Moving to Guatemala from United States
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from United States to Guatemala — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from United States to Guatemala, you would find that Guatemala is 38.3% cheaper than United States overall. A $75,000 salary in United States would need to be roughly GTQ321,855 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 66°F in Washington, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from United States to Guatemala.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → GTQ321,855
To maintain the same standard of living in Guatemala
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 55.6% less
Groceries
pay 20.3% less
Transportation
pay 30.7% less
Housing
pay 54.1% less
Childcare
pay 79.0% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 39.0% 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?
Real numbers on people moving from United States to Guatemala, and how the trend has changed.
Who's moving to Guatemala?
Top countries of origin for Guatemala's foreign-born residents.
- 20,683
- 18,872
-
3.9,299
United States
- 9,211
- 9,023
- 1,921
Key Indicator Comparison
How United States 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
United States 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
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
United States 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
United States 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
United States 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
Guatemala generally does better on employment & economy, though United States leads in gdp per capita.
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
United States performs better than Guatemala across all family life metrics.
Data: Internal 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 | Washington | Guatemala City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C) | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) | 80°/61°F (27°/16°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/62°F (29°/17°C) | 76°/60°F (25°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 57°/35°F (14°/2°C) | 74°/58°F (24°/14°C) |
View all months
| Month | Washington | Guatemala City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C) | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.5°C) |
| Feb | 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C) | 77°/55°F (25.2°/12.9°C) |
| Mar | 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C) | 80°/57°F (26.6°/14.0°C) |
| Apr | 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C) | 82°/60°F (27.5°/15.4°C) |
| May | 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C) | 81°/61°F (27.1°/16.2°C) |
| Jun | 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C) | 78°/61°F (25.3°/16.2°C) |
| Jul | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C) | 76°/60°F (24.5°/15.8°C) |
| Aug | 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C) | 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.8°C) |
| Sep | 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C) | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.8°C) |
| Oct | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C) | 75°/60°F (24.1°/15.4°C) |
| Nov | 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C) | 74°/57°F (23.4°/14.0°C) |
| Dec | 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C) | 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.1°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Instituto Nacional de Sismología, Vulcanología, Meteorología e Hidrología (INSIVUMEH)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.
United States passport holder visiting Guatemala
Visa Free
Guatemala passport holder visiting United States
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 United States?
Generally yes: Guatemala runs about 44% cheaper than United States on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Guatemala?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a $75,000 comparable salary, that's around GTQ80,464 in Guatemala for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, deposits, and visa fees.
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 United States and Guatemala.
Is Guatemala safe for expats?
United States 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 6.4 in United States.
How is healthcare in Guatemala compared to United States?
United States 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 36.1 in United States. Guatemala scores 59 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United States: 86).
What's the weather like in Guatemala compared to United States?
The average high temperature in Guatemala City is 77°F, compared to 66°F in Washington. Guatemala City receives around 46.7 in of rainfall per year, while Washington gets 41.5 in.
What language do they speak in Guatemala?
The official language in Guatemala is Spanish. In United States, the official language is English.
