San Salvador sits in the earthquake-prone Valle de las Hamacas, founded in 1525 at the foot of the 1,893m San Salvador Volcano, and now anchors a metro area of two million people. Homicides, which peaked near 105 per 100,000 in 2015, fell sharply after a state of exception began in March 2022 and jailed tens of thousands of alleged gang members, a campaign Human Rights Watch links to mass arbitrary detention. Since April 2025 the country has offered a 12-month digital nomad visa, renewable up to four years, requiring about $1,460 monthly income. Bitcoin lost its legal-tender status in 2025 under an IMF deal, though the nearby surf town of El Zonte still trades on its Bitcoin Beach name.
Nights sit around 20°C and afternoons around 30°C.
San Salvador barely changes season: afternoons sit around 31°C and nights around 20°C most of the year.
There is a clear wet season from May – October, peaking in September with around 332 mm. The dry months run from December – March.
Wind is rarely an issue; most months sit between calm and a light breeze. Air quality is worth watching: May averages an AQI of 76, while December clears to 51.
Days stretch to about 12.8 hours of light in June and shrink to 11.2 in December — something to weigh if you work to a fixed timezone.
For what you're after, the best months in San Salvador are November – April. Expect fast internet (140 Mbps) and a high cost of living (about €1600 a month).
Affiliate links: if you book through them I earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you.
