Moving to Guatemala from Sweden
What to Expect
Considering a move from Sweden to Guatemala? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Sweden to Guatemala, you would find that Guatemala is 26.3% cheaper than Sweden overall. A SEK740,000 salary in Sweden would need to be roughly GTQ421,000 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 52°F in Stockholm, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Guatemala cheaper than Sweden?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 44.7% less
Groceries
pay 17.4% less
Transportation
pay 48.2% less
Housing
pay 18.0% less
Childcare
pay 41.4% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 39.8% 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.
What salary do you need in Guatemala?
What does your salary buy?
SEK740,000 → GTQ421,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Guatemala
Calculate with your salary →Get free moving quotes to Guatemala
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Sweden 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
- · · ·
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38.49
Sweden
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Guatemala compared to Sweden.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Sweden 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
Sweden 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
Sweden 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
Sweden performs better than Guatemala across all infrastructure metrics.
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
Sweden 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
Sweden performs better than Guatemala across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Skatteverket (2016), Superintendence of the Tax Administration (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Guatemala vs Sweden
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Stockholm | Guatemala City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 36°/28°F (2°/-2°C) | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 61°/45°F (16°/7°C) | 80°/61°F (27°/16°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 69°/56°F (21°/13°C) | 76°/60°F (25°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 43°/36°F (6°/2°C) | 74°/58°F (24°/14°C) |
View all months
| Month | Stockholm | Guatemala City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 34°/27°F (1.0°/-2.9°C) | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.5°C) |
| Feb | 34°/26°F (1.2°/-3.2°C) | 77°/55°F (25.2°/12.9°C) |
| Mar | 40°/30°F (4.7°/-1.1°C) | 80°/57°F (26.6°/14.0°C) |
| Apr | 51°/37°F (10.7°/2.6°C) | 82°/60°F (27.5°/15.4°C) |
| May | 62°/45°F (16.5°/7.1°C) | 81°/61°F (27.1°/16.2°C) |
| Jun | 69°/53°F (20.8°/11.6°C) | 78°/61°F (25.3°/16.2°C) |
| Jul | 74°/59°F (23.6°/14.8°C) | 76°/60°F (24.5°/15.8°C) |
| Aug | 72°/58°F (22.1°/14.2°C) | 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.8°C) |
| Sep | 62°/50°F (16.6°/10.2°C) | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.8°C) |
| Oct | 50°/42°F (10.1°/5.5°C) | 75°/60°F (24.1°/15.4°C) |
| Nov | 42°/35°F (5.4°/1.9°C) | 74°/57°F (23.4°/14.0°C) |
| Dec | 36°/30°F (2.5°/-1.2°C) | 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.1°C) |
Data:
Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI),
Instituto Nacional de Sismología, Vulcanología, Meteorología e Hidrología (INSIVUMEH)
Can you move from Sweden to Guatemala?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Sweden 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.
Sweden passport holder visiting Guatemala
Visa Free
Guatemala passport holder visiting Sweden
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 Sweden?
On average Guatemala is about 26% less expensive than Sweden, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Guatemala?
Budget about GTQ105,250 for 3 months in Guatemala (based on a SEK740,000 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: 5.3 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?
Sweden performs better than Guatemala across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Guatemala is 23.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Sweden.
How is healthcare in Guatemala compared to Sweden?
Sweden 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 44.1 in Sweden. Guatemala scores 59 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Sweden: 85).
What's the weather like in Guatemala compared to Sweden?
The average high temperature in Guatemala City is 77°F, compared to 52°F in Stockholm. Guatemala City receives around 46.7 in of rainfall per year, while Stockholm gets 21.5 in.
What language do they speak in Guatemala?
The official language in Guatemala is Spanish. In Sweden, the official language is Swedish.
