Moving to El Salvador from Japan

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Japan to El Salvador, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — San Salvador averages 87°F vs 69°F in Tokyo, making it significantly warmer.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Living there in 2020
54

people born in Japan 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 Japan 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

JP
0.2
SV
7.8
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

JP
83%
SV
38%

Japan 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

JP
$5,365
SV
$1,176
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

JP
26.1
SV
15.5

Japan 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

JP
12.0
SV
31.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

JP
7.8t
SV
1.5t

Japan 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

JP
37.2
SV
10.6
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

JP
36.0%
SV
13.2%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

JP
2.6%
SV
2.8%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

JP
$46,300
SV
$11,300

Japan generally does better on employment & economy, though El Salvador leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

JP
84.8 yrs
SV
75.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

JP
1.9
SV
12.1

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

Data: National Tax Agency Japan, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Tokyo Rain: 62.9 in/yr (1598 mm)
69° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Tokyo San Salvador
Jan–Mar 53°/37°F (12°/3°C) 89°/64°F (32°/18°C)
Apr–Jun 73°/58°F (23°/14°C) 88°/68°F (31°/20°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) 86°/67°F (30°/20°C)
Oct–Dec 63°/49°F (17°/9°C) 86°/65°F (30°/18°C)
View all months
Month Tokyo San Salvador
Jan 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C) 87°/62°F (30.8°/16.9°C)
Feb 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C) 90°/64°F (32.0°/17.6°C)
Mar 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C) 91°/65°F (32.7°/18.4°C)
Apr 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C) 91°/68°F (32.7°/19.8°C)
May 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C) 88°/69°F (31.1°/20.4°C)
Jun 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C) 86°/68°F (30.1°/20.1°C)
Jul 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) 87°/67°F (30.3°/19.5°C)
Aug 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) 87°/67°F (30.4°/19.7°C)
Sep 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C) 85°/67°F (29.5°/19.6°C)
Oct 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C) 85°/67°F (29.5°/19.4°C)
Nov 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C) 86°/65°F (29.9°/18.4°C)
Dec 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C) 86°/63°F (30.1°/17.4°C)

Data: Japan Meteorological Agency Japan Meteorological Agency, Gerencia de Meteorología Gerencia de Meteorología

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Japan 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.

Japan passport

Japan passport holder visiting El Salvador

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

El Salvador passport holder visiting Japan

Visa Free
El Salvador passport holders can enter Japan 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 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 Japan and El Salvador.

Is El Salvador safe for expats?

Japan performs better than El Salvador across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in El Salvador is 7.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.2 in Japan. About 38% of people in El Salvador feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in El Salvador compared to Japan?

Japan 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 26.1 in Japan. El Salvador scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Japan: 83).

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

The average high temperature in San Salvador is 87°F, compared to 69°F in Tokyo. San Salvador receives around 70.0 in of rainfall per year, while Tokyo gets 62.9 in.

What language do they speak in El Salvador?

The official language in El Salvador is Spanish. In Japan, the official language is Japanese.

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At a Glance

JP SV
Population 124,214,766 6,568,745
Currency Japanese Yen (¥) Salvadoran Colón (SVC)
Languages Japanese Spanish
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +81 +503
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 110 911