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Guatemala City, Guatemala
Photo: BladimiroAlvarado · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Guatemala City

Guatemala · Latin America · 1,221,739 people · America/Guatemala · GTQ

Guatemala City scores 49.5/100 for digital nomads under balanced weights, ranking 1246 of 1501 cities. Expect about $1,250 per month (country-level estimate), no dedicated nomad visa, and a measured median download speed of 17.8 Mbps.

Guatemala City sits in a highland valley at about 1,500 m, so it stays mild all year, with volcano views and a café and food scene concentrated in Zona 4, Zona 10 and Cayalá. It has the country's main airport and its best internet, and Antigua is about an hour away. Traffic is heavy, many districts are unsafe, and Western travel advisories warn about violent crime.

  • Zona 4 and Zona 10 cafés
  • Transmetro BRT
  • Volcano views at 1,500 m
  • Crime and traffic
Cost of living: 7.0 of 50 points (scores 63/100)Safety: 3.9 of 50 points (scores 35/100)Healthcare: 6.4 of 50 points (scores 58/100)Internet: 6.2 of 50 points (scores 56/100)Visa ease: 5.1 of 50 points (scores 46/100)Getting there & around: 2.0 of 50 points (scores 18/100)Climate: 5.6 of 50 points (scores 50/100)Air quality: 8.9 of 50 points (scores 80/100)Quality of life: 4.4 of 50 points (scores 40/100)50
Balanced score
out of 100
Vibe check
  • Cost7.0
  • Safety3.9
  • Health6.4
  • Internet6.2
  • Visa5.1
  • Mobility2.0
  • Climate5.6
  • Air8.9
  • QoL4.4

Rank 1,246 of 1,501 · its cost is a national estimate, so Top 10 lists rank it after cities with a local price

For US nomads

  • US passport entry
    90 days visa-free
    no visa needed for a visit
  • Time vs New York
    1 hour behind New York
    8h of a 9–6 day overlap with Eastern time
  • Time vs Los Angeles
    2 hours ahead of Los Angeles
    7h of a 9–6 day overlap with Pacific time
  • Non-stop from the US
    13 US airports
    Wikipedia, 2026-10

Prices are in US dollars. US citizens are taxed on worldwide income; the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion and state residency rules are worth a look before a long stay.

Eating out

OpenStreetMap, 2026-1116

155restaurants within 3 km

Mapped around the centre of Guatemala City: a modest scene, worth checking the neighbourhoods. A count of what is on the map, not a rating, and it does not affect the score.

How Guatemala City scores, factor by factor

Superscripts link to the source list at the bottom. Country-level figures apply to all of Guatemala.

Cost of living

Monthly cost for one person (log-scaled, cheaper is better).
63
  • Monthly cost, one person: $1,2502 · country-level, 2026-09
  • Central one-bedroom rent: no data3 · city-level, 2026-09 — no city-level rent row in the WhereToEmigrate dataset

Safety

Homicide rate and political stability (country-level).
35
  • Homicide rate: 22.76 per 100k4 · country-level, 2024
  • Political stability: 61.9/1005 · country-level, 2025

Healthcare

WHO universal-health-coverage index and life expectancy (country-level).
58
  • UHC service coverage: 58/1006 · country-level, 2023
  • Life expectancy: 71.6 years7 · country-level, 2023

Internet

Median measured download and upload speed (M-Lab, city-level; the province or country aggregate where the city has too few tests).
56
  • Median download: 17.8 Mbps8 · city-level, 2024
  • Median upload: 8.1 Mbps8 · city-level, 2024
  • Tests measured: 23,3208 · city-level, 2024
  • Starlink: Available9 · country-level, 2026-10, not scored

Visa ease

How easily your passport gets in and stays: visa-free days, eTA, visa on arrival, e-visa or consular visa, plus a nomad visa and how affordable its income threshold is. Averages US, EU and UK passports until you pick yours.
46
  • Nomad visa: none listed10
  • Entry, US passport: 90 days11 · country-level, 2026-02
  • Entry, EU passport: 90 days11 · country-level, 2026-02
  • Entry, UK passport: 90 days11 · country-level, 2026-02

Getting there & around

Non-stop airport destinations (hub size) plus editorial walkability and transit ratings.
18
  • Non-stop destinations from GUA: 2012 · city-level, 2026-10
  • Walkability: 2/513 · editorial, 2026-09
  • Public transit: 3/513 · editorial, 2026-09

Climate

Share of months that are comfortable: 59–82°F (15–28 °C) mean, at most 5.9 in (150 mm) rain, at most 85% humidity.
50
  • Comfortable months: 6 of 1214 · city-level, 2001–2020 normals

Air quality

Annual mean PM2.5 on a fixed scale: 5 µg/m³ (WHO guideline) scores 100, 50 µg/m³ or worse scores 0.
80
  • Annual mean PM2.5: 14 µg/m³15 · city-level, 2019

Quality of life

Human Development Index and English proficiency (country-level).
40
  • Human Development Index: 0.66217 · country-level, 2023
  • English proficiency: low18 · country-level, 2024

What does Guatemala City cost per month?

Total, one person$1,250country estimate
One-bedroom rent, centreno datacity-level rent unavailable
Country cost index (US = 100)34country

Can you stay legally?

Nomad visanone listed
Minimum income—
US passport90 days
EU passport90 days
UK passport90 days

Visa rules change often. Verify with the issuing government before you book.

Do you pay tax here on income from abroad?

Tax status · Guatemala

Foreign investment income is untaxed, but work you do from Guatemala is Guatemalan income taxed at 5%–7%

Territorial

Guatemala taxes only income generated in Guatemala, so foreign dividends, interest, rent, gains and pensions are not taxed. Work done from Guatemala is local income even for foreign clients or employers: residents' salaries pay 5%–7%, and freelancers usually pay 5%–7% of gross receipts or 25% of profit. Inheritance tax was abolished in April 2026, there is no wealth tax, and homes leave the IUSI property tax from 26 November 2026.

  • Remote work income

    Salary from a foreign employer or fees from foreign clients

    Taxed

    5%–7% (salary or simplified regime); 25% on profit (optional regime)

  • Investments and pensions

    Dividends, interest, gains, rent and pensions from abroad

    Not taxed

  • Wealth

    Net wealth and inheritance

    No wealth tax

    No inheritance tax

Tax resident after
183 days a year
Top income tax rate
7%

On the nomad visa

Guatemala has no nomad visa with a tax status. The closest route is temporary residence as a migrant worker with a foreign employer, which needs proof of at least US$2,000 a month paid from abroad over the last year (US$3,000 with dependants) and is granted for one to five years (Reglamento de Residencias, Acuerdo IGM-016-2025, Articles 7 and 11). It gives no tax concession, so the normal rules apply: once resident, your salary is taxed at 5%–7%. Tourists may stay 90 days, extendable once.

Not yet reviewed by a person · compiled from official pages read on 2026-10-27

General information, not tax advice. Tax treaties, your citizenship and your home country's exit rules can change the answer. US citizens are taxed by the US wherever they live.

Airports and nonstop flights

Guatemala City is served by one airport.

AirportNonstop destinationsInternationalFrom US airports
GUALa Aurora International Airport202013

Wikipedia airport pages as of 2026-10: seasonal routes included, charters and announced-but-not-started routes excluded.

What is the weather like through the year?

Comfortable months by our rule: Nov–Apr. Rank cities for Dec–Feb →

MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Mean °F676972747371707069696766
Rain in0.20.30.51.66.48.96.88.89.67.51.70.3
Humidity %736863667684838587878379

Green temperatures mark months that meet the comfort rule (59–82°F, ≤5.9 in rain, ≤85% humidity). NASA POWER 2001–2020 climatology at the city coordinates.

Where can you stay in Guatemala City?

Three ways to live here, and what each does to the monthly budget. Rents are the one-bedroom figures from the cost table; hotels and short lets are priced per night and cost more, most of all in high season.

OptionRent per monthMonthly totalNotes
One-bedroom outside the centre——No city-level cost here; the total is a national estimate.
One-bedroom in the centre——No city-level rent figure for this city.
Hotel or short let——For the first weeks or a stay under a month. Compare hotels on Navoy →

Monthly rents assume an unfurnished lease of six months or more; furnished monthly lets usually cost 20 to 50 percent more.

Cities with a similar profile

Also in Latin America: Acapulco, Aguascalientes, Americana, Antigua Guatemala, Antofagasta, Arequipa

Ready to see Guatemala City for yourself?

Nostos tells you where. Navoy, the AI travel planner behind it, builds the trip: itineraries, places to stay and what to book before you land.

Opens on navoy.io.

The vibe

What people post about living in Guatemala City, read for its mood. It is a reading of opinions, not a fact, and it is not part of the score.

Mixed · 52Thin, low-view coverage shows cheap food and budget appeal alongside little firsthand warning, so the verdict stays near neutral.

People praise
  • cheap food
  • affordable transport
  • budget-friendly living
  • solo travel vibe
People warn about
  • audio quality in videos
  • limited firsthand experience
  • Cheap living is possible for a budget-conscious remote worker
  • Few comments give real insight into daily life
  • Solo living here is covered but lightly tested by viewers

Read from 6 videos, 2 comments and 0 posts on 2026-11-07; the summary is written by a language model and can misread sarcasm.

Frequently asked

How much does it cost to live in Guatemala City as a digital nomad?
A single person typically spends about $1,250 per month in Guatemala City (a country-level estimate for Guatemala). That is a 63/100 cost score, where 100 is the cheapest city in the dataset.
Is Guatemala City safe for digital nomads?
Guatemala City scores 35/100 on safety. Guatemala records 22.76 homicides per 100,000 people per year (WHO, 2024) and a political-stability score of 61.9/100 (World Bank WGI). Both figures are national, so neighbourhood-level risk can differ.
Does Guatemala have a digital nomad visa?
No dedicated digital nomad visa was listed for Guatemala as of 2026-07. Visitors from the US can stay 90 days visa-free.
How fast is the internet in Guatemala City?
Measured median download speed in Guatemala City was 17.8 Mbps (upload 8.1 Mbps) across 23,320 M-Lab tests in 2024. Measured speeds run below advertised plan speeds everywhere, so compare cities rather than reading the number as a plan.
Is Starlink available in Guatemala City?
Yes. Starlink's availability map lists residential service as available in Guatemala (checked 2026-10), so a dish can serve as a backup line in Guatemala City. Check the exact address on starlink.com before ordering, since capacity varies by area.
Which airports serve Guatemala City and how many nonstop flights are there?
Guatemala City is served by La Aurora International Airport (GUA) with 20 nonstop destinations, of which 20 are international. 13 US airports have a nonstop link. Source: Wikipedia, 2026-10.
When is the best time of year to be in Guatemala City?
The most comfortable months are Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Nov, Dec. Mean temperatures range from 66°F (19°C) in Dec to 74°F (23°C) in Apr (NASA POWER 2001–2020 climatology).
Guatemala City or Antigua Guatemala: which is better for digital nomads?
Antigua Guatemala is the city with the closest factor profile to Guatemala City in this dataset. Which one wins depends on your weights; the comparison page puts every factor side by side with the numbers behind them.

Sources

Dataset 2026.11.2, published 2026-11-09. Download the full dataset or read the methodology.

  1. 1.City population (latest census or official estimate), Wikipedia (citing national statistics offices). CC BY-SA 4.0. Retrieved 2026-09-22. City-proper figures; the per-city source URL is stored with the seed row.
  2. 2.2026 Cost of Living Index (country level), WhereNext. CC BY 4.0. Retrieved 2026-09-22. Country-level monthly estimate used only where no city-level figure exists; cost_index kept for every city.
  3. 3.Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows), WhereToEmigrate. CC BY 4.0. Retrieved 2026-09-22. monthly_cost_single_eur and rent_1br_center_eur, converted to USD at the ECB reference rate on the retrieval date (see ecb-frankfurter).
  4. 4.Victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population (national data, latest year), United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, dataUNODC. UNODC data, free to reuse with attribution. Retrieved 2026-10-12. Police- or statistics-office-recorded rates reported to UNODC's crime-trends survey, latest year per country (2024 for most), both sexes, all ages; the United Kingdom uses England and Wales. Replaces the WHO modelled estimate wherever UNODC has a figure from 2018 or later; WHO's 2021 estimates ran several times above recorded figures for El Salvador and Honduras. Workbook data_cts_intentional_homicide.xlsx (July 2026) reduced by scripts/build-dataset/inputs/convert-unodc-homicide.py.
  5. 5.Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100), World Bank. CC BY 4.0. Retrieved 2026-09-22.
  6. 6.UHC service coverage index, World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO data policy). Retrieved 2026-09-22.
  7. 7.Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes, World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory. CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO data policy). Retrieved 2026-09-22.
  8. 8.M-Lab NDT statistics (city aggregates, 2024), Measurement Lab. CC0 1.0. Retrieved 2026-09-22. Median of daily median download/upload throughput over 2024 for the city aggregate; sample count is the number of tests. Speeds reflect user-initiated tests, not advertised plans.
  9. 9.Starlink availability map, SpaceX (Starlink). Factual status cited from starlink.com. Retrieved 2026-10-07. Residential service status per country from the file Starlink's map loads. Grouped as on the map: launched or available = available; coming soon, pending regulatory approval or test = coming soon; blacklisted = not offered; unknown or excluded = unknown. Shown on city pages and as a ranker filter; not part of any score. Roaming and maritime plans can work in more places.
  10. 10.Digital Nomad Visas 2026, WhereToEmigrate. CC BY 4.0. Retrieved 2026-09-22. Programme name, minimum monthly income (EUR, converted to USD) and whether it leads to permanent residence. Values are directional; verify with the issuing government.
  11. 11.Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations), Ilya Ilyankou (compiled from passportindex.org). MIT. Retrieved 2026-09-22. Days per visit where stated; 'visa free' without a limit is credited as unlimited; eTA, visa on arrival, e-visa and visa required are credited 0 days for scoring but shown by kind. The default US/EU/UK figures use the US, German and British passports.
  12. 12.Airport destinations (Wikipedia airline and destination tables), Wikipedia contributors; countries via Wikidata. CC BY-SA 4.0. Retrieved 2026-09-24. Distinct destination airports listed in each airport article's passenger table, resolved through Wikidata. Seasonal routes count; charters and routes announced but not yet flying are excluded. The as-of date is the newest article revision among the city's airports. Falls back to the OpenFlights snapshot when an airport has no article or table.
  13. 13.Walkability and transit ratings (editorial), Navoy. CC BY 4.0. Retrieved 2026-09-22. Judgment ratings, not measurements. Explained on /methodology.
  14. 14.NASA POWER climatology (2001–2020 monthly means), NASA Langley Research Center. Public domain (US Government). Retrieved 2026-09-22. T2M, PRECTOTCORR and RH2M at the city coordinates (0.5° grid). Monthly precipitation = mm/day × days in month.
  15. 15.WHO Ambient Air Quality Database, June 2026 update (V8), World Health Organization. CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO (WHO data policy). Retrieved 2026-09-22. Annual mean PM2.5 for the most recent year available for the city.
  16. 16.OpenStreetMap restaurants (Overpass API), OpenStreetMap contributors. ODbL 1.0. Retrieved 2026-10-02. Count of OpenStreetMap elements tagged amenity=restaurant within 3 km of the city centre coordinate. Measures how many restaurants are mapped, which tracks real density well where OpenStreetMap is well maintained (Europe, the Americas, East and Southeast Asia) and under-counts where it is not (parts of Africa and Central Asia).
  17. 17.Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023), United Nations Development Programme. CC BY 3.0 IGO. Retrieved 2026-09-22.
  18. 18.EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band), EF Education First. Proprietary; band cited as a fact with attribution. Retrieved 2026-09-22. Only the proficiency band is stored, transcribed by hand from the public ranking.