El Salvador Facts And Figures

Facts About El Salvador

Kathleen is the Live and Invest Overseas Founding Publisher. She has more than 30 years of hands-on experience traveling, living, and buying property around the world.

Colorful hammocks for sale in Suchitoto El Salvador — AdobeStock/Milosz Maslanka

Spanish is the official language of El Salvador, however,caliche, or Salvadoran slang, heavily inflects the language.

Also, even if you are a proficient Spanish speaker, getting used to the idioms may take a while.

Basic English is spoken widely, as an elementary level is taught in schools.

It’s a good idea to pick up some Spanish phrases, as locals will appreciate any effort to speak their language.

Click here for currency conversion at today’s exchange rate.


Information Type	El Salvador Data
Population	6,486,205 (June 2020 est.)
Gross Domestic Product (GDP)	$27 billion (2020 est.)
GDP Per Capita	$3,700 (2020 est.)
Inflation Rate	0.06% (June 2020 est.)
Currency	US Dollar
Exchange Rate	1:1 (US Dollar is the official currency)
Language	Spanish (official), Nahua (among some Amerindians)
Capital	San Salvador
Population of Capital City	3,839,076 (2020)
Time Zone	UTC/GMT -6 hours
Seasons	Rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands
International Dialing Code	503
Electricity	115V, 60Hz
System of Government	Republic

Income Tax Rate for Residents	Residents are only taxed on their Salvadorian-sourced income at progressive rates, from 10% to 30%. Non-residents are taxed via withholding at 20% or 25% on certain types of Salvadorian-sourced income.
Property Tax	0.00% (Other fees include; 0.63% for registration, 3.00% for transfer, 0.15%-1.00% notary)
Capital Gains Tax	Capital gains earned by non-residents from selling property in El Salvador are taxed at 10%
Inheritance Tax	Inheritance is subject to income tax rates
Rental Income Tax	Non-residents are charged 30% tax on net income derived from leasing properties.
Sales Tax	13%
Restrictions on Foreign Ownership of Property	No
Local Chamber of Commerce
American Chamber of Commerce
Primary Exports	offshore assembly exports, coffee,sugar, shrimp, textiles, chemicals, electricity
Residency and Visa Requirements	To enter the country by air or sea, U.S. citizens must present a current U.S. passport and either a Salvadoran visa or a one-entry tourist card. The tourist card may be obtained from immigration officials for a ten-dollar fee upon arrival in country at an airport or seaport.
Residents or Retirees	no
National Airline	Avianca