Moving to Colombia from Guatemala
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Guatemala to Colombia — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Guatemala to Colombia, you would find that Colombia is 13.9% cheaper than Guatemala overall. A GTQ572,138 salary in Guatemala would need to be roughly COP189,892,769 in Colombia to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Bogota averages 61°F vs 77°F in Guatemala City, making it significantly cooler.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Guatemala to Colombia.
What does your salary buy?
GTQ572,138 → COP189,892,769
To maintain the same standard of living in Colombia
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 13.7% less
Groceries
pay 38.0% less
Transportation
pay 39.9% more
Housing
pay 27.7% less
Childcare
pay 0.5% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 48.1% 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?
How many people actually move from Guatemala to Colombia, based on official data.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Guatemala to Colombia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Guatemala performs better than Colombia 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Colombia 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
Guatemala generally does better on environment, though Colombia leads in air pollution deaths.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
Colombia performs significantly better than Guatemala across all infrastructure metrics.
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
Guatemala generally does better on employment & economy, though Colombia leads in gdp per capita.
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
Colombia performs significantly better than Guatemala across all family life metrics.
Data: Superintendence of the Tax Administration, 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 | Guatemala City | Bogota |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) | 62°/44°F (17°/7°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 80°/61°F (27°/16°C) | 61°/47°F (16°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 76°/60°F (25°/16°C) | 60°/45°F (15°/7°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 74°/58°F (24°/14°C) | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) |
View all months
| Month | Guatemala City | Bogota |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.5°C) | 62°/42°F (16.4°/5.6°C) |
| Feb | 77°/55°F (25.2°/12.9°C) | 62°/44°F (16.7°/6.5°C) |
| Mar | 80°/57°F (26.6°/14.0°C) | 62°/46°F (16.7°/7.6°C) |
| Apr | 82°/60°F (27.5°/15.4°C) | 61°/47°F (16.0°/8.6°C) |
| May | 81°/61°F (27.1°/16.2°C) | 61°/48°F (16.2°/8.7°C) |
| Jun | 78°/61°F (25.3°/16.2°C) | 60°/47°F (15.7°/8.3°C) |
| Jul | 76°/60°F (24.5°/15.8°C) | 59°/46°F (14.9°/7.7°C) |
| Aug | 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.8°C) | 60°/45°F (15.4°/7.3°C) |
| Sep | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.8°C) | 60°/45°F (15.8°/7.1°C) |
| Oct | 75°/60°F (24.1°/15.4°C) | 61°/46°F (15.9°/7.7°C) |
| Nov | 74°/57°F (23.4°/14.0°C) | 61°/46°F (16.0°/7.9°C) |
| Dec | 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.1°C) | 61°/43°F (16.1°/6.3°C) |
Data:
Instituto Nacional de Sismología, Vulcanología, Meteorología e Hidrología (INSIVUMEH),
Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environment Studies
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Guatemala and Colombia. To live, work, or study long-term in Colombia, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Colombia's immigration authority.
Guatemala passport holder visiting Colombia
Visa Free
Colombia passport holder visiting Guatemala
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 Colombia than Guatemala?
Yes — Colombia is on average about 30% cheaper than Guatemala. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Colombia?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly COP47,473,192 in Colombia on a GTQ572,138 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Colombia?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Colombia has 17.0 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 Colombia safe for expats?
Guatemala performs better than Colombia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Colombia is 25.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 20.0 in Guatemala.
How is healthcare in Colombia compared to Guatemala?
Colombia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Guatemala leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 24.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Colombia, compared to 12.8 in Guatemala. Colombia scores 80 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Guatemala: 59).
What's the weather like in Colombia compared to Guatemala?
The average high temperature in Bogota is 61°F, compared to 77°F in Guatemala City. Bogota receives around 31.5 in of rainfall per year, while Guatemala City gets 46.7 in.
What language do they speak in Colombia?
Both Guatemala and Colombia share the same official language: Spanish.
