Moving to El Salvador from Saudi Arabia

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Saudi Arabia to El Salvador, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish.

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Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in El Salvador compared to Saudi Arabia.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

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

per 100,000 people per year

SA
18.5
SV
21.5

Saudi Arabia 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

SA
$3,475
SV
$1,176
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

SA
30.8
SV
15.5

El Salvador generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Saudi Arabia 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

SA
91.0
SV
31.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

SA
18.5t
SV
1.5t

El Salvador performs significantly better than Saudi Arabia 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

SA
37.0
SV
10.6
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

SA
974.2%
SV
13.2%

Saudi Arabia 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

SA
4.9%
SV
2.8%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

SA
$49,600
SV
$11,300

Saudi Arabia 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

SA
76.7 yrs
SV
75.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

SA
12.3
SV
12.1

Saudi Arabia generally does better on family life, though El Salvador leads in infant mortality.

Data: Department of Zakat and Income Tax, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Riyadh Rain: 4.4 in/yr (111 mm)
92° / 64°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Riyadh San Salvador
Jan–Mar 75°/50°F (24°/10°C) 89°/64°F (32°/18°C)
Apr–Jun 101°/72°F (38°/22°C) 88°/68°F (31°/20°C)
Jul–Sep 109°/77°F (43°/25°C) 86°/67°F (30°/20°C)
Oct–Dec 84°/56°F (29°/13°C) 86°/65°F (30°/18°C)
View all months
Month Riyadh San Salvador
Jan 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C) 87°/62°F (30.8°/16.9°C)
Feb 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C) 90°/64°F (32.0°/17.6°C)
Mar 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C) 91°/65°F (32.7°/18.4°C)
Apr 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C) 91°/68°F (32.7°/19.8°C)
May 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C) 88°/69°F (31.1°/20.4°C)
Jun 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C) 86°/68°F (30.1°/20.1°C)
Jul 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C) 87°/67°F (30.3°/19.5°C)
Aug 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C) 87°/67°F (30.4°/19.7°C)
Sep 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C) 85°/67°F (29.5°/19.6°C)
Oct 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C) 85°/67°F (29.5°/19.4°C)
Nov 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C) 86°/65°F (29.9°/18.4°C)
Dec 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C) 86°/63°F (30.1°/17.4°C)

Data: National Center for Meteorology National Center for Meteorology, Gerencia de Meteorología Gerencia de Meteorología

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Saudi Arabia 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.

Saudi Arabia passport

Saudi Arabia passport holder visiting El Salvador

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

El Salvador passport holder visiting Saudi Arabia

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

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?

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

How is healthcare in El Salvador compared to Saudi Arabia?

El Salvador generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Saudi Arabia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 15.5 doctors per 10,000 people in El Salvador, compared to 30.8 in Saudi Arabia. El Salvador scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Saudi Arabia: 74).

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

The average high temperature in San Salvador is 87°F, compared to 92°F in Riyadh. San Salvador receives around 70.0 in of rainfall per year, while Riyadh gets 4.4 in.

What language do they speak in El Salvador?

The official language in El Salvador is Spanish. In Saudi Arabia, the official language is Arabic.

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At a Glance

SA SV
Population 35,354,380 6,568,745
Currency Saudi Riyal (SAR) Salvadoran Colón (SVC)
Languages Arabic Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +966 +503
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 911 911