Moving to Guatemala from Zambia
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Zambia to Guatemala — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Zambia to Guatemala, you would find that Guatemala is 53.7% more expensive than Zambia overall. A ZMW1,500,000 salary in Zambia would need to be roughly GTQ887,000 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.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Zambia to Guatemala.
What does your salary buy?
ZMW1,500,000 → GTQ887,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Guatemala
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 49.9% more
Groceries
pay 7.2% more
Transportation
pay 2.1% more
Housing
pay 2.4 times more
Childcare
pay 0.5% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 21.5% 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.
Get free moving quotes to Guatemala
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Key Indicator Comparison
How Zambia 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
Zambia 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 Zambia 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
Zambia generally does better on environment, though Guatemala leads in air pollution deaths.
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
Guatemala generally does better on infrastructure, though Zambia 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
Guatemala performs significantly better than Zambia across all employment & economy metrics.
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
Guatemala generally does better on family life, though Zambia leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2015–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Zambia Revenue Authority (2016), Superintendence of the Tax Administration (2016). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Lusaka | Guatemala City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 80°/62°F (27°/17°C) | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) | 80°/61°F (27°/16°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 79°/55°F (26°/13°C) | 76°/60°F (25°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 85°/64°F (29°/18°C) | 74°/58°F (24°/14°C) |
View all months
| Month | Lusaka | Guatemala City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 80°/63°F (26.6°/17.1°C) | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.5°C) |
| Feb | 80°/62°F (26.5°/16.8°C) | 77°/55°F (25.2°/12.9°C) |
| Mar | 81°/62°F (27.0°/16.6°C) | 80°/57°F (26.6°/14.0°C) |
| Apr | 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.1°C) | 82°/60°F (27.5°/15.4°C) |
| May | 78°/55°F (25.3°/12.7°C) | 81°/61°F (27.1°/16.2°C) |
| Jun | 74°/51°F (23.4°/10.6°C) | 78°/61°F (25.3°/16.2°C) |
| Jul | 73°/50°F (23.0°/10.2°C) | 76°/60°F (24.5°/15.8°C) |
| Aug | 79°/54°F (25.9°/12.3°C) | 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.8°C) |
| Sep | 85°/60°F (29.4°/15.3°C) | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.8°C) |
| Oct | 87°/64°F (30.8°/17.5°C) | 75°/60°F (24.1°/15.4°C) |
| Nov | 86°/64°F (29.9°/17.9°C) | 74°/57°F (23.4°/14.0°C) |
| Dec | 81°/63°F (27.2°/17.3°C) | 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.1°C) |
Data:
Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD),
Instituto Nacional de Sismología, Vulcanología, Meteorología e Hidrología (INSIVUMEH)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Zambia 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.
Zambia passport holder visiting Guatemala
Visa Required
Guatemala passport holder visiting Zambia
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 Zambia?
Day-to-day costs in Guatemala run about 54% higher than Zambia on average; specific cities can swing further.
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 ZMW1,500,000 comparable salary, that's around GTQ221,750 in Guatemala for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Guatemala?
With 5.3 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 Zambia and Guatemala.
Is Guatemala safe for expats?
Zambia generally does better on safety, though Guatemala leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Guatemala is 23.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 5.2 in Zambia.
How is healthcare in Guatemala compared to Zambia?
Guatemala generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Zambia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 12.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Guatemala, compared to 3.2 in Zambia. Guatemala scores 59 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Zambia: 56).
What's the weather like in Guatemala compared to Zambia?
The average high temperature in Guatemala City is 77°F, compared to 80°F in Lusaka. Guatemala City receives around 46.7 in of rainfall per year, while Lusaka gets 31.4 in.
What language do they speak in Guatemala?
The official language in Guatemala is Spanish. In Zambia, the official language is English.
