.1°C) 87°/62°F (30.8°/16.9°C)
Feb 86°/70°F (30.2°/21.0°C) 90°/64°F (32.0°/17.6°C)
Mar 87°/71°F (30.7°/21.6°C) 91°/65°F (32.7°/18.4°C)
Apr 88°/73°F (31.1°/22.6°C) 91°/68°F (32.7°/19.8°C)
May 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.6°C) 88°/69°F (31.1°/20.4°C)
Jun 90°/76°F (32.1°/24.2°C) 86°/68°F (30.1°/20.1°C)
Jul 91°/76°F (32.8°/24.3°C) 87°/67°F (30.3°/19.5°C)
Aug 91°/76°F (32.7°/24.2°C) 87°/67°F (30.4°/19.7°C)
Sep 90°/75°F (32.1°/24.0°C) 85°/67°F (29.5°/19.6°C)
Oct 89°/74°F (31.7°/23.4°C) 85°/67°F (29.5°/19.4°C)
Nov 88°/73°F (31.2°/22.8°C) 86°/65°F (29.9°/18.4°C)
Dec 87°/71°F (30.6°/21.8°C) 86°/63°F (30.1°/17.4°C)

Data: Meteorological Service, Jamaica Meteorological Service, Jamaica, Gerencia de Meteorología Gerencia de Meteorología

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Jamaica 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.

Jamaica passport

Jamaica passport holder visiting El Salvador

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

El Salvador passport holder visiting Jamaica

Visa Free
El Salvador passport holders can enter Jamaica 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 12.5 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 Jamaica and El Salvador.

Is El Salvador safe for expats?

Jamaica generally does better on safety, though El Salvador leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in El Salvador is 7.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 49.4 in Jamaica. About 38% of people in El Salvador feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in El Salvador compared to Jamaica?

El Salvador generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Jamaica leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 16.2 doctors per 10,000 people in El Salvador, compared to 4.6 in Jamaica. El Salvador scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Jamaica: 74).

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

The average high temperature in San Salvador is 87°F, compared to 89°F in Kingston. San Salvador receives around 70.0 in of rainfall per year, while Kingston gets 32.0 in.

What language do they speak in El Salvador?

The official language in El Salvador is Spanish. In Jamaica, the official languages are English and Jamaican Patois.

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At a Glance

JM SV
Population 2,837,077 6,365,503
Currency Jamaican Dollar (JMD) Salvadoran Colón (SVC)
Languages English, Jamaican Patois Spanish
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +1 +503
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 119 911