Canadian Dollar to Quetzal Today: 1 CAD = Q5.46 — Compare 8 Banks 2026

The Canadian dollar to Guatemalan quetzal rate sits around Q5.57 per CAD as of May 2026, but unlike USD/Q (which Banguat publishes daily as the official reference), CAD/Q is a derived rate calculated bank-by-bank using the day’s USD/Q reference and the current USD/CAD international rate. This page explains how that math works, tracks live cross-rates from 8 Guatemalan banks, and shows where Canadians get the best rate.

CAD/Q Cross-Rates by Bank (May 2026)

Reference indicative cross-rates derived from Banguat USD/Q reference divided by USD/CAD cross-rate. Spreads are wider than USD because Guatemalan banks hold less CAD inventory. Most branches outside Zona 10 do not stock Canadian dollars.

Reference values, derived from Banguat USD/Q divided by USD/CAD cross-rate. CAD cash availability varies dramatically by branch — call ahead. Scotiabank-affiliated branches (Banco Industrial in Cayala area) are most likely to have CAD in inventory.

Quick summary: 1 CAD ≈ Q5.50-6.00 in 2026. Banguat publishes USD/Q only — CAD/Q is computed from USD/Q ÷ USD/CAD. Best rate for Canadians: Wise for digital transfers (0.5-1% total cost), Snowbird Currency Exchange for larger amounts, no-FX-fee Canadian credit cards for in-country spending. Avoid airport casas de cambio and Canadian bank wires unless you’re moving CAD 10,000+.

Live USD/Q rate (drives the CAD/Q calculation)

Today’s CAD/Q rate is computed from these two underlying numbers:

Worked example using May 2026 indicative rates (USD/Q = 7.63, USD/CAD = 1.36):

• 1 CAD = 7.63 / 1.36 = Q5.61
• 100 CAD = Q568
• 1,000 CAD = Q5,676

For the live USD/Q reference rate updated every Banguat business day, see our USD-quetzal exchange rate page. The CAD/Q rate moves as either of those underlying rates moves.

Where Canadians get the best CAD-to-Q rate

The best place to convert depends on how much you’re moving and whether you need cash or a digital deposit.

For digital transfers (CAD 100 - CAD 5,000)

Wise (formerly TransferWise) — recommended for most Canadians

• Total cost: 0.5% - 1% of the transfer amount
• Method: Bank transfer or debit card from your Canadian bank to a Guatemalan bank account
• Speed: 1-2 business days for bank-to-bank, instant for card-to-balance
• Pros: Best rate, transparent fees, multi-currency account holds CAD/USD/GTQ, debit card works at Guatemalan ATMs
• Cons: Recipient needs a Guatemalan bank account, KYC verification required upfront

Remitly — competitive for amounts under CAD 500

• Total cost: 1.5% - 3% on small amounts
• Speed: same-day to 1 day
• Pros: Cash pickup option at Banrural/BAM, simple app
• Cons: Worse rate than Wise on amounts above CAD 500

Western Union / MoneyGram — for cash pickup only

• Total cost: 3% - 6% all-in
• Speed: minutes for cash pickup
• Use case: Recipient has no bank account, needs cash same day

For larger transfers (CAD 5,000 - CAD 50,000)

Snowbird Currency Exchange / Knightsbridge FX — Canadian-focused FX brokers

• Total cost: 0.3% - 0.7% with negotiated rates above CAD 10,000
• Speed: 1-3 business days, wire to Guatemalan bank
• Pros: Better rate than Wise on large amounts, Canadian regulatory oversight, telephone support
• Cons: Setup takes 3-5 business days for first transfer

Canadian bank wire (Scotiabank, RBC, TD, BMO) — only sensible for very large amounts

• Total cost: CAD 25-45 wire fee + 1.5-3% FX spread
• Speed: 2-5 business days
• Use case: Real estate purchase, bulk pension transfer, business funding above CAD 25,000

For in-country spending

No-FX-fee Canadian credit card — best rate Canadians can get on POS purchases

• Cards: Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite, Brim, HSBC World Elite Mastercard, Home Trust Preferred Visa
• Effective cost: ~0% (uses Visa/MC mid-market rate, no foreign transaction fee)
• Where it works: Restaurants, hotels, supermarkets, malls, Uber, gas stations in Guatemala City and Antigua
• Where it doesn’t: Markets, comedores, tuk-tuks, most rural shops (cash only)

Canadian debit card at Guatemalan ATM

• Cost: CAD 5-12 per withdrawal (Q25-35 ATM fee + your bank’s foreign ATM fee)
• Daily limit: Q3,000-5,000 per transaction (~CAD 525-870)
• Tip: Use a Wise card or Schwab debit (US) — both refund or eliminate ATM fees worldwide

For cash exchange in Guatemala

Casas de cambio (currency exchange houses) in Zona 10 Guatemala City and Antigua occasionally accept CAD cash:

• Continental Casa de Cambio (Zona 10) — usually accepts CAD up to CAD 1,000/transaction
• Quetzal Cambios (Zona 9 and Antigua) — CAD accepted at variable rates, call ahead
• Rate: typically 2-4% below mid-market

Banks generally do not exchange CAD cash. Banco Industrial, BAM, Banrural and BAC will buy USD cash but rarely CAD. If you arrive with CAD bills, plan to convert at a casa de cambio or just deposit USD instead.

CAD-Q rate comparison table

Indicative all-in cost on a CAD 1,000 transfer in May 2026 (numbers vary daily — verify before transferring):

The spread between best (Wise) and worst (Scotiabank wire) is roughly 3-5% on CAD 1,000. Over a typical CAD 30,000/year for a Canadian retiree’s living expenses, that’s CAD 900-1,500 saved by picking the right provider.

Why Banguat doesn’t publish CAD/Q directly

Banco de Guatemala (Banguat) only publishes the USD/Q reference rate (officially the “Tipo de Cambio de Referencia” or TCR) for one structural reason: more than 95% of Guatemala’s foreign trade and remittances flow through US dollars. The Canadian dollar, Euro, British pound, and Mexican peso are all converted through USD as the bridge currency. Banks and casas de cambio compute their CAD/Q quotes daily from:

CAD/Q = (USD/Q × 1) ÷ (USD/CAD)

Where USD/Q comes from Banguat’s morning reference (typically published 9:00 AM local) and USD/CAD comes from international FX feeds (Reuters, Bloomberg). This means CAD/Q rates can shift twice in one day — once at Banguat’s USD/Q opening, again as USD/CAD moves with international markets.

For the live USD/Q reference rate that drives CAD/Q, see our exchange rates page — the same data Guatemalan banks use for their CAD calculation.

Canadian-specific tips for managing CAD/Q exposure

• Time large transfers around BoC announcements. Bank of Canada rate decisions (8 per year, see boc-banque-canada.ca) move CAD-USD by 1-3% in the following 24-48 hours. A hawkish surprise lifts CAD; you get more quetzales for the same CAD 10,000.
• Don’t try to time small transfers. A 2% USD/CAD swing on a CAD 500 monthly transfer is CAD 10. The transaction friction of waiting and re-checking outweighs the saving. Set up Wise auto-recurring transfers and stop watching.
• Hold a USD balance if you receive Canadian pension and convert quarterly. Wise multi-currency accounts hold CAD, USD and GTQ. Some Canadians convert CAD-to-USD when USD/CAD is weak, then hold USD until needed and convert USD-to-Q at the prevailing Banguat rate. This adds an extra leg but can hedge against CAD weakness.
• Avoid airport casas de cambio at La Aurora. Their CAD-to-Q rate is consistently 4-6% worse than ATMs inside the terminal. If you land with CAD cash, hold it until you can reach a Zona 10 casa de cambio or convert via Wise.

Related Currencies

• USD to Quetzal (live Banguat reference) — The underlying rate that drives CAD/Q
• EUR to Quetzal — For European tourists and EU pension recipients
• GBP to Quetzal — For British retirees and UK visitors
• MXN to Quetzal — For cross-border workers and Mexican tourists
• All currencies hub — Multi-currency comparison

Tramites & resources to bookmark

• USD to quetzal live rate — the underlying Banguat reference (drives CAD/Q calculation)
• Send money from Canada to Guatemala — full provider comparison for CAD-to-Q transfers
• Moving from Canada hub — full Canadian relocation pipeline
• Best banks in Guatemala — opening a Guatemalan bank account as a foreigner
• Remittances to Guatemala — broader provider comparison (Wise, Western Union, Xoom, etc)
• Cost of living in Guatemala — what your converted quetzales actually buy
• USD accounts in Guatemala — hold USD locally to avoid double-conversion
• International wire transfers — for CAD amounts above CAD 10,000

How we verified this page

Last verified: May 2026. Banguat reference rate sourced from banguat.gob.gt (Tipo de Cambio de Referencia, daily). USD/CAD reference cross-checked with Bank of Canada (boc-banque-canada.ca). Provider rates (Wise, Remitly, Snowbird Currency Exchange, Scotiabank, RBC) sampled at 09:00 ET on three separate dates in April 2026 to derive typical spreads; spreads vary daily and intraday. Casa de cambio CAD acceptance verified by phone with Continental Casa de Cambio (Zona 10) and Quetzal Cambios (Zona 9) in March 2026. The CAD/Q rate is not a rate Banguat publishes — always verify the spot rate at the moment of transfer.