Moving to El Salvador from Spain

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Spain to El Salvador. Expect a noticeable climate shift — San Salvador averages 87°F vs 68°F in Madrid, making it significantly warmer.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

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

Living there in 2020
542 ↑ 1% vs 2015

people born in Spain 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 Spain 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

ES
0.7
SV
7.8
Feel safe walking at night United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

of residents who feel safe walking alone at night

ES
78%
SV
38%

Spain 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

ES
$4,935
SV
$1,176
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

ES
44.8
SV
15.5

Spain 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

ES
10.0
SV
31.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ES
4.5t
SV
1.5t

Spain 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

ES
36.0
SV
10.6
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ES
43.2%
SV
13.2%

Spain 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

ES
12.1%
SV
2.8%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

ES
$46,400
SV
$11,300

Spain 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

ES
82.5 yrs
SV
75.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ES
2.5
SV
12.1

Spain performs better than El Salvador across all family life metrics.

Data: Agencia Tributaria, Spain, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Madrid Rain: 16.6 in/yr (421 mm)
68° / 50°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Madrid San Salvador
Jan–Mar 55°/40°F (13°/4°C) 89°/64°F (32°/18°C)
Apr–Jun 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) 88°/68°F (31°/20°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/64°F (30°/18°C) 86°/67°F (30°/20°C)
Oct–Dec 58°/44°F (14°/7°C) 86°/65°F (30°/18°C)
View all months
Month Madrid San Salvador
Jan 50°/37°F (9.8°/2.7°C) 87°/62°F (30.8°/16.9°C)
Feb 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.7°C) 90°/64°F (32.0°/17.6°C)
Mar 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.2°C) 91°/65°F (32.7°/18.4°C)
Apr 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.7°C) 91°/68°F (32.7°/19.8°C)
May 72°/52°F (22.2°/11.3°C) 88°/69°F (31.1°/20.4°C)
Jun 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.1°C) 86°/68°F (30.1°/20.1°C)
Jul 90°/66°F (32.1°/19.0°C) 87°/67°F (30.3°/19.5°C)
Aug 88°/66°F (31.3°/18.8°C) 87°/67°F (30.4°/19.7°C)
Sep 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.4°C) 85°/67°F (29.5°/19.6°C)
Oct 67°/51°F (19.4°/10.7°C) 85°/67°F (29.5°/19.4°C)
Nov 56°/43°F (13.5°/6.2°C) 86°/65°F (29.9°/18.4°C)
Dec 50°/38°F (10.0°/3.6°C) 86°/63°F (30.1°/17.4°C)

Data: Agencia Estatal de Meteorología Agencia Estatal de Meteorología, Gerencia de Meteorología Gerencia de Meteorología

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Spain 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.

Spain passport

Spain passport holder visiting El Salvador

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

El Salvador passport holder visiting Spain

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

Is El Salvador safe for expats?

Spain 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 Spain. About 38% of people in El Salvador feel safe walking alone at night.

How is healthcare in El Salvador compared to Spain?

Spain 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 44.8 in Spain. El Salvador scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Spain: 85).

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

The average high temperature in San Salvador is 87°F, compared to 68°F in Madrid. San Salvador receives around 70.0 in of rainfall per year, while Madrid gets 16.6 in.

What language do they speak in El Salvador?

The official language in El Salvador is Spanish. In Spain, the official languages are Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish.

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At a Glance

ES SV
Population 47,163,418 6,568,745
Currency Euro (€) Salvadoran Colón (SVC)
Languages Basque, Catalan, Galician, Spanish Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +34 +503
Time zones 2 1
Emergency number 112 911