Moving to El Salvador from Uruguay

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Uruguay to El Salvador — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Uruguay to El Salvador. Expect a noticeable climate shift — San Salvador averages 87°F vs 71°F in Montevideo, making it significantly warmer.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Uruguay to El Salvador, based on official data.

Living there in 2020
76 ↑ 1% vs 2015

people born in Uruguay 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

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Uruguay to El Salvador.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

UY
11.2
SV
7.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

UY
13.0
SV
21.5

Uruguay 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

UY
$3,135
SV
$1,176
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

UY
46.3
SV
15.5

Uruguay 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

UY
16.0
SV
31.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

UY
2.6t
SV
1.5t

Uruguay 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

UY
33.2
SV
10.6
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

UY
9.8%
SV
13.2%

Uruguay 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

UY
8.3%
SV
2.8%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

UY
$30,700
SV
$11,300

Uruguay 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

UY
78.4 yrs
SV
75.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

UY
8.3
SV
12.1

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

Data: Dirección General Impositiva, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Montevideo Rain: 43.3 in/yr (1101 mm)
71° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Montevideo San Salvador
Jan–Mar 81°/63°F (27°/17°C) 89°/64°F (32°/18°C)
Apr–Jun 65°/50°F (19°/10°C) 88°/68°F (31°/20°C)
Jul–Sep 61°/46°F (16°/8°C) 86°/67°F (30°/20°C)
Oct–Dec 75°/57°F (24°/14°C) 86°/65°F (30°/18°C)
View all months
Month Montevideo San Salvador
Jan 83°/64°F (28.4°/18.0°C) 87°/62°F (30.8°/16.9°C)
Feb 82°/64°F (27.5°/17.9°C) 90°/64°F (32.0°/17.6°C)
Mar 78°/61°F (25.5°/16.2°C) 91°/65°F (32.7°/18.4°C)
Apr 72°/55°F (22.0°/12.9°C) 91°/68°F (32.7°/19.8°C)
May 65°/50°F (18.6°/10.2°C) 88°/69°F (31.1°/20.4°C)
Jun 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.7°C) 86°/68°F (30.1°/20.1°C)
Jul 59°/45°F (15.0°/7.2°C) 87°/67°F (30.3°/19.5°C)
Aug 61°/46°F (16.2°/7.8°C) 87°/67°F (30.4°/19.7°C)
Sep 64°/48°F (18.0°/9.1°C) 85°/67°F (29.5°/19.6°C)
Oct 69°/53°F (20.5°/11.5°C) 85°/67°F (29.5°/19.4°C)
Nov 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.2°C) 86°/65°F (29.9°/18.4°C)
Dec 80°/61°F (26.5°/16.3°C) 86°/63°F (30.1°/17.4°C)

Data: Instituto Uruguayo de Meteorologia Instituto Uruguayo de Meteorologia, Gerencia de Meteorología Gerencia de Meteorología

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Uruguay 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.

Uruguay passport

Uruguay passport holder visiting El Salvador

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

El Salvador passport holder visiting Uruguay

Visa Free
El Salvador passport holders can enter Uruguay 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?

Internet is rarely the blocker — El Salvador has 10.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is El Salvador safe for expats?

Uruguay generally does better on safety, though El Salvador leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in El Salvador is 7.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 11.2 in Uruguay.

How is healthcare in El Salvador compared to Uruguay?

Uruguay 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 46.3 in Uruguay. El Salvador scores 78 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Uruguay: 82).

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

The average high temperature in San Salvador is 87°F, compared to 71°F in Montevideo. San Salvador receives around 70.0 in of rainfall per year, while Montevideo gets 43.3 in.

What language do they speak in El Salvador?

Both Uruguay and El Salvador share the same official language: Spanish.

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At a Glance

UY SV
Population 3,407,213 6,568,745
Currency Uruguayan Peso (UYU) Salvadoran Colón (SVC)
Languages Spanish Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +598 +503
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 911 911