Moving to Guatemala from Croatia

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Croatia to Guatemala — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Croatia to Guatemala, you would find that Guatemala is 13.5% cheaper than Croatia overall. A HRK494,038 salary in Croatia would need to be roughly GTQ471,239 in Guatemala to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Guatemala City averages 77°F vs 60°F in Zagreb, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Croatia to Guatemala.

What does your salary buy?

HRK494,038 GTQ471,239

To maintain the same standard of living in Guatemala

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 53.4% less

Groceries

pay 37.6% more

Transportation

pay 42.8% less

Housing

pay 3.4% less

Childcare

pay 23.8% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 8.6% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 HRK = 1.16 GTQ (July 2026)

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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Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Croatia to Guatemala.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

HR
0.8
GT
20.0
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

HR
8.1
GT
12.6

Croatia performs better than Guatemala across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

HR
$3,229
GT
$935
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

HR
36.1
GT
12.8

Guatemala generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Croatia 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

HR
31.0
GT
40.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

HR
4.8t
GT
1.1t

Croatia generally does better on environment, though Guatemala leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

HR
27.0
GT
3.7
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

HR
1.5%
GT
5.7%

Croatia performs better than Guatemala across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

HR
6.1%
GT
2.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

HR
$41,300
GT
$12,700

Croatia generally does better on employment & economy, though Guatemala leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

HR
77.2 yrs
GT
72.9 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

HR
8.7
GT
26.2

Croatia performs better than Guatemala across all family life metrics.

Data: Croatia Tax Administration, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Zagreb Rain: 33.7 in/yr (856 mm)
60° / 42°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Zagreb Guatemala City
Jan–Mar 44°/29°F (7°/-2°C) 77°/55°F (25°/13°C)
Apr–Jun 69°/48°F (21°/9°C) 80°/61°F (27°/16°C)
Jul–Sep 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) 76°/60°F (25°/16°C)
Oct–Dec 50°/35°F (10°/2°C) 74°/58°F (24°/14°C)
View all months
Month Zagreb Guatemala City
Jan 38°/25°F (3.1°/-4.0°C) 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.5°C)
Feb 43°/28°F (6.1°/-2.5°C) 77°/55°F (25.2°/12.9°C)
Mar 52°/34°F (11.3°/0.9°C) 80°/57°F (26.6°/14.0°C)
Apr 62°/41°F (16.4°/4.9°C) 82°/60°F (27.5°/15.4°C)
May 70°/49°F (21.3°/9.2°C) 81°/61°F (27.1°/16.2°C)
Jun 76°/55°F (24.6°/12.7°C) 78°/61°F (25.3°/16.2°C)
Jul 80°/58°F (26.7°/14.2°C) 76°/60°F (24.5°/15.8°C)
Aug 79°/57°F (26.2°/13.7°C) 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.8°C)
Sep 72°/51°F (22.3°/10.4°C) 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.8°C)
Oct 61°/42°F (16.2°/5.8°C) 75°/60°F (24.1°/15.4°C)
Nov 49°/35°F (9.3°/1.8°C) 74°/57°F (23.4°/14.0°C)
Dec 40°/29°F (4.4°/-1.9°C) 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.1°C)

Data: Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service, 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 Croatia 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.

Croatia passport

Croatia passport holder visiting Guatemala

Visa Free
Croatia passport holders can enter Guatemala without a visa.
Guatemala passport

Guatemala passport holder visiting Croatia

Visa Free
Guatemala passport holders can enter Croatia without a visa.

Data: 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 Croatia?

Yes — Guatemala is on average about 18% cheaper than Croatia. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Guatemala?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly GTQ117,810 in Guatemala on a HRK494,038 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Guatemala?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Guatemala has 3.7 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Guatemala safe for expats?

Croatia performs better than Guatemala across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Guatemala is 20.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Croatia.

How is healthcare in Guatemala compared to Croatia?

Guatemala generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Croatia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 12.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Guatemala, compared to 36.1 in Croatia. Guatemala scores 59 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Croatia: 80).

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

The average high temperature in Guatemala City is 77°F, compared to 60°F in Zagreb. Guatemala City receives around 46.7 in of rainfall per year, while Zagreb gets 33.7 in.

What language do they speak in Guatemala?

The official language in Guatemala is Spanish. In Croatia, the official language is Croatian.

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At a Glance

HR GT
Population 4,188,853 17,703,190
Currency Croatian Kuna (HRK) Guatemalan Quetzal (GTQ)
Languages Croatian Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +385 +502
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 110