Moving to Finland from Guatemala

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Guatemala to Finland — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Guatemala to Finland, you would find that Finland is 38.1% more expensive than Guatemala overall. A GTQ570,000 salary in Guatemala would need to be roughly €91,900 in Finland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Finnish and Swedish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Helsinki averages 48°F vs 77°F in Guatemala City, making it significantly cooler.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Guatemala to Finland.

What does your salary buy?

GTQ570,000 → €91,900

To maintain the same standard of living in Finland

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 2.0 times more

Groceries

pay 2.9% more

Transportation

pay 2.1 times more

Housing

pay 15.9% more

Childcare

pay 41.8% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 87.4% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 GTQ = 0.1168 EUR (October 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.

Get free moving quotes to Finland

We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.

  • ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
  • ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
  • ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you

Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Guatemala to Finland, based on official data.

Moved in 2023
2 ↓ 67% vs 2022

people moved from Guatemala to Finland · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Finland?

Top countries of origin for Finland's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Guatemala to Finland.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

GT
23.4
FI
1.0
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

GT
12.6
FI
4.2

Finland performs significantly better than Guatemala across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

GT
$935
FI
$6,433
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2021

affects wait times and access to care

GT
12.8
FI
36.1

Finland 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

GT
40.0
FI
7.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

GT
1.1t
FI
5.5t

Guatemala generally does better on environment, though Finland leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

GT
5.3
FI
36.5
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

GT
5.7%
FI
7.1%

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

GT
2.6%
FI
9.5%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

GT
$6,598
FI
$56,149

Guatemala generally does better on employment & economy, though Finland leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

GT
72.8 yrs
FI
82.3 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

GT
17.2
FI
1.9

Finland performs significantly better than Guatemala across all family life metrics.

Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Superintendence of the Tax Administration (2016), Finnish Tax Administration (2016). How we calculate this

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Helsinki Rain: 25.6 in/yr (650 mm)
48° / 34°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Guatemala City Helsinki
Jan–Mar 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) 29°/18°F (-1°/-8°C)
Apr–Jun 80°/61°F (27°/16°C) 58°/40°F (14°/4°C)
Jul–Sep 76°/60°F (25°/16°C) 65°/49°F (19°/10°C)
Oct–Dec 74°/58°F (24°/14°C) 38°/28°F (3°/-2°C)
View all months
Month Guatemala City Helsinki
Jan 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.5°C) 27°/17°F (-2.6°/-8.5°C)
Feb 77°/55°F (25.2°/12.9°C) 27°/15°F (-2.9°/-9.3°C)
Mar 80°/57°F (26.6°/14.0°C) 34°/22°F (1.1°/-5.6°C)
Apr 82°/60°F (27.5°/15.4°C) 46°/31°F (7.5°/-0.7°C)
May 81°/61°F (27.1°/16.2°C) 60°/40°F (15.5°/4.4°C)
Jun 78°/61°F (25.3°/16.2°C) 68°/49°F (19.8°/9.3°C)
Jul 76°/60°F (24.5°/15.8°C) 71°/53°F (21.8°/11.8°C)
Aug 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.8°C) 68°/51°F (19.9°/10.7°C)
Sep 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.8°C) 57°/43°F (14.0°/6.1°C)
Oct 75°/60°F (24.1°/15.4°C) 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.2°C)
Nov 74°/57°F (23.4°/14.0°C) 36°/28°F (2.5°/-2.4°C)
Dec 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.1°C) 31°/20°F (-0.8°/-6.6°C)

Data: Instituto Nacional de Sismología, Vulcanología, Meteorología e Hidrología (INSIVUMEH) Instituto Nacional de Sismología, Vulcanología, Meteorología e Hidrología (INSIVUMEH), Finnish Meteorological Institute Finnish Meteorological Institute

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Guatemala and Finland. To live, work, or study long-term in Finland, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Finland's immigration authority.

Guatemala passport

Guatemala passport holder visiting Finland

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

Finland passport holder visiting Guatemala

Visa Free
Finland passport holders can enter Guatemala 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 Finland than Guatemala?

No — Finland is on average about 38% more expensive than Guatemala. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Finland?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €22,975 in Finland on a GTQ570,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Finland?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Finland has 36.5 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 Finland safe for expats?

Finland performs significantly better than Guatemala across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Finland is 1.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 23.4 in Guatemala.

How is healthcare in Finland compared to Guatemala?

Finland generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Guatemala leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 36.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Finland, compared to 12.8 in Guatemala. Finland scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Guatemala: 59).

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

The average high temperature in Helsinki is 48°F, compared to 77°F in Guatemala City. Helsinki receives around 25.6 in of rainfall per year, while Guatemala City gets 46.7 in.

What language do they speak in Finland?

The official languages in Finland are Finnish and Swedish. In Guatemala, the official language is Spanish.

Share this

At a Glance

GT FI
Population 18,687,881 5,646,436
Currency Guatemalan Quetzal (GTQ) Euro (€)
Languages Spanish Finnish, Swedish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +502 +358
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 110 112