All Currencies at a Glance (May 2026)
| Currency | 1 unit = Q? | Trend (3 mo) | Best for | Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USD (US dollar) | Q7.63 | Stable | Most exchanges, remittances, business | USD/Q |
| CAD (Canadian dollar) | Q5.57 | -1% MoM | Snowbirds, Canadian retirees, pensions | CAD/Q |
| EUR (Euro) | Q8.32 | -3% YoY | European tourists, EU diaspora, ECB pension recipients | EUR/Q |
| JPY (Japanese yen) | Q0.0475 | — | Japanese diaspora, Guatemala-Japan coffee trade | JPY/Q |
| GBP (British pound) | Q9.69 | +2% YoY | British retirees, UK tourists, sterling-denominated income | GBP/Q |
| MXN (Mexican peso) | Q0.44 | Stable | Border traders, Mexican tourists, cross-border workers | MXN/Q |
All rates as of 2026-05-09. USD/Q is the live Banguat reference; CAD, EUR, GBP, MXN are reference cross-rates derived from USD/Q multiplied by the international FX cross-rate. Verify the spot rate at the moment of transfer.
How Exchange Rates Work in Guatemala
The Banco de Guatemala (Banguat) publishes a single reference rate every business day: the Tipo de Cambio de Referencia (TCR) for the US dollar. This rate is calculated from the weighted average of interbank USD/GTQ transactions and published around 9:00 AM local time.
For all other currencies (CAD, EUR, GBP, MXN), banks and casas de cambio compute their own quotes using a cross-rate formula:
[Currency]/Q = USD/Q x [Currency]/USD
For example, with USD/Q at 7.63 and EUR/USD at 1.09 on the international market:
- EUR/Q = 7.63 x 1.09 = Q8.32
This means non-USD rates can shift twice a day: once when Banguat opens with the new USD/Q reference, and again as the international FX market moves the cross-rate. Most Guatemalan banks update their non-USD windows mid-morning after the Banguat publication.
Bank Spreads
Each Guatemalan bank adds a spread to the reference rate. Typical spreads range Q0.25 to Q0.40 on USD, but can be wider on less-traded currencies (Q0.40 to Q0.80 on EUR cash, even higher on CAD or GBP cash where the bank has limited inventory).
For non-USD currencies, the spread reflects two layers of risk: the FX cross-rate movement and the bank’s cost of holding non-USD inventory. This is why digital transfer services like Wise nearly always beat bank cash rates for non-USD amounts.
Currency Pages
Each page has live cross-rates from 8 Guatemalan banks, where to physically exchange the currency, and currency-specific tips for tourists, residents, and diaspora.
- USD to Quetzal (live Banguat reference) — The canonical rate. 8 banks compared daily.
- CAD to Quetzal — For Canadian snowbirds, retirees, and the ~10K Canadian diaspora.
- EUR to Quetzal — For European tourists, EU pension recipients, and dual citizens.
- 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 | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| Banks (USD only) | Most secure, best for USD cash | Near reference + Q0.25-0.40 spread |
| Casas de cambio | Multi-currency cash, no account needed | 2-4% below mid-market |
| ATMs | 24/7 cash withdrawal | Q25-35 fee + your bank’s foreign ATM fee |
| Wise / Remitly | Digital transfers any currency | 0.5-1% (Wise), 1.5-3% (Remitly) |
| No-FX-fee credit card | POS spending in cities | ~0% (uses Visa/MC mid-market) |
| Airport casas de cambio | Emergencies only | 4-8% below mid-market |
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 — For amounts above $10,000
- Best banks for foreigners — Opening an account as a non-resident
- Cost of living in Guatemala — What your converted quetzales actually buy
