Downtown Historic District in San Salvador.
Remittances sent to El Salvador accounted for 26.3% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) during the first quarter of 2026. This highlights their continued importance to the national economy.
From January to March. the country received about $2.4 billion in remittances. During the same period, the country’s GDP reached about $9.3 billion, according to data from the Salvadoran Central Reserve Bank.
The figures mean that money sent primarily by Salvadorans living and working abroad represented more than one-quarter of the value of goods and services produced during the three months.
Remittances are among El Salvador’s most closely watched economic indicators because of their substantial weight in the economy and their role in supporting household spending, particularly among families receiving money regularly from abroad.
The 2024 Population and Housing Census revealed that 26.8% of Salvadoran households receive remittances. That is a notable increase from 2007, when only 19.2% of households reported receiving them.
Remittances help pay for many families’ everyday expenses and basic household needs. This money also provides important financial support and helps drive consumer spending across the country.
Remittances continue to represent a large share of El Salvador’s economy. In the first quarter of 2025, they accounted for 26.2% of the country’s gross domestic product.
The comparison shows the enduring role of remittances in the Salvadoran economy, with their share of GDP remaining above 26% during the first three months of both 2025 and 2026.
Historical data from 2025 indicates that remittances peaked at 28.1% of GDP in the second quarter. The remittance percentages for the rest of the year were as follows: 25.2% in the first quarter, 27.7% in the third quarter, and 26.7% in the fourth quarter.
Remittances are essential for family finances, consumer spending, and El Salvador’s overall economy. They account for over one-quarter of the GDP and reach many Salvadoran households.
