Moving to South Africa from Guatemala
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Guatemala to South Africa — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Guatemala to South Africa, you would find that South Africa is 3.6% cheaper than Guatemala overall. A GTQ572,552 salary in Guatemala would need to be roughly ZAR952,172 in South Africa to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.
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 South Africa.
What does your salary buy?
GTQ572,552 → ZAR952,172
To maintain the same standard of living in South Africa
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 7.7% more
Groceries
pay 32.9% less
Transportation
pay 78.0% more
Housing
pay 3.3% less
Childcare
pay 28.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 27.9% 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.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Guatemala to South Africa, and how the trend has changed.
Who's moving to South Africa?
Top countries of origin for South Africa's foreign-born residents.
- 690,243
- 350,463
- 192,008
- 94,119
- 67,382
- 63,892
- · · ·
-
120.106
Guatemala
Key Indicator Comparison
How Guatemala and South Africa stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Guatemala performs better than South Africa 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
Guatemala generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Guatemala performs better than South Africa 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
Guatemala generally does better on infrastructure, though South Africa leads in electricity per capita.
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 South Africa 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
South Africa 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 | Pretoria |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 80°/61°F (27°/16°C) | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 76°/60°F (25°/16°C) | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 74°/58°F (24°/14°C) | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) |
View all months
| Month | Guatemala City | Pretoria |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.5°C) | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) |
| Feb | 77°/55°F (25.2°/12.9°C) | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) |
| Mar | 80°/57°F (26.6°/14.0°C) | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) |
| Apr | 82°/60°F (27.5°/15.4°C) | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) |
| May | 81°/61°F (27.1°/16.2°C) | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) |
| Jun | 78°/61°F (25.3°/16.2°C) | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) |
| Jul | 76°/60°F (24.5°/15.8°C) | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) |
| Aug | 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.8°C) | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) |
| Sep | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.8°C) | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) |
| Oct | 75°/60°F (24.1°/15.4°C) | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) |
| Nov | 74°/57°F (23.4°/14.0°C) | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) |
| Dec | 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.1°C) | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) |
Data:
Instituto Nacional de Sismología, Vulcanología, Meteorología e Hidrología (INSIVUMEH),
South African Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Guatemala and South Africa. To live, work, or study long-term in South Africa, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check South Africa's immigration authority.
Guatemala passport holder visiting South Africa
Visa Required
South Africa 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 South Africa than Guatemala?
Generally yes: South Africa runs about 22% cheaper than Guatemala on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to South Africa?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a GTQ572,552 comparable salary, that's around ZAR238,043 in South Africa for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from South Africa?
With 3.3 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, South Africa 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 South Africa.
Is South Africa safe for expats?
Guatemala performs better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in South Africa is 45.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 20.0 in Guatemala.
How is healthcare in South Africa compared to Guatemala?
Guatemala generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in health coverage index. There are 8.1 doctors per 10,000 people in South Africa, compared to 12.8 in Guatemala. South Africa scores 71 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Guatemala: 59).
What's the weather like in South Africa compared to Guatemala?
The average high temperature in Pretoria is 77°F, compared to 77°F in Guatemala City. Pretoria receives around 27.0 in of rainfall per year, while Guatemala City gets 46.7 in.
What language do they speak in South Africa?
The official languages in South Africa are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu. In Guatemala, the official language is Spanish.
Compare further: Guatemala vs. South Africa
At a Glance
GT
|
ZA
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,703,190 | 57,516,665 |
| Currency | Guatemalan Quetzal (GTQ) | South African Rand (ZAR) |
| Languages | Spanish | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu |
| Driving side | Right | Left |
| Calling code | +502 | +27 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 110 | 10111 |