Moving to Guatemala from Denmark

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Denmark to Guatemala, you would find that Guatemala is 41.1% cheaper than Denmark overall. A DKK491,173 salary in Denmark would need to be roughly GTQ333,386 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 52°F in Copenhagen, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Denmark to Guatemala.

What does your salary buy?

DKK491,173 GTQ333,386

To maintain the same standard of living in Guatemala

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 67.0% less

Groceries

pay 20.9% less

Transportation

pay 60.7% less

Housing

pay 29.7% less

Childcare

pay 46.7% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 43.9% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 DKK = 1.17 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

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

DK
1.0
GT
20.0
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

DK
2.3
GT
12.6

Denmark performs better than Guatemala across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

DK
$7,262
GT
$935
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2020

affects wait times and access to care

DK
43.8
GT
12.8

Denmark generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Guatemala leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

DK
13.0
GT
40.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

DK
4.3t
GT
1.1t

Denmark 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

DK
45.0
GT
3.7
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

DK
26.4%
GT
5.7%

Denmark generally does better on infrastructure, though Guatemala leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

DK
5.1%
GT
2.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

DK
$72,000
GT
$12,700

Denmark 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

DK
81.7 yrs
GT
72.9 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

DK
3.0
GT
26.2

Denmark performs better than Guatemala across all family life metrics.

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

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Copenhagen Rain: 20.7 in/yr (525 mm)
52° / 41°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Copenhagen Guatemala City
Jan–Mar 38°/29°F (3°/-2°C) 77°/55°F (25°/13°C)
Apr–Jun 58°/44°F (15°/7°C) 80°/61°F (27°/16°C)
Jul–Sep 66°/53°F (19°/12°C) 76°/60°F (25°/16°C)
Oct–Dec 46°/37°F (8°/3°C) 74°/58°F (24°/14°C)
View all months
Month Copenhagen Guatemala City
Jan 36°/28°F (2.0°/-2.0°C) 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.5°C)
Feb 36°/28°F (2.0°/-2.0°C) 77°/55°F (25.2°/12.9°C)
Mar 41°/30°F (5.0°/-1.0°C) 80°/57°F (26.6°/14.0°C)
Apr 50°/36°F (10.0°/2.0°C) 82°/60°F (27.5°/15.4°C)
May 59°/45°F (15.0°/7.0°C) 81°/61°F (27.1°/16.2°C)
Jun 66°/52°F (19.0°/11.0°C) 78°/61°F (25.3°/16.2°C)
Jul 68°/55°F (20.0°/13.0°C) 76°/60°F (24.5°/15.8°C)
Aug 68°/55°F (20.0°/13.0°C) 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.8°C)
Sep 63°/50°F (17.0°/10.0°C) 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.8°C)
Oct 54°/45°F (12.0°/7.0°C) 75°/60°F (24.1°/15.4°C)
Nov 45°/37°F (7.0°/3.0°C) 74°/57°F (23.4°/14.0°C)
Dec 39°/30°F (4.0°/-1.0°C) 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.1°C)

Data: Danish Meteorological Institute Danish Meteorological Institute, 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 Denmark 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.

Denmark passport

Denmark passport holder visiting Guatemala

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

Guatemala passport holder visiting Denmark

Visa Free
Guatemala passport holders can enter Denmark 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 Denmark?

Generally yes: Guatemala runs about 42% cheaper than Denmark 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 DKK491,173 comparable salary, that's around GTQ83,346 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 Denmark and Guatemala.

Is Guatemala safe for expats?

Denmark performs better than Guatemala across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Guatemala is 20.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.0 in Denmark.

How is healthcare in Guatemala compared to Denmark?

Denmark 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 43.8 in Denmark. Guatemala scores 59 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Denmark: 82).

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

The average high temperature in Guatemala City is 77°F, compared to 52°F in Copenhagen. Guatemala City receives around 46.7 in of rainfall per year, while Copenhagen gets 20.7 in.

What language do they speak in Guatemala?

The official language in Guatemala is Spanish. In Denmark, the official language is Danish.

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At a Glance

DK GT
Population 5,920,767 17,703,190
Currency Danish Krone (DKK) Guatemalan Quetzal (GTQ)
Languages Danish Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +45 +502
Time zones 5 1
Emergency number 112 110