Moving to Guatemala from Portugal
What to Expect
Considering a move from Portugal to Guatemala? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Portugal to Guatemala, you would find that Guatemala is 15.7% cheaper than Portugal overall. A €64,304 salary in Portugal would need to be roughly GTQ448,969 in Guatemala to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Portugal and Guatemala.
What does your salary buy?
€64,304 → GTQ448,969
To maintain the same standard of living in Guatemala
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 40.9% less
Groceries
pay 25.6% more
Transportation
pay 37.2% less
Housing
pay 22.1% less
Childcare
pay 49.4% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 9.3% 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 Portugal 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
- · · ·
-
42.29
Portugal
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Guatemala compared to Portugal.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Portugal performs 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Portugal 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
Portugal 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
Portugal generally does better on infrastructure, though Guatemala leads in water stress level.
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
Guatemala generally does better on employment & economy, though Portugal 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
Portugal performs better than Guatemala across all family life metrics.
Data: Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira, 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 | Lisbon | Guatemala City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 61°/48°F (16°/9°C) | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 71°/56°F (22°/13°C) | 80°/61°F (27°/16°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 81°/63°F (27°/17°C) | 76°/60°F (25°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 65°/53°F (18°/12°C) | 74°/58°F (24°/14°C) |
View all months
| Month | Lisbon | Guatemala City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58°/47°F (14.5°/8.2°C) | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.5°C) |
| Feb | 60°/48°F (15.6°/9.0°C) | 77°/55°F (25.2°/12.9°C) |
| Mar | 64°/50°F (17.6°/9.9°C) | 80°/57°F (26.6°/14.0°C) |
| Apr | 66°/52°F (19.1°/11.1°C) | 82°/60°F (27.5°/15.4°C) |
| May | 71°/55°F (21.7°/13.0°C) | 81°/61°F (27.1°/16.2°C) |
| Jun | 77°/60°F (24.8°/15.6°C) | 78°/61°F (25.3°/16.2°C) |
| Jul | 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.4°C) | 76°/60°F (24.5°/15.8°C) |
| Aug | 82°/64°F (27.9°/17.7°C) | 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.8°C) |
| Sep | 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.0°C) | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.8°C) |
| Oct | 72°/58°F (22.4°/14.6°C) | 75°/60°F (24.1°/15.4°C) |
| Nov | 64°/52°F (17.8°/11.2°C) | 74°/57°F (23.4°/14.0°C) |
| Dec | 59°/48°F (14.8°/8.9°C) | 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.1°C) |
Data:
Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera,
Instituto Nacional de Sismología, Vulcanología, Meteorología e Hidrología (INSIVUMEH)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Portugal 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.
Portugal passport holder visiting Guatemala
Visa Free
Guatemala passport holder visiting Portugal
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 Portugal?
On average Guatemala is about 22% less expensive than Portugal, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Guatemala?
Budget about GTQ112,242 for 3 months in Guatemala (based on a €64,304 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, rental deposit, 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?
Portugal performs better than Guatemala across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Guatemala is 20.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Portugal.
How is healthcare in Guatemala compared to Portugal?
Portugal 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 57.7 in Portugal. Guatemala scores 59 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Portugal: 88).
What's the weather like in Guatemala compared to Portugal?
The average high temperature in Guatemala City is 77°F, compared to 69°F in Lisbon. Guatemala City receives around 46.7 in of rainfall per year, while Lisbon gets 29.6 in.
What language do they speak in Guatemala?
The official language in Guatemala is Spanish. In Portugal, the official language is Portuguese.
