Moving to North Carolina from Guatemala

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Guatemala to North Carolina? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Guatemala to North Carolina, you would find that North Carolina is 2.2 times more expensive than Guatemala overall. A GTQ571,522 salary in Guatemala would need to be roughly $110,174 in North Carolina to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Asheville averages 67°F vs 77°F in Guatemala City, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Guatemala and North Carolina.

What does your salary buy?

GTQ571,522 $110,174

To maintain the same standard of living in North Carolina

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 2.2 times more

Groceries

pay 57.4% more

Transportation

pay 2.1 times more

Housing

pay 2.2 times more

Childcare

pay 4.8 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 54.7% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 GTQ = 0.1312 USD (July 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.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

What the data shows about people moving from Guatemala to North Carolina.

Moved in 2023
16,490 ↓ 2% vs 2022

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.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in North Carolina compared to Guatemala.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate The World Factbook, 2022

share of adults with obesity

GT
21.2%
NC
33.6%

Guatemala performs better than North Carolina across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access The World Factbook, 2023

share of households with internet

GT
51.0%
NC
88.7%

North Carolina performs significantly better than Guatemala across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

GT
2.7%
NC
3.4%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

GT
$12,700
NC
$59,308

North Carolina generally does better on employment & economy, though Guatemala leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

GT
72.9 yrs
NC
76.1 yrs

North Carolina 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.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Asheville Rain: 37.0 in/yr (940 mm)
67° / 46°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Guatemala City Asheville
Jan–Mar 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) 52°/32°F (11°/0°C)
Apr–Jun 80°/61°F (27°/16°C) 75°/53°F (24°/12°C)
Jul–Sep 76°/60°F (25°/16°C) 82°/62°F (28°/17°C)
Oct–Dec 74°/58°F (24°/14°C) 58°/38°F (15°/3°C)
View all months
Month Guatemala City Asheville
Jan 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.5°C) 47°/28°F (8.1°/-2.4°C)
Feb 77°/55°F (25.2°/12.9°C) 50°/31°F (10.2°/-0.6°C)
Mar 80°/57°F (26.6°/14.0°C) 58°/37°F (14.4°/2.9°C)
Apr 82°/60°F (27.5°/15.4°C) 67°/45°F (19.7°/7.3°C)
May 81°/61°F (27.1°/16.2°C) 75°/53°F (23.9°/11.7°C)
Jun 78°/61°F (25.3°/16.2°C) 82°/61°F (27.6°/16.1°C)
Jul 76°/60°F (24.5°/15.8°C) 85°/65°F (29.3°/18.1°C)
Aug 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.8°C) 84°/64°F (28.7°/17.7°C)
Sep 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.8°C) 77°/57°F (25.1°/13.8°C)
Oct 75°/60°F (24.1°/15.4°C) 68°/46°F (19.9°/7.9°C)
Nov 74°/57°F (23.4°/14.0°C) 58°/38°F (14.7°/3.1°C)
Dec 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.1°C) 49°/30°F (9.4°/-0.9°C)

Data: Instituto Nacional de Sismología, Vulcanología, Meteorología e Hidrología (INSIVUMEH) Instituto Nacional de Sismología, Vulcanología, Meteorología e Hidrología (INSIVUMEH), National Weather Service 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

Guatemala passport holder visiting United States

Visa Required
Guatemala passport holders need a visa to enter United States.
United States passport

United States passport holder visiting Guatemala

Visa Free
United States 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 North Carolina than Guatemala?

On average North Carolina is around 47% pricier than Guatemala, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to North Carolina?

Budget about $27,544 for 3 months in North Carolina (based on a GTQ571,522 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from North Carolina?

From major North Carolina cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in Guatemala and North Carolina are what actually decide it long-term.

How is healthcare in North Carolina compared to Guatemala?

Guatemala performs better than North Carolina across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in North Carolina compared to Guatemala?

The average high temperature in Asheville is 67°F, compared to 77°F in Guatemala City. Asheville receives around 37.0 in of rainfall per year, while Guatemala City gets 46.7 in.

What language do they speak in North Carolina?

The official language in North Carolina is English. In Guatemala, the official language is Spanish.

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At a Glance

GT
Population 17,703,190 9,535,483
Currency Guatemalan Quetzal (GTQ) United States Dollar ($)
Languages Spanish English
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +502 +1
Time zones 1 11
Emergency number 110 911