Moving to Guatemala from El Salvador
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from El Salvador to Guatemala — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from El Salvador to Guatemala. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Guatemala City averages 77°F vs 87°F in San Salvador, making it significantly cooler.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from El Salvador to Guatemala, and how the trend has changed.
Who's moving to Guatemala?
Top countries of origin for Guatemala's foreign-born residents.
-
1.20,683
El Salvador
- 18,872
- 9,299
- 9,211
- 9,023
- 1,921
Key Indicator Comparison
How El Salvador 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
El Salvador 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 El Salvador 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
El Salvador 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
El Salvador 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
Guatemala generally does better on employment & economy, though El Salvador leads in poverty 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
El Salvador performs better than Guatemala across all family life metrics.
Data: Ministry of Finance, 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 Salvador | Guatemala City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 89°/64°F (32°/18°C) | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 88°/68°F (31°/20°C) | 80°/61°F (27°/16°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 86°/67°F (30°/20°C) | 76°/60°F (25°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 86°/65°F (30°/18°C) | 74°/58°F (24°/14°C) |
View all months
| Month | San Salvador | Guatemala City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 87°/62°F (30.8°/16.9°C) | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.5°C) |
| Feb | 90°/64°F (32.0°/17.6°C) | 77°/55°F (25.2°/12.9°C) |
| Mar | 91°/65°F (32.7°/18.4°C) | 80°/57°F (26.6°/14.0°C) |
| Apr | 91°/68°F (32.7°/19.8°C) | 82°/60°F (27.5°/15.4°C) |
| May | 88°/69°F (31.1°/20.4°C) | 81°/61°F (27.1°/16.2°C) |
| Jun | 86°/68°F (30.1°/20.1°C) | 78°/61°F (25.3°/16.2°C) |
| Jul | 87°/67°F (30.3°/19.5°C) | 76°/60°F (24.5°/15.8°C) |
| Aug | 87°/67°F (30.4°/19.7°C) | 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.8°C) |
| Sep | 85°/67°F (29.5°/19.6°C) | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.8°C) |
| Oct | 85°/67°F (29.5°/19.4°C) | 75°/60°F (24.1°/15.4°C) |
| Nov | 86°/65°F (29.9°/18.4°C) | 74°/57°F (23.4°/14.0°C) |
| Dec | 86°/63°F (30.1°/17.4°C) | 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.1°C) |
Data:
Gerencia de Meteorología,
Instituto Nacional de Sismología, Vulcanología, Meteorología e Hidrología (INSIVUMEH)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between El Salvador 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.
El Salvador passport holder visiting Guatemala
Visa Free
Guatemala passport holder visiting El Salvador
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
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 El Salvador and Guatemala.
Is Guatemala safe for expats?
El Salvador 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 7.8 in El Salvador.
How is healthcare in Guatemala compared to El Salvador?
Guatemala generally does better on health & wellbeing, though El Salvador leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 12.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Guatemala, compared to 15.5 in El Salvador. Guatemala scores 59 on the WHO universal health coverage index (El Salvador: 78).
What's the weather like in Guatemala compared to El Salvador?
The average high temperature in Guatemala City is 77°F, compared to 87°F in San Salvador. Guatemala City receives around 46.7 in of rainfall per year, while San Salvador gets 70.0 in.
What language do they speak in Guatemala?
Both El Salvador and Guatemala share the same official language: Spanish.
