Moving to Guatemala from Samoa
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Samoa to Guatemala — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Samoa to Guatemala, 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 86°F in Apia, making it significantly cooler.
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Key Indicator Comparison
How Samoa and Guatemala stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Samoa 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
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Guatemala generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Samoa 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
Samoa 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
share of households with internet
Samoa generally does better on infrastructure, though Guatemala leads in broadband per 100 people.
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 Samoa leads in poverty 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
Samoa performs better than Guatemala across all family life metrics.
Data: Ministry of Revenue, Samoa, 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 | Apia | Guatemala City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 87°/75°F (31°/24°C) | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 87°/74°F (30°/23°C) | 80°/61°F (27°/16°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/73°F (30°/23°C) | 76°/60°F (25°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 87°/74°F (30°/24°C) | 74°/58°F (24°/14°C) |
View all months
| Month | Apia | Guatemala City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 87°/75°F (30.4°/23.9°C) | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.5°C) |
| Feb | 87°/76°F (30.6°/24.2°C) | 77°/55°F (25.2°/12.9°C) |
| Mar | 87°/75°F (30.6°/24.0°C) | 80°/57°F (26.6°/14.0°C) |
| Apr | 87°/75°F (30.7°/23.8°C) | 82°/60°F (27.5°/15.4°C) |
| May | 87°/74°F (30.4°/23.4°C) | 81°/61°F (27.1°/16.2°C) |
| Jun | 86°/74°F (30.0°/23.2°C) | 78°/61°F (25.3°/16.2°C) |
| Jul | 85°/73°F (29.5°/22.6°C) | 76°/60°F (24.5°/15.8°C) |
| Aug | 85°/73°F (29.6°/22.8°C) | 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.8°C) |
| Sep | 86°/74°F (29.9°/23.1°C) | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.8°C) |
| Oct | 86°/74°F (30.1°/23.4°C) | 75°/60°F (24.1°/15.4°C) |
| Nov | 87°/74°F (30.3°/23.6°C) | 74°/57°F (23.4°/14.0°C) |
| Dec | 87°/75°F (30.5°/23.8°C) | 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.1°C) |
Data:
Instituto Nacional de Sismología, Vulcanología, Meteorología e Hidrología (INSIVUMEH)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Samoa 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.
Samoa passport holder visiting Guatemala
Visa Required
Guatemala passport holder visiting Samoa
Visa on ArrivalData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I work remotely from Guatemala?
With 3.7 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Guatemala can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Samoa and Guatemala.
Is Guatemala safe for expats?
Samoa performs better than Guatemala across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Guatemala is 20.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 6.2 in Samoa.
How is healthcare in Guatemala compared to Samoa?
Guatemala generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Samoa leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 12.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Guatemala, compared to 5.5 in Samoa. Guatemala scores 59 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Samoa: 55).
What's the weather like in Guatemala compared to Samoa?
The average high temperature in Guatemala City is 77°F, compared to 86°F in Apia. Guatemala City receives around 46.7 in of rainfall per year, while Apia gets 116.7 in.
What language do they speak in Guatemala?
The official language in Guatemala is Spanish. In Samoa, the official languages are English and Samoan.
