Travel safety comparison · Latin America & the Caribbean
Nicaragua vs El Salvador: safety comparison
vs
Nicaragua vs El Salvador: side-by-side safety comparison. Risk scores, FCDO + US State advisories, drug law, women's safety, LGBTQ+ status.
Nicaragua and El Salvador have very similar overall Warnely composite scores: 45 and 45. The choice between them is unlikely to be driven by the headline number alone.
| 🇳🇮Nicaragua | 🇸🇻El Salvador | |
|---|---|---|
| Warnely composite (0–100, lower is safer) | 45 / 100 | 45 / 100 |
| Risk tier | Exercise Increased Caution | Exercise Increased Caution |
| UK FCDO advisory | No active advisory | No active advisory |
| US State Department advisory | Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) | Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) |
| Global Peace Index rank | #111 | #104 |
| Drug law | Severe (long sentences) | Severe (long sentences) |
| Women's safety rating | Exercise Caution | Exercise Caution |
| LGBTQ+ legal status | legal | legal |
| Tap water | n/a | n/a |
| Currency | NIO | USD |
Nicaragua vs El Salvador: common questions
Is Nicaragua or El Salvador safer to visit?
Nicaragua has the lower Warnely composite risk score: 45/100 vs 45/100 (lower is safer). Both scores factor in crime, terrorism, natural disasters, health, civil unrest, and infrastructure.
Is Nicaragua or El Salvador safer for solo female travellers?
Nicaragua is rated Exercise Caution for women's safety; El Salvador is rated Exercise Caution. Read the full guides for city-level detail.
What do FCDO and US State Department say about Nicaragua and El Salvador?
Nicaragua: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) (US State). El Salvador: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) (US State).