Sonsonate, El Salvador

Capital City

With a population of just 72,233, Sonsonate is a sleepy backwater that offers little to entice foreign transplants. The city was founded in the 1500s as a colonial outpost, and its economy still revolves around agricultural staples like tobacco and cattle - hardly the modern, diverse job market that many expats crave. And while the city boasts religious festivals and natural attractions like volcanoes, the bureaucracy is a persistent headache, as Sonsonate was historically administered separately from the Salvadoran capital. Overall, this is a city best suited for retirees or those content with a slower, more traditional way of life.