San Salvador vs El Zonte
🛂
El Salvador offers a digital nomad visa
💰 Cost of Living Breakdown
Monthly expenses comparison in USD
Expense
San Salvador
El Zonte
Total Budget
$1,200/mo
$1,200/mo
Rent (1BR)
$550/mo
$500/mo ✓
Coworking
$100/mo ✓
$120/mo
Meal Out
$4
$4
Coffee
$3
$2 ✓
Both cities have similar costs
💻 Remote Work Essentials
Internet, timezone, and language comparison
🌍 San Salvador
📶 Internet70 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC-6
🗣️ Englishmedium
🛂 Nomad VisaNot available
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West8h
🇺🇸 US East8h
🇬🇧 London5h
🇩🇪 Berlin4h
🌍 El Zonte
📶 Internet70 Mbps
🕐 TimezoneUTC-6
🗣️ Englishmedium
🛂 Nomad VisaAvailable
Working hours overlap:
🇺🇸 US West8h
🇺🇸 US East8h
🇬🇧 London5h
🇩🇪 Berlin4h
🌡️ Climate Comparison
Weather patterns and best times to visit
San Salvador
ClimateTropical Monsoon
Avg Temp24°C
Rainy Days201/year
Best months: February, January, March, December
El Zonte
ClimateTropical Monsoon
Avg Temp27°C
Rainy Days191/year
Best months: February, January, March, December
Quarterly Temperatures
Jan
24°27°
Apr
25°28°
Jul
24°27°
Oct
23°26°
San SalvadorEl Zonte
📊 Full Comparison
Category
🌍San Salvador
🌍El Zonte
💰
Monthly Budget
$1,200
$1,200
📶
Internet Speed
70 Mbps
70 Mbps
🛡️
Safety
4/5
4.2/5
⭐
Nomad Score
3.8/10
4/10
🍽️
Food Scene
8/10
7/10
🎉
Nightlife
7/10
Winner4/10
🚶
Walkability
5/10
7/10
Winner👥
Community
small
small
1
San Salvador wins
vs
1
El Zonte wins
Which City is Right for You?
Recommendations based on your nomad style
💵Budget Nomad
Either works
Similar costs - choose based on other factors
💻Developer
Either works
Both have adequate internet for development work
🦋Social Butterfly
Either works
Similar social opportunities
🛡️Safety-First
Either works
Both cities are similarly safe
🍜Foodie
Either works
Both have great food scenes
🎉Party Person
San Salvador
World-famous nightlife scene
🌍San Salvador
Pros
- +Uses USD as currency - no exchange hassle
- +Dramatic safety improvement under Bukele (1.9 homicides per 100k)
- +Affordable cost of living for Central America
- +Excellent pupusas and local cuisine
Cons
- −Limited coworking infrastructure compared to major nomad hubs
- −Traffic congestion and poor walkability
- −State of Exception raises human rights concerns
- −Rainy season can disrupt outdoor activities
🌍El Zonte
Pros
- +World-class surfing with consistent year-round waves
- +Bitcoin Beach - pioneering cryptocurrency adoption
- +Extremely affordable cost of living (30-40% cheaper than Costa Rica)
- +Very safe with Level 1 US travel advisory
Cons
- −Limited coworking space options in town
- −Internet can be inconsistent compared to major cities
- −Rainy season May-October brings heavy downpours
- −Small town with limited nightlife and entertainment