Moving to Iceland from Guatemala
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Guatemala to Iceland — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Guatemala to Iceland, you would find that Iceland is 2.7 times more expensive than Guatemala overall. A GTQ571,522 salary in Guatemala would need to be roughly ISK23,837,455 in Iceland to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Icelandic. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Reykjavik averages 45°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?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Guatemala to Iceland.
What does your salary buy?
GTQ571,522 → ISK23,837,455
To maintain the same standard of living in Iceland
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 3.5 times more
Groceries
pay 79.8% more
Transportation
pay 3.2 times more
Housing
pay 2.5 times more
Childcare
pay 3.3 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.5 times 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 Guatemala to Iceland, and how the trend has changed.
Who's moving to Iceland?
Top countries of origin for Iceland's foreign-born residents.
- 21,102
- 3,918
- 3,171
- 2,604
- 2,357
- 2,284
- · · ·
-
87.36
Guatemala
Key Indicator Comparison
How Guatemala and Iceland stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Iceland performs significantly better than Guatemala 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
Guatemala generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iceland 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
Guatemala generally does better on environment, though Iceland 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
share of households with internet
Iceland 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
share of people below the poverty line
Guatemala generally does better on employment & economy, though Iceland 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
Iceland 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 | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) | 37°/28°F (3°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 80°/61°F (27°/16°C) | 48°/38°F (9°/4°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 76°/60°F (25°/16°C) | 54°/45°F (12°/7°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 74°/58°F (24°/14°C) | 39°/31°F (4°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Guatemala City | Reykjavik |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.5°C) | 35°/27°F (1.9°/-3.0°C) |
| Feb | 77°/55°F (25.2°/12.9°C) | 37°/28°F (2.8°/-2.1°C) |
| Mar | 80°/57°F (26.6°/14.0°C) | 38°/28°F (3.2°/-2.0°C) |
| Apr | 82°/60°F (27.5°/15.4°C) | 42°/33°F (5.7°/0.4°C) |
| May | 81°/61°F (27.1°/16.2°C) | 49°/38°F (9.4°/3.6°C) |
| Jun | 78°/61°F (25.3°/16.2°C) | 53°/44°F (11.7°/6.7°C) |
| Jul | 76°/60°F (24.5°/15.8°C) | 56°/47°F (13.3°/8.3°C) |
| Aug | 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.8°C) | 55°/46°F (13.0°/7.9°C) |
| Sep | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.8°C) | 50°/41°F (10.1°/5.0°C) |
| Oct | 75°/60°F (24.1°/15.4°C) | 44°/36°F (6.8°/2.2°C) |
| Nov | 74°/57°F (23.4°/14.0°C) | 38°/30°F (3.4°/-1.3°C) |
| Dec | 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.1°C) | 36°/27°F (2.2°/-2.8°C) |
Data:
Instituto Nacional de Sismología, Vulcanología, Meteorología e Hidrología (INSIVUMEH),
Icelandic Meteorological Office
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Guatemala and Iceland. To live, work, or study long-term in Iceland, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Iceland's immigration authority.
Guatemala passport holder visiting Iceland
Visa Free
Iceland 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 Iceland than Guatemala?
Day-to-day costs in Iceland run about 154% higher than Guatemala on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to Iceland?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a GTQ571,522 comparable salary, that's around ISK5,959,364 in Iceland for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Iceland?
With 38.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Iceland can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Guatemala and Iceland.
Is Iceland safe for expats?
Iceland performs significantly better than Guatemala across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Iceland is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 20.0 in Guatemala.
How is healthcare in Iceland compared to Guatemala?
Guatemala generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Iceland leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 45.2 doctors per 10,000 people in Iceland, compared to 12.8 in Guatemala. Iceland scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Guatemala: 59).
What's the weather like in Iceland compared to Guatemala?
The average high temperature in Reykjavik is 45°F, compared to 77°F in Guatemala City. Reykjavik receives around 31.4 in of rainfall per year, while Guatemala City gets 46.7 in.
What language do they speak in Iceland?
The official language in Iceland is Icelandic. In Guatemala, the official language is Spanish.
