Moving to Guatemala from Peru
What to Expect
Considering a move from Peru to Guatemala? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Peru to Guatemala, you would find that Guatemala is 48.8% more expensive than Peru overall. A PEN260,000 salary in Peru would need to be roughly GTQ862,000 in Guatemala to maintain the same lifestyle.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Peru and Guatemala.
What does your salary buy?
PEN260,000 → GTQ862,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Guatemala
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 57.5% more
Groceries
pay 52.7% more
Transportation
pay 9.4% less
Housing
pay 87.4% more
Childcare
pay 51.7% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 19.6% 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 Peru to Guatemala.
Who's moving to Guatemala?
Top countries of origin for Guatemala's foreign-born residents.
- 20,683
- 18,872
- 9,299
- 9,211
- 9,023
- 1,921
- · · ·
-
15.491
Peru
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Guatemala compared to Peru.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Peru generally does better on safety, though Guatemala leads in road traffic deaths.
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
Peru 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
Peru generally does better on environment, though Guatemala leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
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
Peru performs 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
Peru generally does better on employment & economy, though Guatemala 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
Peru performs better than Guatemala across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Superintendencia Nacional de Aduanas y de Administración Tributaria (2016), Superintendence of the Tax Administration (2016). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Lima | Guatemala City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 79°/67°F (26°/19°C) | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 71°/62°F (22°/16°C) | 80°/61°F (27°/16°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 66°/58°F (19°/15°C) | 76°/60°F (25°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 71°/62°F (22°/16°C) | 74°/58°F (24°/14°C) |
View all months
| Month | Lima | Guatemala City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 78°/66°F (25.8°/19.1°C) | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.5°C) |
| Feb | 80°/67°F (26.5°/19.4°C) | 77°/55°F (25.2°/12.9°C) |
| Mar | 79°/67°F (26.0°/19.2°C) | 80°/57°F (26.6°/14.0°C) |
| Apr | 76°/64°F (24.3°/17.6°C) | 82°/60°F (27.5°/15.4°C) |
| May | 71°/61°F (21.7°/16.1°C) | 81°/61°F (27.1°/16.2°C) |
| Jun | 67°/60°F (19.7°/15.3°C) | 78°/61°F (25.3°/16.2°C) |
| Jul | 66°/59°F (18.7°/15.0°C) | 76°/60°F (24.5°/15.8°C) |
| Aug | 65°/58°F (18.4°/14.6°C) | 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.8°C) |
| Sep | 66°/58°F (18.7°/14.6°C) | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.8°C) |
| Oct | 68°/59°F (19.9°/15.2°C) | 75°/60°F (24.1°/15.4°C) |
| Nov | 71°/62°F (21.9°/16.4°C) | 74°/57°F (23.4°/14.0°C) |
| Dec | 75°/64°F (23.9°/17.7°C) | 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.1°C) |
Data:
Servicio Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología del Perú,
Instituto Nacional de Sismología, Vulcanología, Meteorología e Hidrología (INSIVUMEH)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Peru 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.
Peru passport holder visiting Guatemala
Visa Free
Guatemala passport holder visiting Peru
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 Guatemala than Peru?
On average Guatemala is around 49% pricier than Peru, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Guatemala?
Budget about GTQ215,500 for 3 months in Guatemala (based on a PEN260,000 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: 5.3 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?
Peru generally does better on safety, though Guatemala leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Guatemala is 23.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 8.6 in Peru.
How is healthcare in Guatemala compared to Peru?
Peru 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 16.9 in Peru. Guatemala scores 59 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Peru: 71).
What's the weather like in Guatemala compared to Peru?
The average high temperature in Guatemala City is 77°F, compared to 72°F in Lima. Guatemala City receives around 46.7 in of rainfall per year, while Lima gets 0.5 in.
What language do they speak in Guatemala?
The official language in Guatemala is Spanish. In Peru, the official languages are Aymara, Quechua and Spanish.
