Moving to Guatemala from Chile
What to Expect
Considering a move from Chile to Guatemala? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Chile to Guatemala, you would find that Guatemala is 13.4% more expensive than Chile overall. A CLF1,696 salary in Chile would need to be roughly GTQ706,477 in Guatemala to maintain the same lifestyle.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Chile and Guatemala.
What does your salary buy?
CLF1,696 → GTQ706,477
To maintain the same standard of living in Guatemala
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 20.4% less
Groceries
pay 38.8% more
Transportation
pay 14.8% less
Housing
pay 42.4% more
Childcare
pay 10.1% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 6.0% more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Chile to Guatemala.
Who's moving to Guatemala?
Top countries of origin for Guatemala's foreign-born residents.
- 20,683
- 18,872
- 9,299
- 9,211
- 9,023
- 1,921
- · · ·
-
19.322
Chile
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Guatemala compared to Chile.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Chile performs better than Guatemala across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Chile generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Guatemala leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Chile generally does better on environment, though Guatemala leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
Chile generally does better on infrastructure, though Guatemala leads in water stress level.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
Guatemala generally does better on employment & economy, though Chile leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
Chile performs better than Guatemala across all family life metrics.
Data: Chilean Tax Administration, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Santiago | Guatemala City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 84°/55°F (29°/12°C) | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 66°/44°F (19°/7°C) | 80°/61°F (27°/16°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 63°/41°F (17°/5°C) | 76°/60°F (25°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 79°/51°F (26°/10°C) | 74°/58°F (24°/14°C) |
View all months
| Month | Santiago | Guatemala City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 86°/56°F (30.1°/13.3°C) | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.5°C) |
| Feb | 85°/55°F (29.5°/12.8°C) | 77°/55°F (25.2°/12.9°C) |
| Mar | 81°/53°F (27.4°/11.4°C) | 80°/57°F (26.6°/14.0°C) |
| Apr | 74°/47°F (23.1°/8.6°C) | 82°/60°F (27.5°/15.4°C) |
| May | 65°/44°F (18.5°/6.4°C) | 81°/61°F (27.1°/16.2°C) |
| Jun | 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.0°C) | 78°/61°F (25.3°/16.2°C) |
| Jul | 60°/39°F (15.3°/3.9°C) | 76°/60°F (24.5°/15.8°C) |
| Aug | 63°/41°F (17.1°/5.1°C) | 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.8°C) |
| Sep | 67°/44°F (19.4°/6.8°C) | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.8°C) |
| Oct | 73°/47°F (22.9°/8.6°C) | 75°/60°F (24.1°/15.4°C) |
| Nov | 79°/51°F (26.1°/10.3°C) | 74°/57°F (23.4°/14.0°C) |
| Dec | 84°/54°F (28.8°/12.2°C) | 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.1°C) |
Data:
Dirección Meteorológica de Chile,
Instituto Nacional de Sismología, Vulcanología, Meteorología e Hidrología (INSIVUMEH)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Chile 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.
Chile passport holder visiting Guatemala
Visa Free
Guatemala passport holder visiting Chile
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Guatemala than Chile?
On average Guatemala is around 23% pricier than Chile, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Guatemala?
Budget about GTQ176,619 for 3 months in Guatemala (based on a CLF1,696 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, rental deposit, visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Guatemala?
Connectivity is usually fine (Guatemala: 3.7 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Guatemala offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Guatemala safe for expats?
Chile performs better than Guatemala across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Guatemala is 20.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.7 in Chile.
How is healthcare in Guatemala compared to Chile?
Chile generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Guatemala leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 12.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Guatemala, compared to 31.7 in Chile. Guatemala scores 59 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Chile: 82).
What's the weather like in Guatemala compared to Chile?
The average high temperature in Guatemala City is 77°F, compared to 73°F in Santiago. Guatemala City receives around 46.7 in of rainfall per year, while Santiago gets 13.5 in.
What language do they speak in Guatemala?
Both Chile and Guatemala share the same official language: Spanish.
