Moving to Paraguay from Guatemala

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Guatemala to Paraguay, you would find that Paraguay is 26.2% cheaper than Guatemala overall. A GTQ570,000 salary in Guatemala would need to be roughly PYG315,000,000 in Paraguay to maintain the same lifestyle.

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Is Paraguay cheaper than Guatemala?

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 13.3% less

Groceries

pay 30.7% less

Transportation

pay 11.7% more

Housing

pay 39.5% less

Childcare

pay 48.2% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 24.4% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 GTQ = 747.5 PYG (October 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.

What salary do you need in Paraguay?

What does your salary buy?

GTQ570,000 → PYG315,000,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Paraguay

Calculate with your salary →

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Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Paraguay compared to Guatemala.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

GT
23.4
PY
6.8
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

GT
12.6
PY
21.0

Guatemala generally does better on safety, though Paraguay leads in homicide rate.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

GT
$935
PY
$1,469
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

GT
12.8
PY
38.9

Guatemala generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Paraguay leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

GT
40.0
PY
25.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

GT
1.1t
PY
1.2t

Guatemala generally does better on environment, though Paraguay leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

GT
5.3
PY
12.9
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

GT
5.7%
PY
1.8%

Paraguay performs significantly better than Guatemala across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

GT
2.6%
PY
4.8%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

GT
$6,598
PY
$7,027

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

GT
72.8 yrs
PY
74.0 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

GT
17.2
PY
14.5

Paraguay performs significantly better than Guatemala across all family life metrics.

Weather in Paraguay vs Guatemala

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

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

Avg. annual high / low

Asuncion Rain: 55.2 in/yr (1401 mm)
83° / 65°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Guatemala City Asuncion
Jan–Mar 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) 91°/72°F (33°/22°C)
Apr–Jun 80°/61°F (27°/16°C) 78°/61°F (26°/16°C)
Jul–Sep 76°/60°F (25°/16°C) 77°/58°F (25°/14°C)
Oct–Dec 74°/58°F (24°/14°C) 87°/68°F (31°/20°C)
View all months
Month Guatemala City Asuncion
Jan 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.5°C) 92°/73°F (33.5°/22.8°C)
Feb 77°/55°F (25.2°/12.9°C) 91°/72°F (32.6°/22.3°C)
Mar 80°/57°F (26.6°/14.0°C) 89°/70°F (31.6°/21.3°C)
Apr 82°/60°F (27.5°/15.4°C) 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.6°C)
May 81°/61°F (27.1°/16.2°C) 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.7°C)
Jun 78°/61°F (25.3°/16.2°C) 74°/57°F (23.1°/13.8°C)
Jul 76°/60°F (24.5°/15.8°C) 74°/56°F (23.2°/13.1°C)
Aug 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.8°C) 77°/58°F (24.8°/14.3°C)
Sep 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.8°C) 80°/61°F (26.4°/15.9°C)
Oct 75°/60°F (24.1°/15.4°C) 85°/65°F (29.2°/18.6°C)
Nov 74°/57°F (23.4°/14.0°C) 87°/68°F (30.7°/20.1°C)
Dec 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.1°C) 90°/71°F (32.3°/21.8°C)

Data: Instituto Nacional de Sismología, Vulcanología, Meteorología e Hidrología (INSIVUMEH) Instituto Nacional de Sismología, Vulcanología, Meteorología e Hidrología (INSIVUMEH), Dirección de Meteorología e Hidrología (DMH) Dirección de Meteorología e Hidrología (DMH)

Can you move from Guatemala to Paraguay?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Guatemala and Paraguay. To live, work, or study long-term in Paraguay, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Paraguay's immigration authority.

Guatemala passport

Guatemala passport holder visiting Paraguay

Visa Free
Guatemala passport holders can enter Paraguay without a visa.
Paraguay passport

Paraguay passport holder visiting Guatemala

Visa Free
Paraguay 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 Paraguay than Guatemala?

On average Paraguay is about 26% less expensive than Guatemala, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Paraguay?

Budget about PYG78,750,000 for 3 months in Paraguay (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 Paraguay?

Connectivity is usually fine (Paraguay: 12.9 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Paraguay offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Paraguay safe for expats?

Guatemala generally does better on safety, though Paraguay leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in Paraguay is 6.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 23.4 in Guatemala.

How is healthcare in Paraguay compared to Guatemala?

Guatemala generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Paraguay leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 38.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Paraguay, compared to 12.8 in Guatemala. Paraguay scores 72 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Guatemala: 59).

What's the weather like in Paraguay compared to Guatemala?

The average high temperature in Asuncion is 83°F, compared to 77°F in Guatemala City. Asuncion receives around 55.2 in of rainfall per year, while Guatemala City gets 46.7 in.

What language do they speak in Paraguay?

The official languages in Paraguay are Guaraní and Spanish. In Guatemala, the official language is Spanish.

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At a Glance

GT PY
Population 18,687,881 7,013,078
Currency Guatemalan Quetzal (GTQ) Paraguayan Guarani (PYG)
Languages Spanish Guaraní, Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +502 +595
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 110 911