Moving to Mexico from Guatemala
What to Expect
Considering a move from Guatemala to Mexico? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Guatemala to Mexico, you would find that Mexico is 4.4% cheaper than Guatemala overall. A GTQ570,000 salary in Guatemala would need to be roughly MX$1,320,000 in Mexico to maintain the same lifestyle.
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How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 31.7% more
Groceries
pay 3.3% less
Transportation
pay 21.7% more
Housing
pay 19.5% less
Childcare
pay 21.7% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 6.9% 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.
What salary do you need in Mexico?
What does your salary buy?
GTQ570,000 → MX$1,320,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Mexico
Calculate with your salary →Get free moving quotes to Mexico
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Guatemala to Mexico.
people moved from Guatemala to Mexico · OECD (latest data available)
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Mexico compared to Guatemala.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Guatemala generally does better on safety, though Mexico leads in road traffic deaths.
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 Mexico 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 Mexico 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
Mexico 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
share of people below the poverty line
Guatemala generally does better on employment & economy, though Mexico 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
Mexico 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), Servicio de Administración Tributaria, SHCP (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Mexico vs Guatemala
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Guatemala City | Mexico City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) | 74°/45°F (23°/7°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 80°/61°F (27°/16°C) | 79°/53°F (26°/12°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 76°/60°F (25°/16°C) | 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 74°/58°F (24°/14°C) | 71°/47°F (22°/8°C) |
View all months
| Month | Guatemala City | Mexico City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.5°C) | 70°/42°F (21.2°/5.8°C) |
| Feb | 77°/55°F (25.2°/12.9°C) | 73°/45°F (22.9°/7.1°C) |
| Mar | 80°/57°F (26.6°/14.0°C) | 78°/49°F (25.7°/9.2°C) |
| Apr | 82°/60°F (27.5°/15.4°C) | 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.8°C) |
| May | 81°/61°F (27.1°/16.2°C) | 80°/53°F (26.5°/11.7°C) |
| Jun | 78°/61°F (25.3°/16.2°C) | 76°/54°F (24.6°/12.2°C) |
| Jul | 76°/60°F (24.5°/15.8°C) | 73°/53°F (23.0°/11.5°C) |
| Aug | 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.8°C) | 74°/53°F (23.3°/11.6°C) |
| Sep | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.8°C) | 72°/53°F (22.3°/11.5°C) |
| Oct | 75°/60°F (24.1°/15.4°C) | 72°/50°F (22.2°/9.8°C) |
| Nov | 74°/57°F (23.4°/14.0°C) | 71°/46°F (21.8°/7.9°C) |
| Dec | 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.1°C) | 69°/44°F (20.8°/6.6°C) |
Data:
Instituto Nacional de Sismología, Vulcanología, Meteorología e Hidrología (INSIVUMEH),
Coordinación General del Servicio Meteorológico Nacional
Can you move from Guatemala to Mexico?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Guatemala and Mexico. To live, work, or study long-term in Mexico, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Mexico's immigration authority.
Guatemala passport holder visiting Mexico
Visa Required
Mexico 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 Mexico than Guatemala?
On average Mexico is about 4% less expensive than Guatemala, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Mexico?
Budget about MX$330,000 for 3 months in Mexico (based on a GTQ570,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Mexico?
Connectivity is usually fine (Mexico: 21.7 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Mexico offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Mexico safe for expats?
Guatemala generally does better on safety, though Mexico leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Mexico is 24.9 per 100,000 people, compared to 23.4 in Guatemala.
How is healthcare in Mexico compared to Guatemala?
Guatemala generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Mexico leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 25.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Mexico, compared to 12.8 in Guatemala. Mexico scores 75 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Guatemala: 59).
What's the weather like in Mexico compared to Guatemala?
The average high temperature in Mexico City is 74°F, compared to 77°F in Guatemala City. Mexico City receives around 32.1 in of rainfall per year, while Guatemala City gets 46.7 in.
What language do they speak in Mexico?
Both Guatemala and Mexico share the same official language: Spanish.
