Moving to Guatemala from Indonesia

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Indonesia to Guatemala, you would find that Guatemala is 86.7% more expensive than Indonesia overall. A IDR1,345,683,750 salary in Indonesia would need to be roughly GTQ869,415 in Guatemala to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Guatemala City averages 77°F vs 89°F in Jakarta, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Indonesia and Guatemala.

What does your salary buy?

IDR1,345,683,750 GTQ869,415

To maintain the same standard of living in Guatemala

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 2.5 times more

Groceries

pay 60.6% more

Transportation

pay 69.3% more

Housing

pay 2.3 times more

Childcare

pay 60.9% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 86.8% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 IDR = 0.0004 GTQ (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 Indonesia to Guatemala.

Living there in 2020
42 ↑ 8% vs 2015

people born in Indonesia live in Guatemala · UN DESA

Who's moving to Guatemala?

Top countries of origin for Guatemala's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Guatemala compared to Indonesia.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

ID
0.6
GT
20.0
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

ID
11.3
GT
12.6

Indonesia performs better than Guatemala across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

ID
$417
GT
$935
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

ID
6.9
GT
12.8

Indonesia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Guatemala 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

ID
58.0
GT
40.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

ID
2.9t
GT
1.1t

Guatemala performs significantly better than Indonesia across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

ID
4.9
GT
3.7
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

ID
29.7%
GT
5.7%

Indonesia generally does better on infrastructure, though Guatemala leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

ID
3.4%
GT
2.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

ID
$14,100
GT
$12,700

Indonesia 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

ID
73.1 yrs
GT
72.9 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

ID
19.7
GT
26.2

Indonesia performs better than Guatemala across all family life metrics.

Data: Direktorat Jenderal Pajak, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Jakarta Rain: 65.2 in/yr (1655 mm)
89° / 77°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Jakarta Guatemala City
Jan–Mar 87°/76°F (31°/25°C) 77°/55°F (25°/13°C)
Apr–Jun 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) 80°/61°F (27°/16°C)
Jul–Sep 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) 76°/60°F (25°/16°C)
Oct–Dec 90°/77°F (32°/25°C) 74°/58°F (24°/14°C)
View all months
Month Jakarta Guatemala City
Jan 86°/76°F (29.9°/24.2°C) 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.5°C)
Feb 87°/76°F (30.3°/24.3°C) 77°/55°F (25.2°/12.9°C)
Mar 89°/77°F (31.5°/25.2°C) 80°/57°F (26.6°/14.0°C)
Apr 90°/77°F (32.5°/25.1°C) 82°/60°F (27.5°/15.4°C)
May 90°/78°F (32.5°/25.4°C) 81°/61°F (27.1°/16.2°C)
Jun 89°/77°F (31.4°/24.8°C) 78°/61°F (25.3°/16.2°C)
Jul 90°/77°F (32.3°/25.1°C) 76°/60°F (24.5°/15.8°C)
Aug 90°/77°F (32.0°/24.9°C) 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.8°C)
Sep 91°/78°F (33.0°/25.5°C) 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.8°C)
Oct 91°/78°F (32.7°/25.5°C) 75°/60°F (24.1°/15.4°C)
Nov 88°/77°F (31.3°/24.9°C) 74°/57°F (23.4°/14.0°C)
Dec 90°/77°F (32.0°/24.9°C) 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.1°C)

Data: Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency (BMKG), Instituto Nacional de Sismología, Vulcanología, Meteorología e Hidrología (INSIVUMEH) Instituto Nacional de Sismología, Vulcanología, Meteorología e Hidrología (INSIVUMEH)

Visitor Visa Requirements

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

Indonesia passport

Indonesia passport holder visiting Guatemala

Visa Required
Indonesia passport holders need a visa to enter Guatemala.
Guatemala passport

Guatemala passport holder visiting Indonesia

Visa on Arrival
Guatemala passport holders can obtain a visa on arrival in Indonesia.

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 Guatemala than Indonesia?

On average Guatemala is around 52% pricier than Indonesia, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to Guatemala?

Budget about GTQ217,354 for 3 months in Guatemala (based on a IDR1,345,683,750 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Guatemala?

Connectivity is usually fine (Guatemala: 3.7 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Guatemala offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Guatemala safe for expats?

Indonesia performs better than Guatemala across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Guatemala is 20.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.6 in Indonesia.

How is healthcare in Guatemala compared to Indonesia?

Indonesia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Guatemala leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 12.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Guatemala, compared to 6.9 in Indonesia. Guatemala scores 59 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Indonesia: 55).

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

The average high temperature in Guatemala City is 77°F, compared to 89°F in Jakarta. Guatemala City receives around 46.7 in of rainfall per year, while Jakarta gets 65.2 in.

What language do they speak in Guatemala?

The official language in Guatemala is Spanish. In Indonesia, the official language is Indonesian.

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At a Glance

ID GT
Population 277,329,163 17,703,190
Currency Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) Guatemalan Quetzal (GTQ)
Languages Indonesian Spanish
Driving side Left Right
Calling code +62 +502
Time zones 3 1
Emergency number 112 110