Essential Tools for Expats in Guatemala

These are the services and tools I personally use or recommend to friends moving to Guatemala. I only include things I’d actually tell a friend about.

Banking & Money

  • Wise — The best way to send money to Guatemala. Real exchange rates, low fees. I use this weekly.
  • Charles Schwab Checking — No foreign ATM fees anywhere in the world. Essential for expats.
  • Banco Industrial (BI) — The largest bank in Guatemala. Best option for opening a local account.

Communication

  • Tigo — Best mobile carrier for data coverage. Get a prepaid SIM at the airport.
  • WhatsApp — Everyone in Guatemala uses WhatsApp. More important than email here.
  • Google Translate — Offline Spanish download is essential for your first weeks.

Transportation

  • Uber — Available in Guatemala City and Antigua. Safe, reliable, affordable.
  • InDriver — Like Uber but you negotiate the price. Sometimes cheaper.
  • Waze — Better than Google Maps for Guatemala traffic.

Health

  • SafetyWing — Nomad health insurance. Affordable, covers Guatemala.
  • Farmacias Galeno — Largest pharmacy chain. Most medications available over the counter.

Housing

  • Facebook Groups — “Apartments for Rent in Antigua” and similar. The main rental marketplace.
  • Airbnb — Good for your first 2-4 weeks while apartment hunting.

Shipping

  • Aeropost — Ship from US stores to Guatemala. Reliable but not cheap.
  • Trans Express — Alternative courier service for US-to-Guatemala shipping.

Have a recommendation? Email me at stu@livinginguatemala.com and I’ll check it out.