Moving to Philippines from Guatemala
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Guatemala to Philippines — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Guatemala to Philippines, you would find that Philippines is 28.4% cheaper than Guatemala overall. A GTQ572,867 salary in Guatemala would need to be roughly ₱3,266,771 in Philippines to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English and Filipino. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Manila averages 88°F vs 77°F in Guatemala City, making it significantly warmer.
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 Philippines.
What does your salary buy?
GTQ572,867 → ₱3,266,771
To maintain the same standard of living in Philippines
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 44.2% less
Groceries
pay 14.7% less
Transportation
pay 14.9% less
Housing
pay 28.4% less
Childcare
pay 24.0% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 37.0% 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Guatemala to Philippines, and how the trend has changed.
Who's moving to Philippines?
Top countries of origin for Philippines's foreign-born residents.
- 38,269
- 37,857
- 14,634
- 11,323
- 7,350
- 6,123
- · · ·
-
88.35
Guatemala
Key Indicator Comparison
How Guatemala and Philippines stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Philippines performs significantly better than Guatemala across all safety metrics.
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
Philippines generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Guatemala 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 performs better than Philippines across all environment metrics.
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
Philippines 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 Philippines leads in unemployment rate.
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
Philippines generally does better on family life, though Guatemala leads in life expectancy.
Data: Superintendence of the Tax Administration, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Guatemala City | Manila |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) | 87°/75°F (31°/24°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 80°/61°F (27°/16°C) | 91°/79°F (33°/26°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 76°/60°F (25°/16°C) | 88°/78°F (31°/26°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 74°/58°F (24°/14°C) | 87°/77°F (30°/25°C) |
View all months
| Month | Guatemala City | Manila |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.5°C) | 85°/74°F (29.5°/23.5°C) |
| Feb | 77°/55°F (25.2°/12.9°C) | 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C) |
| Mar | 80°/57°F (26.6°/14.0°C) | 90°/77°F (32.1°/24.9°C) |
| Apr | 82°/60°F (27.5°/15.4°C) | 92°/79°F (33.5°/26.2°C) |
| May | 81°/61°F (27.1°/16.2°C) | 92°/80°F (33.2°/26.7°C) |
| Jun | 78°/61°F (25.3°/16.2°C) | 90°/79°F (32.2°/26.2°C) |
| Jul | 76°/60°F (24.5°/15.8°C) | 88°/78°F (31.1°/25.8°C) |
| Aug | 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.8°C) | 87°/78°F (30.6°/25.5°C) |
| Sep | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.8°C) | 88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C) |
| Oct | 75°/60°F (24.1°/15.4°C) | 88°/78°F (30.9°/25.5°C) |
| Nov | 74°/57°F (23.4°/14.0°C) | 87°/77°F (30.7°/24.9°C) |
| Dec | 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.1°C) | 85°/75°F (29.7°/23.9°C) |
Data:
Instituto Nacional de Sismología, Vulcanología, Meteorología e Hidrología (INSIVUMEH),
Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Guatemala and Philippines. To live, work, or study long-term in Philippines, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Philippines's immigration authority.
Guatemala passport holder visiting Philippines
Visa Free
Philippines passport holder visiting Guatemala
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Philippines than Guatemala?
Generally yes: Philippines runs about 29% cheaper than Guatemala on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Philippines?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a GTQ572,867 comparable salary, that's around ₱816,693 in Philippines for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Philippines?
With 7.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Philippines can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Guatemala and Philippines.
Is Philippines safe for expats?
Philippines performs significantly better than Guatemala across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Philippines is 4.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 20.0 in Guatemala.
How is healthcare in Philippines compared to Guatemala?
Philippines generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Guatemala leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 7.9 doctors per 10,000 people in Philippines, compared to 12.8 in Guatemala. Philippines scores 58 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Guatemala: 59).
What's the weather like in Philippines compared to Guatemala?
The average high temperature in Manila is 88°F, compared to 77°F in Guatemala City. Manila receives around 86.7 in of rainfall per year, while Guatemala City gets 46.7 in.
What language do they speak in Philippines?
The official languages in Philippines are English and Filipino. In Guatemala, the official language is Spanish.
