Moving to Guatemala from Saudi Arabia
What to Expect
Considering a move from Saudi Arabia to Guatemala? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Saudi Arabia to Guatemala, you would find that Guatemala is 12.7% more expensive than Saudi Arabia overall. A SAR281,786 salary in Saudi Arabia would need to be roughly GTQ557,333 in Guatemala to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Guatemala City averages 77°F vs 92°F in Riyadh, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Saudi Arabia and Guatemala.
What does your salary buy?
SAR281,786 → GTQ557,333
To maintain the same standard of living in Guatemala
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 68.3% more
Groceries
pay 46.6% more
Transportation
pay 9.4% less
Housing
pay 8.7% more
Childcare
pay 21.7% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 15.9% less
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 Saudi Arabia 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
- · · ·
-
40.32
Saudi Arabia
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Guatemala compared to Saudi Arabia.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Saudi Arabia 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
Guatemala generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Saudi Arabia leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Guatemala performs significantly better than Saudi Arabia across all environment metrics.
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
Saudi Arabia 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
Saudi Arabia 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
Saudi Arabia performs better than Guatemala across all family life metrics.
Data: Department of Zakat and Income Tax, 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 | Riyadh | Guatemala City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 75°/50°F (24°/10°C) | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 101°/72°F (38°/22°C) | 80°/61°F (27°/16°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 109°/77°F (43°/25°C) | 76°/60°F (25°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 84°/56°F (29°/13°C) | 74°/58°F (24°/14°C) |
View all months
| Month | Riyadh | Guatemala City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.9°C) | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.5°C) |
| Feb | 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.3°C) | 77°/55°F (25.2°/12.9°C) |
| Mar | 82°/56°F (27.7°/13.2°C) | 80°/57°F (26.6°/14.0°C) |
| Apr | 92°/65°F (33.3°/18.4°C) | 82°/60°F (27.5°/15.4°C) |
| May | 103°/74°F (39.4°/23.4°C) | 81°/61°F (27.1°/16.2°C) |
| Jun | 109°/78°F (42.6°/25.3°C) | 78°/61°F (25.3°/16.2°C) |
| Jul | 111°/80°F (43.7°/26.4°C) | 76°/60°F (24.5°/15.8°C) |
| Aug | 111°/79°F (43.7°/26.3°C) | 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.8°C) |
| Sep | 105°/73°F (40.6°/22.9°C) | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.8°C) |
| Oct | 96°/65°F (35.5°/18.2°C) | 75°/60°F (24.1°/15.4°C) |
| Nov | 83°/56°F (28.1°/13.3°C) | 74°/57°F (23.4°/14.0°C) |
| Dec | 72°/47°F (22.1°/8.4°C) | 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.1°C) |
Data:
National Center for Meteorology,
Instituto Nacional de Sismología, Vulcanología, Meteorología e Hidrología (INSIVUMEH)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Saudi Arabia 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.
Saudi Arabia passport holder visiting Guatemala
Visa Free
Guatemala passport holder visiting Saudi Arabia
Visa RequiredData: 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 Saudi Arabia?
Guatemala and Saudi Arabia are within a few percent on overall cost, though specific items in specific cities can swing either way.
How much money do I need to move to Guatemala?
Budget about GTQ139,333 for 3 months in Guatemala (based on a SAR281,786 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?
Saudi Arabia generally does better on safety, though Guatemala leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Guatemala is 20.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.8 in Saudi Arabia.
How is healthcare in Guatemala compared to Saudi Arabia?
Guatemala generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Saudi Arabia leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 12.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Guatemala, compared to 30.8 in Saudi Arabia. Guatemala scores 59 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Saudi Arabia: 74).
What's the weather like in Guatemala compared to Saudi Arabia?
The average high temperature in Guatemala City is 77°F, compared to 92°F in Riyadh. Guatemala City receives around 46.7 in of rainfall per year, while Riyadh gets 4.4 in.
What language do they speak in Guatemala?
The official language in Guatemala is Spanish. In Saudi Arabia, the official language is Arabic.
