Moving to Iowa from Guatemala
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Guatemala to Iowa — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Guatemala to Iowa, you would find that Iowa is 91.8% more expensive than Guatemala overall. A GTQ571,522 salary in Guatemala would need to be roughly $93,517 in Iowa to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Des Moines averages 60°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 Iowa.
What does your salary buy?
GTQ571,522 → $93,517
To maintain the same standard of living in Iowa
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 2.2 times more
Groceries
pay 24.4% more
Transportation
pay 52.9% more
Housing
pay 79.4% more
Childcare
pay 4.1 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 67.1% 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?
How many people actually move from Guatemala to Iowa, based on official data.
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
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Guatemala to Iowa.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Guatemala performs better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Iowa 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
Iowa generally does better on employment & economy, though Guatemala leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Iowa 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 | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) | 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 80°/61°F (27°/16°C) | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 76°/60°F (25°/16°C) | 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 74°/58°F (24°/14°C) | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Guatemala City | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.5°C) | 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C) |
| Feb | 77°/55°F (25.2°/12.9°C) | 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C) |
| Mar | 80°/57°F (26.6°/14.0°C) | 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C) |
| Apr | 82°/60°F (27.5°/15.4°C) | 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) |
| May | 81°/61°F (27.1°/16.2°C) | 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C) |
| Jun | 78°/61°F (25.3°/16.2°C) | 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C) |
| Jul | 76°/60°F (24.5°/15.8°C) | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) |
| Aug | 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.8°C) | 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C) |
| Sep | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.8°C) | 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C) |
| Oct | 75°/60°F (24.1°/15.4°C) | 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C) |
| Nov | 74°/57°F (23.4°/14.0°C) | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C) |
| Dec | 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.1°C) | 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°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 Iowa than Guatemala?
No — Iowa is on average about 25% more expensive than Guatemala. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Iowa?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $23,379 in Iowa on a GTQ571,522 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Iowa?
Usually fine from major cities in Iowa. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
How is healthcare in Iowa compared to Guatemala?
Guatemala performs better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Iowa compared to Guatemala?
The average high temperature in Des Moines is 60°F, compared to 77°F in Guatemala City. Des Moines receives around 36.0 in of rainfall per year, while Guatemala City gets 46.7 in.
What language do they speak in Iowa?
The official language in Iowa is English. In Guatemala, the official language is Spanish.
