Moving to Guatemala from Spain
What to Expect
Considering a move from Spain to Guatemala? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Spain to Guatemala, you would find that Guatemala is 17.8% cheaper than Spain overall. A €65,700 salary in Spain would need to be roughly GTQ433,286 in Guatemala to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Guatemala City averages 77°F vs 68°F in Madrid, making it significantly warmer.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Spain and Guatemala.
What does your salary buy?
€65,700 → GTQ433,286
To maintain the same standard of living in Guatemala
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 50.7% less
Groceries
pay 17.0% more
Transportation
pay 41.3% less
Housing
pay 14.1% less
Childcare
pay 39.9% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 3.2% 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 Spain 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
- · · ·
-
7.1,418
Spain
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Guatemala compared to Spain.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Spain 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 Spain 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
Spain 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
Spain 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
share of people below the poverty line
Spain 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
Spain performs better than Guatemala across all family life metrics.
Data: Agencia Tributaria, Spain, 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 | Madrid | Guatemala City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 55°/40°F (13°/4°C) | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) | 80°/61°F (27°/16°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 86°/64°F (30°/18°C) | 76°/60°F (25°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 58°/44°F (14°/7°C) | 74°/58°F (24°/14°C) |
View all months
| Month | Madrid | Guatemala City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50°/37°F (9.8°/2.7°C) | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.5°C) |
| Feb | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.7°C) | 77°/55°F (25.2°/12.9°C) |
| Mar | 61°/43°F (16.3°/6.2°C) | 80°/57°F (26.6°/14.0°C) |
| Apr | 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.7°C) | 82°/60°F (27.5°/15.4°C) |
| May | 72°/52°F (22.2°/11.3°C) | 81°/61°F (27.1°/16.2°C) |
| Jun | 83°/61°F (28.2°/16.1°C) | 78°/61°F (25.3°/16.2°C) |
| Jul | 90°/66°F (32.1°/19.0°C) | 76°/60°F (24.5°/15.8°C) |
| Aug | 88°/66°F (31.3°/18.8°C) | 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.8°C) |
| Sep | 80°/60°F (26.4°/15.4°C) | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.8°C) |
| Oct | 67°/51°F (19.4°/10.7°C) | 75°/60°F (24.1°/15.4°C) |
| Nov | 56°/43°F (13.5°/6.2°C) | 74°/57°F (23.4°/14.0°C) |
| Dec | 50°/38°F (10.0°/3.6°C) | 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.1°C) |
Data:
Agencia Estatal de Meteorología,
Instituto Nacional de Sismología, Vulcanología, Meteorología e Hidrología (INSIVUMEH)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Spain 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.
Spain passport holder visiting Guatemala
Visa Free
Guatemala passport holder visiting Spain
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 Spain?
On average Guatemala is about 24% less expensive than Spain, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Guatemala?
Budget about GTQ108,322 for 3 months in Guatemala (based on a €65,700 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?
Spain performs better than Guatemala across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Guatemala is 20.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Spain.
How is healthcare in Guatemala compared to Spain?
Guatemala generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Spain leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 12.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Guatemala, compared to 44.8 in Spain. Guatemala scores 59 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Spain: 85).
What's the weather like in Guatemala compared to Spain?
The average high temperature in Guatemala City is 77°F, compared to 68°F in Madrid. Guatemala City receives around 46.7 in of rainfall per year, while Madrid gets 16.6 in.
What language do they speak in Guatemala?
The official language in Guatemala is Spanish. In Spain, the official languages are Basque, Catalan, Galician and Spanish.
