Moving to Guatemala from Ecuador
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Ecuador to Guatemala — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Ecuador to Guatemala, you would find that Guatemala is 32.9% more expensive than Ecuador overall. A $75,000 salary in Ecuador would need to be roughly GTQ762,135 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 Ecuador to Guatemala.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → GTQ762,135
To maintain the same standard of living in Guatemala
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 30.2% more
Groceries
pay 74.1% more
Transportation
pay 5.6% more
Housing
pay 72.0% more
Childcare
pay 7.2% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 25.3% 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?
Real numbers on people moving from Ecuador 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
- · · ·
-
25.178
Ecuador
Key Indicator Comparison
How Ecuador 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
Guatemala performs significantly better than Ecuador 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
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Ecuador 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
Ecuador 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
Ecuador 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
Ecuador 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
Ecuador performs better than Guatemala across all family life metrics.
Data: Servicio de Rentas Internas del Ecuador, 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 | Quito | Guatemala City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 70°/50°F (21°/10°C) | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 70°/50°F (21°/10°C) | 80°/61°F (27°/16°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/49°F (22°/9°C) | 76°/60°F (25°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 70°/49°F (21°/10°C) | 74°/58°F (24°/14°C) |
View all months
| Month | Quito | Guatemala City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 70°/50°F (21.2°/9.8°C) | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.5°C) |
| Feb | 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.1°C) | 77°/55°F (25.2°/12.9°C) |
| Mar | 69°/50°F (20.8°/10.1°C) | 80°/57°F (26.6°/14.0°C) |
| Apr | 70°/50°F (20.9°/10.2°C) | 82°/60°F (27.5°/15.4°C) |
| May | 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.1°C) | 81°/61°F (27.1°/16.2°C) |
| Jun | 70°/50°F (21.1°/9.8°C) | 78°/61°F (25.3°/16.2°C) |
| Jul | 71°/49°F (21.5°/9.4°C) | 76°/60°F (24.5°/15.8°C) |
| Aug | 72°/49°F (22.2°/9.6°C) | 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.8°C) |
| Sep | 72°/49°F (22.3°/9.4°C) | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.8°C) |
| Oct | 71°/49°F (21.8°/9.5°C) | 75°/60°F (24.1°/15.4°C) |
| Nov | 70°/49°F (21.3°/9.6°C) | 74°/57°F (23.4°/14.0°C) |
| Dec | 70°/49°F (21.3°/9.7°C) | 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.1°C) |
Data:
Instituto Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología - INAMHI,
Instituto Nacional de Sismología, Vulcanología, Meteorología e Hidrología (INSIVUMEH)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Ecuador 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.
Ecuador passport holder visiting Guatemala
Visa Free
Guatemala passport holder visiting Ecuador
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 Ecuador?
Day-to-day costs in Guatemala run about 33% higher than Ecuador on average; specific cities can swing further.
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 $75,000 comparable salary, that's around GTQ190,534 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 Ecuador and Guatemala.
Is Guatemala safe for expats?
Guatemala performs significantly better than Ecuador across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Guatemala is 20.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 27.0 in Ecuador.
How is healthcare in Guatemala compared to Ecuador?
Ecuador 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 23.1 in Ecuador. Guatemala scores 59 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Ecuador: 77).
What's the weather like in Guatemala compared to Ecuador?
The average high temperature in Guatemala City is 77°F, compared to 71°F in Quito. Guatemala City receives around 46.7 in of rainfall per year, while Quito gets 43.2 in.
What language do they speak in Guatemala?
Both Ecuador and Guatemala share the same official language: Spanish.
