Moving to El Salvador from Malaysia

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Malaysia 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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Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

MY
0.7
SV
7.8
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

MY
90%
SV
38%

Malaysia 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

MY
$1,441
SV
$1,176
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

MY
23.2
SV
15.5

Malaysia 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

MY
63.0
SV
31.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

MY
8.3t
SV
1.5t

El Salvador performs significantly better than Malaysia across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

MY
12.4
SV
10.6
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

MY
3.4%
SV
13.2%

Malaysia performs 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

MY
3.9%
SV
2.8%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

MY
$33,600
SV
$11,300

Malaysia generally does better on employment & economy, though El Salvador leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

MY
76.1 yrs
SV
75.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

MY
6.6
SV
12.1

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

Data: Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Kuala Lumpur Rain: 95.6 in/yr (2427 mm)
90° / 74°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Kuala Lumpur San Salvador
Jan–Mar 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) 89°/64°F (32°/18°C)
Apr–Jun 91°/75°F (33°/24°C) 88°/68°F (31°/20°C)
Jul–Sep 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) 86°/67°F (30°/20°C)
Oct–Dec 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) 86°/65°F (30°/18°C)
View all months
Month Kuala Lumpur San Salvador
Jan 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C) 87°/62°F (30.8°/16.9°C)
Feb 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C) 90°/64°F (32.0°/17.6°C)
Mar 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C) 91°/65°F (32.7°/18.4°C)
Apr 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C) 91°/68°F (32.7°/19.8°C)
May 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C) 88°/69°F (31.1°/20.4°C)
Jun 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C) 86°/68°F (30.1°/20.1°C)
Jul 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C) 87°/67°F (30.3°/19.5°C)
Aug 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°C) 87°/67°F (30.4°/19.7°C)
Sep 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) 85°/67°F (29.5°/19.6°C)
Oct 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) 85°/67°F (29.5°/19.4°C)
Nov 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) 86°/65°F (29.9°/18.4°C)
Dec 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C) 86°/63°F (30.1°/17.4°C)

Data: Malaysian Meteorological Department Malaysian Meteorological Department, Gerencia de Meteorología Gerencia de Meteorología

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Malaysia 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.

Malaysia passport

Malaysia passport holder visiting El Salvador

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

El Salvador passport holder visiting Malaysia

Visa Free
El Salvador passport holders can enter Malaysia 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?

Connectivity is usually fine (El Salvador: 10.6 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does El Salvador offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is El Salvador safe for expats?

Malaysia performs better than El Salvador across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in El Salvador is 7.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Malaysia. About 38% of people in El Salvador feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in El Salvador compared to Malaysia?

Malaysia 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 23.2 in Malaysia. El Salvador scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Malaysia: 76).

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

The average high temperature in San Salvador is 87°F, compared to 90°F in Kuala Lumpur. San Salvador receives around 70.0 in of rainfall per year, while Kuala Lumpur gets 95.6 in.

What language do they speak in El Salvador?

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

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At a Glance

MY SV
Population 33,871,431 6,568,745
Currency Malaysian Ringgit (MYR) Salvadoran Colón (SVC)
Languages English, Malay Spanish
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +60 +503
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 999 911