Moving to Sweden from Guatemala
What to Expect
Considering a move from Guatemala to Sweden? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Guatemala to Sweden, you would find that Sweden is 63.2% more expensive than Guatemala overall. A GTQ571,522 salary in Guatemala would need to be roughly SEK1,000,035 in Sweden to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Swedish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Stockholm averages 52°F vs 77°F in Guatemala City, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Guatemala and Sweden.
What does your salary buy?
GTQ571,522 → SEK1,000,035
To maintain the same standard of living in Sweden
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 2.2 times more
Groceries
pay 28.5% more
Transportation
pay 2.8 times more
Housing
pay 35.5% more
Childcare
pay 31.4% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 75.0% more
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 Sweden.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Sweden compared to Guatemala.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Sweden 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
Sweden generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Guatemala leads in healthcare spending per person.
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 Sweden 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
Sweden performs significantly better than Guatemala across all infrastructure metrics.
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 Sweden 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
Sweden performs significantly better than Guatemala across all family life metrics.
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 | Stockholm |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) | 36°/28°F (2°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 80°/61°F (27°/16°C) | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 76°/60°F (25°/16°C) | 69°/56°F (21°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 74°/58°F (24°/14°C) | 43°/36°F (6°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Guatemala City | Stockholm |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.5°C) | 34°/27°F (1.0°/-2.9°C) |
| Feb | 77°/55°F (25.2°/12.9°C) | 34°/26°F (1.2°/-3.2°C) |
| Mar | 80°/57°F (26.6°/14.0°C) | 40°/30°F (4.7°/-1.1°C) |
| Apr | 82°/60°F (27.5°/15.4°C) | 51°/37°F (10.7°/2.6°C) |
| May | 81°/61°F (27.1°/16.2°C) | 62°/45°F (16.5°/7.1°C) |
| Jun | 78°/61°F (25.3°/16.2°C) | 69°/53°F (20.8°/11.6°C) |
| Jul | 76°/60°F (24.5°/15.8°C) | 74°/59°F (23.6°/14.8°C) |
| Aug | 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.8°C) | 72°/58°F (22.1°/14.2°C) |
| Sep | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.8°C) | 62°/50°F (16.6°/10.2°C) |
| Oct | 75°/60°F (24.1°/15.4°C) | 50°/42°F (10.1°/5.5°C) |
| Nov | 74°/57°F (23.4°/14.0°C) | 42°/35°F (5.4°/1.9°C) |
| Dec | 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.1°C) | 36°/30°F (2.5°/-1.2°C) |
Data:
Instituto Nacional de Sismología, Vulcanología, Meteorología e Hidrología (INSIVUMEH),
Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Guatemala and Sweden. To live, work, or study long-term in Sweden, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Sweden's immigration authority.
Guatemala passport holder visiting Sweden
Visa Free
Sweden 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 Sweden than Guatemala?
On average Sweden is around 38% pricier than Guatemala, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Sweden?
Budget about SEK250,009 for 3 months in Sweden (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 Sweden?
Connectivity is usually fine (Sweden: 40.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Sweden offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is Sweden safe for expats?
Sweden performs significantly better than Guatemala across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Sweden is 1.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 20.0 in Guatemala.
How is healthcare in Sweden compared to Guatemala?
Sweden generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Guatemala leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 71.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Sweden, compared to 12.8 in Guatemala. Sweden scores 85 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Guatemala: 59).
What's the weather like in Sweden compared to Guatemala?
The average high temperature in Stockholm is 52°F, compared to 77°F in Guatemala City. Stockholm receives around 21.5 in of rainfall per year, while Guatemala City gets 46.7 in.
What language do they speak in Sweden?
The official language in Sweden is Swedish. In Guatemala, the official language is Spanish.
