Commercial Property in El Salvador
Asking rents in named listings
| Premises | Size | Asking rent | Per m² |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ground-floor shop, Plaza Triana, Calle La Mascota, San Salvador | 57.37 m² | $1,721 | About $30 |
| Shop, Plaza Merliot, Santa Tecla | 64 m² | $1,600 plus $240 maintenance | $25 |
| Shop, Gran Plaza II, Lourdes, Colón | 64 m² | $1,600 | $25 |
| Office and retail space, Torre Presidente, San Benito | From 180 m² | $22 per m² plus VAT | $22 |
| Second-floor premises, 79 Avenida Sur, San Salvador | 25 m² | $650 plus VAT | $26 |
| Street premises, historic centre of San Salvador | 30 m² | $600, taxes included | $20 |
Source: Encuentra24: commercial premises for rent in San Salvador, September 2026; Encuentra24: shop for rent in Plaza Merliot, Ciudad Merliot; Encuentra24: shop for rent in Gran Plaza II, Lourdes, Colón; Encuentra24: commercial premises for rent in San Salvador, page 21,2,3,4
Larger street premises rent for a lower price per m²: 300 m² on Calle El Mirador in Escalón was offered at $3,000 plus VAT, about $10 per m². These are asking rents; the final rent, the maintenance fee and the fit-out period are negotiated.1
Buying a let shop
A 62.5 m² shop on the third level of Plaza Merliot, let at $1,800 a month plus VAT and maintenance, was offered for $320,000, about $5,120 per m² and a gross yield of 6.75%. Check the lease, the tenant's payment record and the shopping centre rules before you buy.7
New retail and mixed-use projects
- Metrocentro San Salvador, 14th stage: 10,100 m² with 29 shops, 4 restaurants and 523 parking spaces, due in early 2027.
- Plaza Espacio La Libertad: a $15 million shopping centre of 11,000 m² with 21 units, by Quanto Development.
- Paseo Vivo, Apopa: a $40 million mixed-use project with homes and shops.
- Metrocentro Periférico, San Miguel: more than 23,000 m² and 967 parking spaces, with construction planned from 2027.
Source: El Diario de Hoy: new stage of Metrocentro San Salvador, 2026; Diario El Mundo: first stone laid for Plaza Espacio La Libertad; El Diario de Hoy: investment funds and housing projects, including Paseo Vivo, 2026; La Prensa Gráfica: 55 years of Metrocentro, October 20265,6,9,10
Tax and permits
Commercial rent carries 13% VAT. A business opening premises registers with the municipality and pays municipal taxes on its assets there. In the San Salvador metropolitan area, OPAMSS sets land-use rules and grants building permits.8,11
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to rent a shop in San Salvador?
Named listings in September 2026 offered shops in shopping centres in San Salvador and Santa Tecla at about $20 to $30 per m² a month, often plus maintenance and 13% VAT.
What new retail projects are being built?
A 10,100 m² stage of Metrocentro in San Salvador due in early 2027, the $15 million Plaza Espacio La Libertad and the $40 million Paseo Vivo mixed-use project in Apopa.
Is VAT charged on commercial rent?
Yes. Commercial rent carries 13% VAT.
Sources
- Encuentra24: commercial premises for rent in San Salvador, September 2026 (in Spanish)
- Encuentra24: shop for rent in Plaza Merliot, Ciudad Merliot (in Spanish)
- Encuentra24: shop for rent in Gran Plaza II, Lourdes, Colón (in Spanish)
- Encuentra24: commercial premises for rent in San Salvador, page 2 (in Spanish)
- El Diario de Hoy: new stage of Metrocentro San Salvador, 2026 (in Spanish)
- Diario El Mundo: first stone laid for Plaza Espacio La Libertad (in Spanish)
- Encuentra24: commercial premises for sale in El Salvador, including a let shop in Plaza Merliot (in Spanish)
- PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries: El Salvador, other taxes
- El Diario de Hoy: investment funds and housing projects, including Paseo Vivo, 2026 (in Spanish)
- La Prensa Gráfica: 55 years of Metrocentro, October 2026 (in Spanish)
- Deloitte Legal: real estate law in El Salvador
Figures checked 9 November 2026. Prepared by InvestSalvador.com for general information. It is not investment, tax or legal advice; please confirm details with a qualified adviser before acting.
