Moving to Guatemala from Afghanistan

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Afghanistan to Guatemala — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Afghanistan to Guatemala, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Guatemala City averages 77°F vs 67°F in Kabul, making it significantly warmer.

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Key Indicator Comparison

How Afghanistan and Guatemala stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

AF
4.0
GT
20.0
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

AF
24.1
GT
12.6

Afghanistan generally does better on safety, though Guatemala leads in road traffic deaths.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

AF
$330
GT
$935
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2020

affects wait times and access to care

AF
2.5
GT
12.8

Afghanistan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Guatemala leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

AF
143.0
GT
40.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

AF
0.3t
GT
1.1t

Afghanistan generally does better on environment, though Guatemala leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

AF
0.1
GT
3.7
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

AF
54.8%
GT
5.7%

Guatemala performs significantly better than Afghanistan across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

AF
14.4%
GT
2.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

AF
$2,000
GT
$12,700

Guatemala generally does better on employment & economy, though Afghanistan leads in poverty rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

AF
53.6 yrs
GT
72.9 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

AF
104.9
GT
26.2

Guatemala performs significantly better than Afghanistan across all family life metrics.

Data: Afghanistan Revenue Department, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Kabul Rain: 12.3 in/yr (312 mm)
67° / 40°F

Avg. annual high / low

Guatemala City Rain: 46.7 in/yr (1186 mm)
77° / 58°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Kabul Guatemala City
Jan–Mar 45°/25°F (8°/-4°C) 77°/55°F (25°/13°C)
Apr–Jun 76°/48°F (25°/9°C) 80°/61°F (27°/16°C)
Jul–Sep 88°/56°F (31°/13°C) 76°/60°F (25°/16°C)
Oct–Dec 59°/31°F (15°/-1°C) 74°/58°F (24°/14°C)
View all months
Month Kabul Guatemala City
Jan 40°/19°F (4.5°/-7.1°C) 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.5°C)
Feb 42°/22°F (5.5°/-5.7°C) 77°/55°F (25.2°/12.9°C)
Mar 54°/33°F (12.5°/0.7°C) 80°/57°F (26.6°/14.0°C)
Apr 67°/43°F (19.2°/6.0°C) 82°/60°F (27.5°/15.4°C)
May 76°/48°F (24.4°/8.8°C) 81°/61°F (27.1°/16.2°C)
Jun 86°/54°F (30.2°/12.4°C) 78°/61°F (25.3°/16.2°C)
Jul 90°/60°F (32.1°/15.3°C) 76°/60°F (24.5°/15.8°C)
Aug 90°/58°F (32.0°/14.3°C) 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.8°C)
Sep 83°/49°F (28.5°/9.4°C) 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.8°C)
Oct 72°/39°F (22.4°/3.9°C) 75°/60°F (24.1°/15.4°C)
Nov 59°/30°F (15.0°/-1.2°C) 74°/57°F (23.4°/14.0°C)
Dec 47°/24°F (8.3°/-4.7°C) 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.1°C)

Data: Instituto Nacional de Sismología, Vulcanología, Meteorología e Hidrología (INSIVUMEH) Instituto Nacional de Sismología, Vulcanología, Meteorología e Hidrología (INSIVUMEH)

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Afghanistan and Guatemala. To live, work, or study long-term in Guatemala, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Guatemala's immigration authority.

Afghanistan passport

Afghanistan passport holder visiting Guatemala

Visa Required
Afghanistan passport holders need a visa to enter Guatemala.
Guatemala passport

Guatemala passport holder visiting Afghanistan

Visa Required
Guatemala passport holders need a visa to enter Afghanistan.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Guatemala?

With 3.7 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Guatemala can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Afghanistan and Guatemala.

Is Guatemala safe for expats?

Afghanistan generally does better on safety, though Guatemala leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Guatemala is 20.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.0 in Afghanistan.

How is healthcare in Guatemala compared to Afghanistan?

Afghanistan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Guatemala leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 12.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Guatemala, compared to 2.5 in Afghanistan. Guatemala scores 59 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Afghanistan: 41).

What's the weather like in Guatemala compared to Afghanistan?

The average high temperature in Guatemala City is 77°F, compared to 67°F in Kabul. Guatemala City receives around 46.7 in of rainfall per year, while Kabul gets 12.3 in.

What language do they speak in Guatemala?

The official language in Guatemala is Spanish. In Afghanistan, the official languages are Dari, Pashto and Turkmen.

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At a Glance

AF GT
Population 38,346,720 17,703,190
Currency Afghan Afghani (AFN) Guatemalan Quetzal (GTQ)
Languages Dari, Pashto, Turkmen Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +93 +502
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 110