Quick Answer: Banco de Guatemala reference rates, data date 2026-11-11. The US dollar is Banguat’s official reference; for other currencies Banguat multiplies the international quote by that reference. These are not buy or sell offers: each bank sets its own price.
| Currency | Quetzales per unit | Page |
|---|---|---|
| USD (US dollar) | Q7.64 | USD/Q |
| CAD (Canadian dollar) | Q5.36 | CAD/Q |
| EUR (Euro) | Q8.47 | EUR/Q |
| GBP (British pound) | Q10.14 | GBP/Q |
| MXN (Mexican peso) | Q0.4087 | MXN/Q |
| JPY (Japanese yen) | Q0.0478 | JPY/Q |
How Banguat’s Reference Rates Work
The Banco de Guatemala (Banguat) calculates quetzal reference rates every business day, and it does so for more than the US dollar.
US dollar. The buy and sell reference rates are the weighted average of the buy and sell operations reported by the institutions of the Mercado Institucional de Divisas (banks, private financial companies, stock exchanges and casas de cambio). The rate takes effect from midnight of the business day after the calculation date.
Other currencies. Between 8:00 and 9:00, Banguat obtains the international quotes for each currency from a specialized information service. Each quote multiplied by the quetzal reference against the US dollar is the quetzal reference for that currency, valid for the day it refers to:
[Currency]/Q = international quote [Currency]/USD x USD/Q reference
Banguat lists these currencies: euro, pound sterling, Swiss franc, Canadian dollar, Mexican peso, Japanese yen, Salvadoran colón, Honduran lempira, Nicaraguan córdoba and Costa Rican colón.
Bank Buy and Sell Prices
A reference rate is not an offer to buy or sell. Each bank and casa de cambio sets its own buy and sell prices. Before you exchange, ask the branch for its tipo de cambio del día for the currency you are carrying, for both buying and selling, and compare it with the Banguat reference above.
12 Months of Banguat Reference Rates
Quetzales per unit, mid of the Banguat buy and sell reference, from 2025-11-03 to 2026-11-06.
| Currency | 2025-11-03 | 2026-11-06 | 12-month low | 12-month high |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USD | Q7.65671 | Q7.64243 | Q7.61364 (2026-06-16) | Q7.66827 (2026-01-20) |
| EUR | Q8.8205 | Q8.5152 | Q8.4994 (2026-10-14) | Q9.1707 (2026-01-29) |
| GBP | Q10.0613 | Q10.2084 | Q9.9719 (2025-11-05) | Q10.5926 (2026-01-29) |
| MXN | Q0.41426 | Q0.40951 | Q0.40534 (2026-10-30) | Q0.45169 (2026-09-09) |
| JPY | Q0.049648 | Q0.048252 | Q0.046495 (2026-07-23) | Q0.050165 (2026-01-28) |
Between those two dates, the pound bought more quetzales per unit, while the US dollar, euro, Mexican peso and yen bought fewer.
Currency Pages
Each page has the daily Banguat reference rate, where to exchange the currency, and currency-specific tips for tourists, residents, and diaspora.
- USD to Quetzal (Banguat reference) — The reference that every other quetzal reference rate is built on.
- CAD to Quetzal — For Canadian snowbirds, retirees, and the Canadian diaspora.
- EUR to Quetzal — For European tourists, EU pension recipients, and dual citizens.
- Japanese Yen to Quetzal — For the Japanese diaspora and visitors from Japan.
- GBP to Quetzal — For British retirees in Antigua and UK visitors.
- MXN to Quetzal — For cross-border workers, Mexican tourists, border-town commerce.
Where to Exchange Money
| Option | Best for | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Banks | Secure cash exchange | Each bank sets its own buy and sell price; ask for the rate of the day |
| Casas de cambio | Cash in several currencies, no account needed | Compare their price with the Banguat reference before exchanging |
| ATMs | 24/7 cash withdrawal | The ATM’s on-screen fee + your bank’s foreign ATM fee |
| Online transfer services (Wise, Remitly) | Digital transfers in other currencies | Compare the total cost, rate plus fees, before you send |
| Card with no foreign transaction fee | Card spending in cities | Your card issuer’s conversion rate and any fees |
| Airport exchange counters | Emergencies only | Compare their rate with the reference first |
Related Resources
- Remittance comparison — Wise, Remitly, Western Union, Xoom side-by-side
- USD accounts in Guatemala — Hold USD locally to avoid double-conversion
- International wire transfers — Sending larger amounts by bank wire
- Best banks for foreigners — Opening an account as a non-resident
- Cost of living in Guatemala — What your converted quetzales actually buy
