Last verified: May 16, 2026

This page lists every data source that feeds a table, widget, or score on livinginguatemala.com. Each row includes the source name, official URL, what we extract, and how often it refreshes. If a page on our site cites a figure that does not appear here, it is our bug — report it.

See also: How we work · How we update · How we calculate scores.

Exchange rate

We use two layers: the official reference from the central bank (Banguat) and the real prices at commercial banks (buy/sell to the public).

SourceOfficial URLWhat we extractFrequency
Banco de Guatemala (SOAP API)banguat.gob.gt/variables/ws/TipoCambio.asmxUSD/GTQ reference rate + cross-rates (EUR, GBP, CAD, MXN, JPY)Daily, ~6:00 AM GT time
tipodecambio.deguate.nettipodecambio.deguate.netBuy/sell rates from 8 commercial banks (Banguat reference, Banrural, BI, Promerica, BAC, Agromercantil, G&T Continental, BAM/Ficohsa/Interbanco)Daily, alongside Banguat
Internal aggregated historySite repo400+ day historical archive compiled since 2025-02-24Cumulative

Note: Banguat publishes a single daily reference exchange rate. Commercial banks set their own buy/sell price around that reference. That is why we publish both: the reference tells you the “fair value,” the commercial price tells you what you will actually pay at the teller.

Interest rates

SourceOfficial URLWhat we extractFrequency
Banguat — Tarifariosbanguat.gob.gtMonetary policy rate, GTQ active average (~12.47%), GTQ passive average (~4.18%), spread (~8.29%), USD averages by bank, mortgage rates by bankDaily, ~8:45 AM GT time
Banguat — Inflationbanguat.gob.gtMonthly CPI, year-over-year inflationMonthly (when Banguat publishes)

Note: Per-bank mortgage rates are the publicly advertised rates in tarifarios. The actual rate a client receives may be negotiated based on credit profile, LTV, and tenure as a client.

Remittances

SourceOfficial URLWhat we extractFrequency
Wise comparison APIwise.com/compareLive rates for Wise, Remitly, Xoom (PayPal) — 5 send amounts ($100, $200, $300, $500, $1000)Daily, ~8:38 AM GT time
Banguat SOAP APIbanguat.gob.gt/variables/ws/TipoCambio.asmxMid-market reference rate (baseline for estimating margins)Daily, ~6:00 AM GT time
Western Union / MoneyGram (estimated)wu.com, moneygram.comEstimate: Banguat reference rate + public fee/margin structure. Marked as estimate on the page.Daily

Critical note: Only Wise, Remitly, and Xoom publish APIs/data that are directly queryable. Western Union and MoneyGram do not publish rates programmatically, so their figures are calculated from the Banguat reference plus their known public margins. If you need absolute precision for a WU/MoneyGram transfer, verify directly on their site before sending.

Fuel

SourceOfficial URLWhat we extractFrequency
Ministerio de Energía y Minas (MEM)mem.gob.gt/precios-petroleo-combustibles/National and by-department prices for regular gasoline, premium gasoline, dieselWhen MEM publishes (typically weekly)

Note: MEM publishes a weekly PDF. Departments without a report show as “no data” in our tables, NOT zero.

Banks (structure, fees, coverage)

SourceOfficial URLWhat we extractFrequency
Official bank websitesbanrural.com.gt, bi.com.gt, bac.net, gyt.com.gt, bam.com.gt, etc.Account structures, fees, foreigner requirements, ATM network, mobile appMonthly (manual audit)
Superintendencia de Bancossib.gob.gtOfficial list of regulated banks, financial statementsQuarterly
Internal curation—Real-experience notes (account opening as foreigner, quality of English support)Continuous

Note: Bank fee structures change infrequently (typically when a bank updates its tarifario, which is quarterly or semi-annual). That is why this category is manually audited, not pulled by a daily scraper.

Government procedures

SourceOfficial URLWhat we extractFrequency
tramites.gob.gttramites.gob.gtOfficial procedure catalog, requirements, costs, officesPer trámite, when its source page publishes/updates
SATportal.sat.gob.gtNIT, RTU, IVA Viewer, declarations, stickerPer trámite
RENAPrenap.gob.gtDPI, birth/death/marriage certificationPer trámite
IGMigm.gob.gtPassport, renewal, first-timePer trámite
MINTRABmintrabajo.gob.gtRECIT, labor solvency, contractsPer trámite
MEM (firearms registry)mem.gob.gt (DIGECAM)Firearms license, renewalPer trámite

Note: Guatemalan government procedures change in cost, office, or requirements without warning. That is why each trámite page publishes the date of the last manual verification. If you arrive at an office and the cost or requirement differs from what is published, report it — we update within 72 hours.

Map data

SourceOfficial URLWhat we extractFrequency
INE (National Statistics Institute)ine.gob.gtPopulation by department, density, socioeconomic indicatorsAnnual (Census)
PNC / MINGOBmingob.gob.gtHomicide statistics by department (input to safety score)Monthly when published
GADMgadm.orgAdministrative geometry (departments, municipalities)Static version (gadm 4.1)
Internal ISP researchOfficial Tigo, Claro, Movistar, Hughesnet, Starlink sitesCoverage by department, plans, speedsQuarterly

Data we do NOT have (inverse transparency)

As important as saying what we have is saying what we do NOT have:

  • NO live feed of gas prices per service station (only MEM aggregate by department).
  • NO access to SAT database to verify NITs in real time (only how-to guides).
  • NO default or delinquency data by bank (SIB publishes with 6+ month lag).
  • NO real-time electricity rates per user (only general EEGSA/Energuate tariff).
  • NO security data by zone within Guatemala City at a frequency greater than monthly.

When a page seems to suggest we have a more granular data point than we actually have, it is a copy bug — report it.

Last source verification

This page is reviewed the first Monday of every month. Next scheduled review: June 1, 2026.

Missing a source? URL changed? Email corrections@livinginguatemala.com.