The best places to live in El Salvador are San Salvador, La Libertad, Santa Ana, Santa Tecla, Antiguo Cuscatlan, Suchitoto, Juayua, El Tunco, Ahuachapan, and Chalatenango. Other cities around the country have excellent qualities ideal for making them your new home. However, these ten cities are the most popular!
El Salvador has excellent living options. If you want urban city living, look at San Salvador, Santa Tecla, or Nuevo Cuscatlan. Also, you have the option of smaller cities with great history, such as Santa Ana or Ahuachapan.
If you want to live in a smaller city near great beaches, look at La Libertad or El Tunco. On the other hand, look at Juayua, Suchitoto, or Chalatenango, if you want to live in a small town surrounded by nature.
| # | City | Department | *Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Salvador | San Salvador | 335,982 |
| 2 | La Libertad | La Libertad | 53,324 |
| 3 | Santa Ana | Santa Ana | 251,095 |
| 4 | Santa Tecla | La Libertad | 127,294 |
| 5 | Antiguo Cuscatlan | La Libertad | 37,750 |
| 6 | Suchitoto | Cuscatlan | 24,564 |
| 7 | Juayua | Sonsonate | 23,530 |
| 8 | El Tunco | La Libertad | 15,000 |
| 9 | Ahuachapan | Ahuachapan | 125,544 |
| 10 | Chalatenango | Chalatenango | 24,958 |
1. San Salvador, the Nation’s Capital
San Salvador, the nation’s capital, is the best for urban living. The city of San Salvador has shopping malls, parks, tourist spots, museums, restaurants, universities, government buildings, embassies, and even a volcano nearby.
With a population of 335,982, this city is within 45 minutes of the international airport. Also, some of the best beaches in the country are within a 40-mile drive.
Indeed, San Salvador is the perfect urban environment to live in; however, be prepared to pay higher prices for almost everything, from housing to even haircuts.
Two of the most sought-after communities to reside in are San Benito and Colonia Escalon. They are top-notch communities; however, they are some of the most expensive residential areas in the city and the whole country. Don’t get discouraged; the capital city has plenty of less expensive communities excellent for living.
Since there are just too many communities to list here, it is best to consult with a real estate agent; have him or her help you find the right location for you.
If you want to get a better idea of rental prices in San Salvador, take a look at this website, Bienes Raíces en El Salvador, they have a vast selection of rental properties in this city.
2. The City of La Libertad, the Best Place to Live in El Salvador Near the Coast
La Libertad is a beach town in the department of La Libertad; it is an excellent location for those looking to live near the coast. The city attracts surfers looking for waves and beachgoers looking for a relaxed area centrally located.
The town has a population of about 53,324; however, it might seem crowded because of all the tourists. Like any other beach town with attractive beaches, the city of La Libertad gets a lot of out of town visitors, especially on the weekend and national holidays.
If you like surfing, the town has one of the top surf spots in El Salvador, the Punta Roca break; this surf break has consistent waves almost the entire year.
Furthermore, Punta Roca beach is popular with surfers because of the proximity to El Tunco and El Sunzal, two more of the top surf spots in El Salvador.
Non-surfers who live in this town have plenty of activities available to them; the waterfront boardwalk is excellent for hanging out with all its shops and restaurants.
The 19th-century pier with the fish market is perfect for purchasing fresh fish. And some of the best beaches in El Salvador are located in the area.
In addition to all the top of the line activities, La Libertad is centrally located, the international airport and San Salvador are both within 25 miles. The city of La Libertad is a great place to consider making it your new home.
3. Santa Ana, the Best Mid-size Place to Live in El Salvador
The city of Santa Ana is one of the country’s biggest cities; it is the capital of the department of Santa Ana and the principal city in the western part of the country.
In Santa Ana, you get city life with top of the line restaurants, shopping, touristic activities, and culture. However, the traffic and cost of living are way less than other larger cities like San Salvador or Santa Tecla.
The city is rich in tradition and history; it has iconic buildings such as the Cathedral of Santa Ana, the National Theater, and the Municipal Palace.
Furthermore, near the city are some of the best tourist places in the country. Tourist spots such as Coatepeque Lake, Santa Ana Volcano, Cerro Verde National Park, Tazumal ruins, San Andres ruins, and Izalco Volcano, are not that far away.
The city of Santa Ana is one of the best places to live in El Salvador; take a look at it and see if it’s right for you. If you want to know more about this great city, visit our city of Santa Ana Page.
4. The City of Santa Tecla, Excellent Urban Place to Live in El Salvador
The city of Santa Tecla is next to San Salvador. This city is ideal for urban living. Santa Tecla is a beautiful city perfect for those who want an urban environment with excellent shopping, museums, restaurants, parks, and fantastic nightlife.
The city has numerous places for residents to spend time outdoors, such as El Boqueron National Park, La Laguna botanical garden, El Cafetalón, San Martin park, and San Jose Park. These places have plenty of nature for people to enjoy.
This city has excellent residential areas, but, similar to the capital city of San Salvador, the cost of living in this city is one of the highest in the country.
5. Antiguo Cuscatlan, Beautiful City to Live in El Salvador
Antiguo Cuscatlan is a smaller city with fantastic shopping and great neighborhoods located in La Libertad, right next to San Salvador, and near Santa Tecla. Living in Antiguo Cuscatlan is expensive, mostly because of the location and upscale gated private neighborhoods.
In Antiguo Cuscatlan, you will find three of the best universities in the country, Jose Matias Delgado University, Universidad Centro Americana Jose Simeon Cañas (UCA), and Albert Einstein University.
Antiguo Cuscatlan is an excellent location to move to, it will cost more, but it’s worth paying the extra expense to live here.
6. Suchitoto, Excellent Small Town to Live in El Salvador
Suchitoto is a top touristic destination in El Salvador, but it is also a great place to call home. This small town located about an hour from the capital is ideal if you are looking for a small city living.
The local community is welcoming to newcomers, especially foreigners. As a newcomer, you will not have difficulty making friendships with locals or the foreigners already living in town.
Suchitooto is a town with colorful traditions that date back to colonial times. This town has colorful celebrations throughout the year for residents to enjoy. Furthermore, the city is near Lake Suchitlan, one of the best and most beautiful lakes in the country.
Living in this town may not be for everyone; the cost of living is low, but employment opportunities are rare and pay the Salvadoran minimum wage.
It is difficult to say how much money you will need to live here. Individual lifestyles and the type of property you want to rent or buy will dictate the monthly living cost. Before moving to Suchitoto, spend a few days or weeks in town and see if it’s for you.
7. Juayua, an Excellent Small Town in El Salvador to Live In
If you are looking for small-town living, Juayua is an excellent option to consider. This small town west of San Salvador, surrounded by mountains and a refreshing climate, is perfect for small-town living.
Identically to Suchitoto, the cost of living here is less, but making a living is complicated as jobs, which are difficult to find, pay the Salvadoran minimum wage.
Life in Juayua is small-town living; there are no nightclubs or movie theaters. However, this small town is one of the most visited by local and foreign tourists.
Juayua is near other touristic towns like Nahuizalco, Ataco, and Ahuachapan. It is also near some great eco-tourism spots like Cerro Verde National Park with its volcanoes and the marvelous Coatepeque Caldera.
Lastly, for coffee lovers, some of the best coffee plantations in the country are near the town of Juayua. Just like Suchitoto, before moving in, spend a few days or weeks in town; see if life in Juayua is for you.
8. El Tunco. A Surf Town to Call Home in El Salvador
If you want to live in a small surfing town that is quiet during the weekdays, but gets crazy with parties on the weekends, then El Tunco is your town!
The village or small town of El Tunco, without a doubt, is a surfers paradise. People from many countries frequently visit this surf town and stay for weeks or months at a time.
People who live here, during the weekdays, are surrounded mostly by local and foreign surfers enjoying the impressive waves. However, during the weekends, the town gets crowded with locals from the nearby cities looking to party.
El Tunco is a great place to call home; the cost of living is less, and there are plenty of surf spots nearby. Furthermore, some of the best beaches in the country are within 20 miles.
9. Ahuachapan
Ahuachapan is a smaller town in the western part of the country near the Guatemalan border. The city itself has great traditions and history going back to colonial times.
Furthermore, smaller touristic towns like Apaneca, Nahuizalco, and Ataco are nearby.
10. The City of Chalatenango
Chalatenango is the principal city of the department of Chalatenango; it is near Honduras, about 80 kilometers from the capital city of San Salvador.
This city is ideal for those looking for small-town life; the city has a great climate, full of local traditions.
Chalatenango is for those looking to live in a small town near nature. If you want to know more about the city and the department of Chalatenango, visit the following website, Chalatenango.sv.
The Best Places to Live in El Salvador
In El Salvador, you can find places to live that will match all of your needs, or at least most of them.
The ten cities listed above are some of the best places to live in El Salvador. However, they are not the only ones. El Salvador has plenty of other excellent small towns scattered all over the country for you to consider as your future home.
The cost of living in El Salvador is a factor that affects the best places to live in; larger and popular cities will have a higher cost of living.
In my opinion, these ten cities are the best places to live in El Salvador. Nonetheless, you or anyone else have the right to agree or disagree with the list. I hope this list helps anyone looking into El Salvador get an idea of what is available.
