Moving to Guatemala from Costa Rica
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Costa Rica to Guatemala — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Costa Rica to Guatemala, you would find that Guatemala is 21.1% cheaper than Costa Rica overall. A CRC33,997,640 salary in Costa Rica would need to be roughly GTQ454,055 in Guatemala to maintain the same lifestyle.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Costa Rica to Guatemala.
What does your salary buy?
CRC33,997,640 → GTQ454,055
To maintain the same standard of living in Guatemala
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 40.0% less
Groceries
pay 6.9% less
Transportation
pay 40.2% less
Housing
pay 9.8% less
Childcare
pay 46.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 7.3% less
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?
Real numbers on people moving from Costa Rica to Guatemala, and how the trend has changed.
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
- · · ·
-
8.1,248
Costa Rica
Key Indicator Comparison
How Costa Rica and Guatemala stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Costa Rica generally does better on safety, though Guatemala leads in road traffic deaths.
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
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Guatemala generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Costa Rica leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Costa Rica 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
share of households with internet
Costa Rica 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
share of people below the poverty line
Costa Rica generally does better on employment & economy, though Guatemala leads in unemployment rate.
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
Costa Rica performs better than Guatemala across all family life metrics.
Data: Directorate General of Taxation of Costa Rica, 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 | San Jose | Guatemala City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/60°F (24°/16°C) | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/62°F (26°/17°C) | 80°/61°F (27°/16°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 77°/62°F (25°/16°C) | 76°/60°F (25°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/61°F (24°/16°C) | 74°/58°F (24°/14°C) |
View all months
| Month | San Jose | Guatemala City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.4°C) | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.5°C) |
| Feb | 75°/60°F (23.9°/15.3°C) | 77°/55°F (25.2°/12.9°C) |
| Mar | 77°/60°F (25.1°/15.8°C) | 80°/57°F (26.6°/14.0°C) |
| Apr | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.4°C) | 82°/60°F (27.5°/15.4°C) |
| May | 79°/63°F (26.1°/17.0°C) | 81°/61°F (27.1°/16.2°C) |
| Jun | 78°/62°F (25.7°/16.9°C) | 78°/61°F (25.3°/16.2°C) |
| Jul | 77°/61°F (24.9°/16.3°C) | 76°/60°F (24.5°/15.8°C) |
| Aug | 77°/62°F (25.2°/16.7°C) | 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.8°C) |
| Sep | 78°/62°F (25.8°/16.5°C) | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.8°C) |
| Oct | 78°/62°F (25.4°/16.4°C) | 75°/60°F (24.1°/15.4°C) |
| Nov | 76°/61°F (24.2°/16.3°C) | 74°/57°F (23.4°/14.0°C) |
| Dec | 74°/60°F (23.4°/15.8°C) | 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.1°C) |
Data:
Instituto Meteorológico Nacional,
Instituto Nacional de Sismología, Vulcanología, Meteorología e Hidrología (INSIVUMEH)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Costa Rica 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.
Costa Rica passport holder visiting Guatemala
Visa Free
Guatemala passport holder visiting Costa Rica
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 Costa Rica?
Generally yes: Guatemala runs about 21% cheaper than Costa Rica on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Guatemala?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a CRC33,997,640 comparable salary, that's around GTQ113,514 in Guatemala for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
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 Costa Rica and Guatemala.
Is Guatemala safe for expats?
Costa Rica 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 17.4 in Costa Rica.
How is healthcare in Guatemala compared to Costa Rica?
Guatemala generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Costa Rica leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 12.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Guatemala, compared to 26.4 in Costa Rica. Guatemala scores 59 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Costa Rica: 81).
What's the weather like in Guatemala compared to Costa Rica?
The average high temperature in Guatemala City is 77°F, compared to 77°F in San Jose. Guatemala City receives around 46.7 in of rainfall per year, while San Jose gets 73.5 in.
What language do they speak in Guatemala?
Both Costa Rica and Guatemala share the same official language: Spanish.
