Moving to Dominican Republic from Guatemala
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Guatemala to Dominican Republic — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Guatemala to Dominican Republic, you would find that Dominican Republic is 7.3% cheaper than Guatemala overall. A GTQ572,138 salary in Guatemala would need to be roughly DOP3,707,974 in Dominican Republic to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Santo Domingo averages 87°F vs 77°F in Guatemala City, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Guatemala to Dominican Republic.
What does your salary buy?
GTQ572,138 → DOP3,707,974
To maintain the same standard of living in Dominican Republic
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 5.4% less
Groceries
pay 29.5% less
Transportation
pay 59.0% more
Housing
pay 24.3% less
Childcare
pay 11.6% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 22.1% 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 Dominican Republic, based on official data.
Who's moving to Dominican Republic?
Top countries of origin for Dominican Republic's foreign-born residents.
- 496,112
- 34,063
- 14,626
- 7,272
- 4,780
- 4,375
- · · ·
-
25.446
Guatemala
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Guatemala to Dominican Republic.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Guatemala generally does better on safety, though Dominican Republic leads in homicide rate.
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
Dominican Republic 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 Dominican Republic 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
Dominican Republic 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
Guatemala generally does better on employment & economy, though Dominican Republic 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
Dominican Republic generally does better on family life, though Guatemala leads in life expectancy.
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 | Santo Domingo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) | 85°/67°F (29°/20°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 80°/61°F (27°/16°C) | 87°/72°F (30°/22°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 76°/60°F (25°/16°C) | 89°/73°F (31°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 74°/58°F (24°/14°C) | 87°/71°F (30°/21°C) |
View all months
| Month | Guatemala City | Santo Domingo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.5°C) | 85°/67°F (29.2°/19.6°C) |
| Feb | 77°/55°F (25.2°/12.9°C) | 85°/67°F (29.2°/19.7°C) |
| Mar | 80°/57°F (26.6°/14.0°C) | 85°/68°F (29.6°/20.2°C) |
| Apr | 82°/60°F (27.5°/15.4°C) | 86°/70°F (30.2°/21.1°C) |
| May | 81°/61°F (27.1°/16.2°C) | 87°/72°F (30.4°/22.2°C) |
| Jun | 78°/61°F (25.3°/16.2°C) | 87°/73°F (30.8°/22.9°C) |
| Jul | 76°/60°F (24.5°/15.8°C) | 88°/73°F (31.3°/22.8°C) |
| Aug | 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.8°C) | 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.7°C) |
| Sep | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.8°C) | 89°/73°F (31.4°/22.7°C) |
| Oct | 75°/60°F (24.1°/15.4°C) | 88°/72°F (31.1°/22.3°C) |
| Nov | 74°/57°F (23.4°/14.0°C) | 87°/71°F (30.6°/21.4°C) |
| Dec | 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.1°C) | 85°/69°F (29.6°/20.3°C) |
Data:
Instituto Nacional de Sismología, Vulcanología, Meteorología e Hidrología (INSIVUMEH),
Oficina Nacional de Meteorologiá
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Guatemala and Dominican Republic. To live, work, or study long-term in Dominican Republic, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Dominican Republic's immigration authority.
Guatemala passport holder visiting Dominican Republic
Visa Free
Dominican Republic passport holder visiting Guatemala
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Dominican Republic than Guatemala?
Yes — Dominican Republic is on average about 15% cheaper than Guatemala. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Dominican Republic?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly DOP926,994 in Dominican Republic on a GTQ572,138 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Dominican Republic?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Dominican Republic has 10.7 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 Dominican Republic safe for expats?
Guatemala generally does better on safety, though Dominican Republic leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Dominican Republic is 12.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 20.0 in Guatemala.
How is healthcare in Dominican Republic compared to Guatemala?
Dominican Republic generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Guatemala leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 22.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Dominican Republic, compared to 12.8 in Guatemala. Dominican Republic scores 77 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Guatemala: 59).
What's the weather like in Dominican Republic compared to Guatemala?
The average high temperature in Santo Domingo is 87°F, compared to 77°F in Guatemala City. Santo Domingo receives around 57.0 in of rainfall per year, while Guatemala City gets 46.7 in.
What language do they speak in Dominican Republic?
Both Guatemala and Dominican Republic share the same official language: Spanish.
