Just Landed in Guatemala? Your First 7 Days

Prepaid mobile data is cheap and the default way to get online, and coverage in the capital, Antigua and Xela is good. Claro (America Movil) has the widest nationwide reach, Tigo (Millicom) is strong in cities and popular with expats, and Movistar is a smaller third option. Home fibre from Claro or Tigo reaches Guatemala City and Antigua but installation can take a week or more and requires an in-person appointment.

Typical cost: SIM Q10-Q30; prepaid data bundles Q50-Q150 per month; postpaid plans Q149-Q299 per month; home fibre Q200-Q450 per month

Guatemala is a cash-first society. Cards work in supermarkets, malls and mid-range restaurants in Guatemala City and Antigua, but markets, buses, small comedores and much of the countryside are cash only. The quetzal is the only legal tender and has held steady near 7.7-7.9 to the US dollar for years; always carry small notes.

Opening an account: Opening a local account as a foreigner is difficult without residency (a DPI resident card). Banco Industrial and BAC Credomatic are the most foreigner-accessible; expect to provide your passport, resident card, proof of address and sometimes a personal reference or minimum deposit. Many newcomers rely on foreign cards and Wise for months until residency comes through.

Cash: Withdraw cash inside bank branches or malls rather than at street ATMs, and keep only what you need on you. ATM skimming and card cloning do occur, so use Banco Industrial or BAC machines, cover the keypad, and check statements. Keep a stash of small notes for taxis, tips, markets and the many places that cannot break a Q100.

Tipping: A 10% service charge is often added in restaurants; if it is not on the bill, leaving around 10% is customary. Round up for taxis and Uber, and tip hotel porters, grocery baggers and petrol attendants a few quetzales each.

Guatemala has no local town-hall or address-registration requirement for arrivals, so you do not need to report to any office simply for living somewhere. Tourists hold their CA-4 entry stamp; those staying long term apply for temporary residency (residencia temporal) through the Instituto Guatemalteco de Migracion, which issues a DPI resident card rather than a registration certificate. The residency process is document-heavy, slow and usually handled with a local lawyer, and typically requires an apostilled birth certificate and police background check, translated into Spanish.

Where: Instituto Guatemalteco de Migracion (immigration), for residency applications

Uber operates in Guatemala City and Antigua and is the safest everyday option for foreigners, with InDrive as a negotiate-the-fare alternative. The colourful 'chicken buses' (camionetas) are extremely cheap but are frequently targeted by robberies and are best avoided. In the capital, the Transmetro and Transurbano bus systems are safer than old buses but confusing for newcomers. For intercity travel, use reputable tourist shuttles or first-class Pullman coaches (such as Litegua or ADN) rather than public buses.

From the airport: La Aurora International Airport (GUA) sits inside Guatemala City. An Uber to Zona 10 or Zona 14 takes 10-20 minutes and costs roughly Q40-Q80; official airport taxis are around Q100-Q150. Pre-booked shared shuttles to Antigua take about an hour and cost Q80-Q150 per person, while a private car to Antigua runs Q250-Q500.

Furnished flats and rooms are easiest to find in Guatemala City's Zonas 10, 14, 15 and Cayala (16), and throughout Antigua. Many expats use Facebook groups, Encuentra24, OLX and word of mouth rather than formal agencies, and the best deals rarely appear online. Gated buildings and neighbourhoods with 24-hour security are strongly preferred, and worth the premium for peace of mind.

Typical rent: One-bedroom flat in a good Zona 10, Zona 14 or Antigua area: roughly Q5,000-Q9,000 per month; rooms, outlying zonas and Xela are considerably cheaper, while Cayala and top Zona 14 flats run Q12,000+

Deposit norm: Usually one to two months' rent as deposit plus the first month upfront; longer formal leases may ask for a Guatemalan guarantor (fiador), which many landlords waive for foreigners who pay several months ahead

Guatemala has a two-tier system: an underfunded public network (IGSS social security and Ministry of Health hospitals) and good private hospitals concentrated in Guatemala City. Expats and residents rely on private care, which is affordable by Western standards but strictly pay-as-you-go, so budget for it and keep insurance current. Outside the capital, serious cases usually mean transfer to Guatemala City.

How to access it: Go directly to a private hospital such as Hospital Herrera Llerandi, Hospital Centro Medico or Hospital Universitario Esperanza in Guatemala City; no referral is needed. Pay by card or cash at the point of care and claim back on insurance. Pharmacies (such as Cruz Verde and Farmacia Galeno) are plentiful and can dispense many medications without a prescription.

Insurance: Private international health insurance is strongly recommended, as public care is limited and complex cases often mean medical evacuation to the US or Mexico. Employed residents are enrolled in IGSS via payroll deductions, but most professionals still keep private cover for quality and speed.

• Greet with a handshake, and use the formal 'usted' with people you do not know well; professional titles like 'Licenciado', 'Doctor' or 'Ingeniero' genuinely matter.
• Speaking even basic Spanish is expected and hugely appreciated; English is limited outside tourist Antigua and a few Zona 10 offices, so a few weeks of lessons pay off fast.
• Dress modestly and neatly, especially in rural and indigenous areas, and always ask permission before photographing people, particularly Maya women in traditional dress.
• Punctuality is relaxed socially ('hora chapina', where 'a las siete' may mean eight), but expected for business and official appointments.
• Relationships come before transactions: a little small talk, warmth and patience open doors that bluntness closes, especially with officials and landlords.
• Accept food or coffee when offered in someone's home; refusing outright can seem cold, and hospitality is taken seriously.
• Keep political and civil-war history conversations gentle and let locals lead; it is a sensitive and recent subject for many families.

• Do not flash phones, jewellery, laptops or cameras in public; petty and armed street crime is common in parts of the capital.
• Avoid walking after dark, particularly in the city centre (Zona 1) and unfamiliar zonas, and never physically resist if you are robbed.
• Chicken buses and unmarked street taxis carry a real robbery risk; stick to Uber or a trusted private driver, especially at night.
• Be cautious around protests, roadblocks (bloqueos) and demonstrations, which can close major highways with little warning; check conditions before intercity travel.
• Do not drink tap water; stick to bottled or filtered (agua pura) water, which is delivered in large garrafones almost everywhere.