El Salvador

Central America

A low-cost Central American country with a 5-year citizenship path and low university tuition, but a weaker passport.

Overall score

Moderate · 94% data coverage

Language

Spanish

Currency

USD

Citizenship

5 years

Personal tax

Up to 30%

Cost of living

$850 / mo (single)

Rules change often. Confirm any immigration, tax or legal decision with a qualified professional.

Score breakdown

Access

17%

41Residence12%

69Citizenship and passport5%

Earning power

25%

58Salary and work12%

67Buying power13%

Business and wealth

20%

55Taxes7%

52Business8%

48Investment5%

Daily life

25%

57Quality of life18%

50Education7%

Rights and institutions

13%

48Freedom6%

28Rule of law7%

Pros

A 5-year citizenship path
Low university tuition

Cons

A weaker passport

Best for

Students

Score profile

Access

Residence

Citizenship

Passport

Earning power

Salary & work

Buying power

Cost of living

Economy

Business and wealth

Taxes

Personal tax

Corporate tax

Business

Investment

Wealth building

Daily life

Safety

Healthcare

Environment

Infrastructure

Education

HDI

Rights and institutions

Freedom

Rule of law

How the scores are calculated

Access

Residence

Openness to residents

Limited

Migrant stock0.7% of population (2024)

Regulatory quality-0.18 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main pathways

EmploymentStudyFamily reunificationBusiness or investment where eligible

Student	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Work	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Self-employed	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Permanent	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.

Citizenship

Citizenship accessibility

Good

Years required	5 years
Dual allowed	Yes
Language	Check the current naturalisation rules for the selected route
Residence	Typical headline route: 5 years; qualifying residence and absence rules apply
Notes	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.

Passport

Passport power

Good

137 / 198

Mobility

#38

Global rank

Yes

Biometric

Visa-free91
On arrival43
eTA3
Visa required61

Placeholder estimates for 2024 to 2025. Check entry rules with each destination before travelling.

Earning power

Salary & work

Labour-market strength

Moderate

Output per worker$25,908 PPP (2024)

Unemployment3.3% (2025)

Participation62.1% of 15+ (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Mean monthly earnings of employees

Overall$405 · $843 PPP (2024)

Tech (IT & comms)$521 · $1,084 PPP (2024)

Source: ILOSTAT (International Labour Organization)

Freelance	Market access depends on language, sector, and work authorisation
Job market	Use current local vacancy and salary data for role-specific decisions.

Buying power

Purchasing power score

Good

GNI / person$13,140 PPP (2025)

Consumption / person$9,211 PPP (2024)

Price level47 (US = 100) (2025)

Income inequality39.8 Gini (2023)

Inflation0.3% / yr (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Cost of living

Affordability

Good

Price level47 (US = 100) (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Rent	Varies substantially by city and neighbourhood
Monthly	$850 / mo (single)
Cities	San Salvador, Santa Ana

Economy

Economic strength

Moderate

Output & income

GDP$36.7B (2025)

GDP / person$5,767 (2025)

GNI / person$13,140 PPP (2025)

GDP growth2.6% / yr (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Stability & labour

Inflation0.3% / yr (2025)

Unemployment3.3% (2025)

Output per worker$25,908 PPP (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Sector composition

Agriculture4.4% of GDP (2025)

Industry24.5% of GDP (2025)

Services58.9% of GDP (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main industries

Manufacturing & apparelRemittance-fed servicesAgricultureCall centres

Top exports

Apparel & textilesCoffeeSugarElectronics

Type	Lower-middle-income, remittance- and manufacturing-led
Key sectors	Apparel manufacturing, Remittances (a large share of GDP), Services
Summary	A dollarised, remittance-dependent economy with apparel manufacturing and a high-profile bitcoin experiment.
Currency	US dollar (official; bitcoin also legal tender)

Business and wealth

Taxes

Tax friendliness

Moderate

Personal	Up to 30%
Corporate	30%
Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
Dividends	Rates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Exit tax	Check current domestic rules before changing tax residence
Foreign companies	Management, permanent-establishment, CFC, and reporting rules may apply

Personal tax

Moderate

Personal	Up to 30%
Freelance	Registration, immigration permission, tax, and social contributions may apply
Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
Dividends	Rates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Exit tax	Check current domestic rules before changing tax residence

Corporate tax

Low

Corporate	30%
Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
Dividends	Rates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Foreign companies	Management, permanent-establishment, CFC, and reporting rules may apply

Business

Business friendliness

Moderate

Regulation & bureaucracy

Regulatory quality-0.18 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Government effectiveness-0.18 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Operating rules

Foreign company	Generally possible, subject to sector, registration, tax, and substance rules
Local company	Available company forms and capital requirements vary
Freelance	Registration, immigration permission, tax, and social contributions may apply

Investment

Investing environment

Moderate

Private credit64% of GDP (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capital gains	Treatment varies by asset, residence, holding period, and treaty position
Dividends	Data not available yet
ETFs & funds	Data not available yet
Wealth tax	Check current national and subnational rules
Brokers	Local and international availability varies by residency and compliance checks
Foreign access	Data not available yet
Tax-advantaged	Data not available yet

Wealth building

Wealth accumulation

Moderate

Salary & work

Moderate

Business

Moderate

Investment

Moderate

Tax friendliness

Moderate

Cost of living

Good

Daily life

Safety

Safety & stability

Moderate

Personal safety

Homicide rate7.9 per 100,000 (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Institutions & stability

Control of corruption-0.58 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Political stability0.01 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Check current government travel and security advice before relocating.

Healthcare

Healthcare score

Moderate

Outcomes

Life expectancy72.3 years (2024)

Under-5 mortality10.0 per 1,000 births (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capacity & resourcing

Physicians1.62 per 1,000 (2023)

Hospital beds1.21 per 1,000 (2023)

Health spending$1,176 PPP / person (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

System & costs

System	Public/private mix varies by eligibility and residence status
Insurance	Check residence-permit and local coverage requirements
Average cost	Depends on eligibility, income, insurer, and chosen coverage

Environment

Environment score

Good

Environmental pressure

PM2.5 exposure29.6 μg/m³ annually (2023)

Water stress12.1% (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Infrastructure

Infrastructure score

Moderate

Digital infrastructure

Internet use66.5% (2024)

Internet resilience44 / 100 (2026)

Fixed speed77 / 100 download index (2026)

Mobile speed56 / 100 download index (2026)

Sources: World Bank World Development Indicators · Internet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Index

Utilities

Electricity access98.3% (2023)

Grid losses9.8% of output (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Transport

Transport quality2.20 / 5 (2022)

Rail density26.4 km / 1,000 km² (2003)

Air connectivity3,945 departures / million people (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Education

Education score

Moderate

Attainment

Expected schooling11.1 years (2023)

Mean schooling7.3 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Participation & investment

Tertiary enrolment33% gross (2024)

Education spending3.3% of GDP (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Tuition	$2,000–8,000 / yr
Public university	Varies by institution, programme, and student nationality
Languages	Spanish
Student work	Rules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.

HDI

Human development score

Good

HDI0.678 (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Long & healthy life

Life expectancy72.1 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Knowledge

Expected schooling11.1 years (2023)

Mean schooling7.3 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025