Moving to Guatemala from South Africa
What to Expect
Considering a move from South Africa to Guatemala? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from South Africa to Guatemala, you would find that Guatemala is 27.8% more expensive than South Africa overall. A ZAR1,217,362 salary in South Africa would need to be roughly GTQ732,012 in Guatemala to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between South Africa and Guatemala.
What does your salary buy?
ZAR1,217,362 → GTQ732,012
To maintain the same standard of living in Guatemala
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 3.5% more
Groceries
pay 68.1% more
Transportation
pay 14.1% less
Housing
pay 27.4% more
Childcare
pay 40.9% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 42.4% 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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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Guatemala compared to South Africa.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Guatemala performs significantly better than South Africa 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 South Africa leads in health coverage index.
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 South Africa 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
South Africa 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
South Africa 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
South Africa generally does better on family life, though Guatemala leads in life expectancy.
Data: South African Revenue Service, 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 | Pretoria | Guatemala City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) | 80°/61°F (27°/16°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) | 76°/60°F (25°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) | 74°/58°F (24°/14°C) |
View all months
| Month | Pretoria | Guatemala City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.5°C) |
| Feb | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) | 77°/55°F (25.2°/12.9°C) |
| Mar | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) | 80°/57°F (26.6°/14.0°C) |
| Apr | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) | 82°/60°F (27.5°/15.4°C) |
| May | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) | 81°/61°F (27.1°/16.2°C) |
| Jun | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) | 78°/61°F (25.3°/16.2°C) |
| Jul | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) | 76°/60°F (24.5°/15.8°C) |
| Aug | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) | 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.8°C) |
| Sep | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.8°C) |
| Oct | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) | 75°/60°F (24.1°/15.4°C) |
| Nov | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) | 74°/57°F (23.4°/14.0°C) |
| Dec | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) | 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.1°C) |
Data:
South African Weather Service,
Instituto Nacional de Sismología, Vulcanología, Meteorología e Hidrología (INSIVUMEH)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa 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.
South Africa passport holder visiting Guatemala
Visa Free
Guatemala passport holder visiting South Africa
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 South Africa?
On average Guatemala is around 28% pricier than South Africa, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Guatemala?
Budget about GTQ183,003 for 3 months in Guatemala (based on a ZAR1,217,362 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?
Guatemala performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Guatemala is 20.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 45.5 in South Africa.
How is healthcare in Guatemala compared to South Africa?
Guatemala generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in health coverage index. There are 12.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Guatemala, compared to 8.1 in South Africa. Guatemala scores 59 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Africa: 71).
What's the weather like in Guatemala compared to South Africa?
The average high temperature in Guatemala City is 77°F, compared to 77°F in Pretoria. Guatemala City receives around 46.7 in of rainfall per year, while Pretoria gets 27.0 in.
What language do they speak in Guatemala?
The official language in Guatemala is Spanish. In South Africa, the official languages are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu.
Compare further: South Africa vs. Guatemala
At a Glance
ZA
|
GT
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 57,516,665 | 17,703,190 |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) | Guatemalan Quetzal (GTQ) |
| Languages | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu | Spanish |
| Driving side | Left | Right |
| Calling code | +27 | +502 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 10111 | 110 |