Moving to Guatemala from Israel

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Israel to Guatemala, you would find that Guatemala is 39.9% cheaper than Israel overall. A ₪225,799 salary in Israel would need to be roughly GTQ326,061 in Guatemala to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

₪225,799 GTQ326,061

To maintain the same standard of living in Guatemala

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 64.1% less

Groceries

pay 6.2% less

Transportation

pay 47.2% less

Housing

pay 25.7% less

Childcare

pay 64.8% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 45.7% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 ILS = 2.54 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 Israel to Guatemala.

Living there in 2020
140 ↑ 12% vs 2015

people born in Israel 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 Israel.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

IL
1.6
GT
20.0
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

IL
4.2
GT
12.6

Israel 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

IL
$4,033
GT
$935
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

IL
37.1
GT
12.8

Israel generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Guatemala leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

IL
15.0
GT
40.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

IL
5.8t
GT
1.1t

Israel generally does better on environment, though Guatemala leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

IL
29.4
GT
3.7
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

IL
132.0%
GT
5.7%

Israel 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

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

a broad measure of economic output per person

IL
$48,300
GT
$12,700

Israel 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

IL
83.3 yrs
GT
72.9 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

IL
3.6
GT
26.2

Israel performs better than Guatemala across all family life metrics.

Data: Israel Ministry of Finance Tax Authority, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Jerusalem Rain: 21.1 in/yr (537 mm)
72° / 57°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Jerusalem Guatemala City
Jan–Mar 58°/46°F (15°/8°C) 77°/55°F (25°/13°C)
Apr–Jun 78°/60°F (25°/15°C) 80°/61°F (27°/16°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/67°F (29°/20°C) 76°/60°F (25°/16°C)
Oct–Dec 68°/55°F (20°/13°C) 74°/58°F (24°/14°C)
View all months
Month Jerusalem Guatemala City
Jan 55°/44°F (12.8°/6.9°C) 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.5°C)
Feb 57°/45°F (13.8°/7.1°C) 77°/55°F (25.2°/12.9°C)
Mar 63°/49°F (17.0°/9.2°C) 80°/57°F (26.6°/14.0°C)
Apr 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.1°C) 82°/60°F (27.5°/15.4°C)
May 79°/61°F (25.9°/16.0°C) 81°/61°F (27.1°/16.2°C)
Jun 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.2°C) 78°/61°F (25.3°/16.2°C)
Jul 86°/68°F (30.0°/20.2°C) 76°/60°F (24.5°/15.8°C)
Aug 86°/68°F (29.9°/20.0°C) 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.8°C)
Sep 83°/66°F (28.4°/18.7°C) 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.8°C)
Oct 78°/62°F (25.3°/16.8°C) 75°/60°F (24.1°/15.4°C)
Nov 68°/55°F (19.9°/12.8°C) 74°/57°F (23.4°/14.0°C)
Dec 59°/48°F (15.2°/9.0°C) 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.1°C)

Data: Israel Meteorological Service Israel Meteorological Service, 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 Israel 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.

Israel passport

Israel passport holder visiting Guatemala

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

Guatemala passport holder visiting Israel

Electronic Travel Authorisation
Guatemala passport holders need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter Israel.

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 Israel?

On average Guatemala is about 43% less expensive than Israel, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Guatemala?

Budget about GTQ81,515 for 3 months in Guatemala (based on a ₪225,799 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?

Israel performs better than Guatemala across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Guatemala is 20.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.6 in Israel.

How is healthcare in Guatemala compared to Israel?

Israel generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Guatemala leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 12.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Guatemala, compared to 37.1 in Israel. Guatemala scores 59 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Israel: 85).

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

The average high temperature in Guatemala City is 77°F, compared to 72°F in Jerusalem. Guatemala City receives around 46.7 in of rainfall per year, while Jerusalem gets 21.1 in.

What language do they speak in Guatemala?

The official language in Guatemala is Spanish. In Israel, the official languages are Arabic and Hebrew.

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At a Glance

IL GT
Population 8,914,885 17,703,190
Currency Israeli New Sheqel (₪) Guatemalan Quetzal (GTQ)
Languages Arabic, Hebrew Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +972 +502
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 100 110