Jutiapa is the Guatemalan department on the border with El Salvador. INE’s 2018 census counted 488,395 people in the department, up from 389,085 in the 2002 census; that is a census count, and population projections for later years differ from it (2026 figures). The department capital is the city of Jutiapa.
What to Expect
The best-known natural attraction is the Volcán de Ipala and its crater lake. Guatemala.com’s guide places the volcano between the departments of Chiquimula and Jutiapa and says the climb starts near the municipality of Ipala, in Chiquimula; it puts the hike at about an hour and a half to two hours, depending on pace, on a well-marked route. Whether to swim in the lake is disputed — one guide suggests a swimsuit, another advises against it for safety and conservation (see our Volcán de Ipala guide).
Jutiapa city is the departmental capital. SAT’s customs list places three posts in the department: Aduana Valle Nuevo at km 129 of the CA-8 in Jalpatagua, Aduana San Cristóbal at km 175 of the CA-1 Oriente in Atescatempa, and Aduana Pedro de Alvarado at km 166 of the CA-2 Oriente in Moyuta. By our reading of that list, these are three of the four SAT posts that serve crossings into El Salvador; the fourth, Aduana La Ermita, is at Aldea Anguiatú in Chiquimula. If you are crossing into El Salvador at one of the three Jutiapa posts, Jutiapa is the last department on the Guatemalan side.
The cost and safety figures in the Key Stats section are our own map ratings, not official or sourced figures, and so is the internet speed shown there. For the homicide data we can source, the Diálogos observatory’s June 2026 report recorded 2 homicides of men and 2 of women in Jutiapa that month, with interannual rates of 24.0 per 100,000 men and 4.7 per 100,000 women. For detailed cost comparisons across Guatemala, see our cost of living guide. Check the latest exchange rates and gas prices for budgeting.
For more information about staying safe while exploring, visit our safety guide.
Nearby Departments
Eastern: Chiquimula | Jalapa
Pacific Coast: Santa Rosa
Explore More Data
- Activities & Things to Do – Explore activities and tours
- Safety Guide – Read our detailed safety guide
- Exchange Rates – Today’s exchange rate
- Cost of Living – Compare living costs
- Remittances – Best remittance rates
- Gas Prices – Fuel prices by department
- Canasta Basica – Basic food basket costs
- Weather – Climate and weather data
Sources
- INE, Resultados del XII Censo Nacional de Población 2018 (department populations, censuses of 1994, 2002 and 2018).
- SAT, Ubicación y horario de aduanas, read 1 October 2026.
- Diálogos, Observatorio de la violencia, Informe sobre la violencia homicida en Guatemala, junio 2026.
- Guatemala.com, guide to reaching the Volcán de Ipala and its lake, read 24 September 2026.