Moving to Illinois from Guatemala
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Guatemala to Illinois — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Guatemala to Illinois, you would find that Illinois is 2.3 times more expensive than Guatemala overall. A GTQ571,522 salary in Guatemala would need to be roughly $105,009 in Illinois to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Springfield averages 63°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 Illinois.
What does your salary buy?
GTQ571,522 → $105,009
To maintain the same standard of living in Illinois
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 2.2 times more
Groceries
pay 34.1% more
Transportation
pay 2.2 times more
Housing
pay 2.1 times more
Childcare
pay 5.2 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 75.5% 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 Illinois, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from Guatemala to United States · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to United States?
Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.
- 10,853,105
- 2,723,764
- 2,184,110
- 2,061,178
- 1,829,251
- 1,410,659
- · · ·
-
9.1,226,849
Guatemala
Key Indicator Comparison
How Guatemala and Illinois stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Guatemala performs better than Illinois across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Illinois 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
share of people below the poverty line
Illinois generally does better on employment & economy, though Guatemala leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Illinois performs significantly better than Guatemala across all family life metrics.
Data: The World Factbook
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Guatemala City | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) | 42°/25°F (6°/-4°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 80°/61°F (27°/16°C) | 74°/52°F (23°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 76°/60°F (25°/16°C) | 83°/61°F (29°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 74°/58°F (24°/14°C) | 52°/33°F (11°/1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Guatemala City | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.5°C) | 35°/19°F (1.6°/-7.4°C) |
| Feb | 77°/55°F (25.2°/12.9°C) | 40°/23°F (4.4°/-5.2°C) |
| Mar | 80°/57°F (26.6°/14.0°C) | 52°/32°F (11.2°/0.1°C) |
| Apr | 82°/60°F (27.5°/15.4°C) | 65°/42°F (18.1°/5.8°C) |
| May | 81°/61°F (27.1°/16.2°C) | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.4°C) |
| Jun | 78°/61°F (25.3°/16.2°C) | 83°/62°F (28.4°/16.6°C) |
| Jul | 76°/60°F (24.5°/15.8°C) | 86°/65°F (30.1°/18.6°C) |
| Aug | 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.8°C) | 85°/64°F (29.4°/17.6°C) |
| Sep | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.8°C) | 79°/55°F (26.1°/12.6°C) |
| Oct | 75°/60°F (24.1°/15.4°C) | 66°/44°F (19.1°/6.6°C) |
| Nov | 74°/57°F (23.4°/14.0°C) | 52°/34°F (11.3°/1.1°C) |
| Dec | 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.1°C) | 38°/22°F (3.5°/-5.3°C) |
Data:
Instituto Nacional de Sismología, Vulcanología, Meteorología e Hidrología (INSIVUMEH),
National Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Guatemala and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.
Guatemala passport holder visiting United States
Visa Required
United States 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 Illinois than Guatemala?
Day-to-day costs in Illinois run about 40% higher than Guatemala on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to Illinois?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a GTQ571,522 comparable salary, that's around $26,252 in Illinois for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Illinois?
Working remotely from Illinois's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in Guatemala and Illinois.
How is healthcare in Illinois compared to Guatemala?
Guatemala performs better than Illinois across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Illinois compared to Guatemala?
The average high temperature in Springfield is 63°F, compared to 77°F in Guatemala City. Springfield receives around 37.4 in of rainfall per year, while Guatemala City gets 46.7 in.
What language do they speak in Illinois?
The official language in Illinois is English. In Guatemala, the official language is Spanish.
