Guatemala

At a Glance:

Guatemala – “The Land of Perpetual Spring” -- is one of Central America’s least-known countries. And for expats, resettlers, investors, and anyone else looking for a pleasant, peaceful place to settle in and hunker down, that’s the good news!

In fact, for those looking for “The good life at a great price” – and weather to die for all year round -- Guatemala is nothing short of a Godsend.

This unsung paradise south has a lower cost of living than most other countries in Central and South America. And that’s saying something. You can rent a nicely furnished apartment in any of its major cities for well under $300 a month. You can buy a comfortable home in the scenic countryside, or by the beach, for $50,000 to $100,000. Or, if your heart is set on living large, how about your own plantation with a built-in harbor for under $500,000? It’s all there for the asking.

Guatemala has three climate zones – so whether you’re into basking on the beach, cross-country skiing, or a little of both, there’s something for everyone.
The tropical zone (the Pacific coast), with its pristine black sand beaches – and such popular locales as picturesque Puerto San Jose and historic Retalhuleu -- is part of the tropical zone, with temperatures typically in the 90’s throughout the day, dropping to the 70’s at night. In the temperate zone – encompassing Guatemala City and quaint Antigua -- daytime temperatures rarely exceed 85 and nights are pleasantly cool. And in the cool zone (up in the mountains), the days are mild and the nights – well, bring a blanket and fire up the hearth!

And the people of Guatemala? Perhaps the very essence of this “gentle people,” as they are often called, can’t be better summed up than in the words of Dr. Richard Harper, writing from his medical mission for Humanity First:

“Finally, I realized that Guatemala is not so much a place as it is a people.  The patients that we treated, and the native Guatemalans that worked in the clinic, were uniformly warm, gentle people; quiet and reserved, undemanding and stoic. They were quick to smile, unpretentious, and seemed genuinely content despite their lack of material possessions.”

Here’s how the Rough Guides travel book sums up gorgeous Guatemala:

“Spanning a mountainous slice of Central America immediately south of Mexico, Guatemala is loaded with incredible natural, historic, and cultural appeal. As the birthplace and heartland of the ancient Maya, the country is in many ways defined by the legacy of its early civilization. Their rainforest cities were abandoned centuries ago, but Maya people continue to thrive in the Guatemalan highlands, where traditions and religious rituals, mingled with Catholic practices, endure to form perhaps the richest and most indigenous identity in the hemisphere.”

Healthcare:

The Guatemalan health care system is comprised of three sectors: public, private non-profit, and private for-profit. For the indigenous population, health coverage has been estimated to be low, with more than 40% of the population receiving no access to health care services.

This should not, however, scare off expats, retirees, and resettlers. The fact is, while the number of doctors per thousand residents in Guatemala is about half that in the US, the quality of care for those who have access to it (primarily those in metropolitan regions) is high quality. And the cost is a fraction of that in the US.

A general practitioner house call may cost as little as $25. The cost per bed day in a thoroughly equipped hospital will average around $50. And major surgery – for example, a full facelift, with all costs included – will price out at about $5,000; considerably less than one-half to one-third the price of similar US procedures. Prescriptions are about 35% this cost of those in the US, and normally no doctor’s visits are required.

Here’s how the allmedicaltourism.com describes the Guatemalan healthcare system:

“In the private healthcare sector the medical staff are highly trained and exceptionally qualified. Specialists are well versed in treating Western patients, especially Americans and Europeans, who now live in Guatemala. Guatemala is becoming increasingly known within the Medical Tourism industry for its high quality medical care and low costs. Popular procedure areas for patients visiting Guatemala include cosmetic surgery, weight loss surgery, dental procedures and orthopaedic procedures.”

Public Safety:

There is no getting around the fact that Guatemala has one of the highest crime rates in Latin America. As New Yorker magazine reported in 2009, fewer civilians were reported killed in the war zone of Iraq than were shot, stabbed, or beaten to death in Guatemala. And a stunning 97% of homicides "remain unsolved."

For Caribbean Life Club members, however, this, stark reality is mitigated by two factors: (1) most expats, retirees, and resettlers live in gated communities far from the metropolitan crime centers, and (2) in September, 2011, the Guatemalan people overwhelmingly elected a tough, no-nonsense President who ran on a stern platform of cleaning up crime.

Population and Geography:

Guatemala is about the size of Ohio, with approximately the same number of inhabitants (11 million). Its largest city (and its capital), Guatemala City, houses about 2.3 million of its people. The Guatemalan city most popular with tourists and expats – quaint Antigua, with its European flair – is home to 34,000.

The country borders the Atlantic Ocean between Honduras and Belize and the North Pacific Ocean between El Salvador and Mexico. In short, if you prefer beachfront living, you have a choice between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Gold Coast.

But, keep in mind, Guatemala is best known for its majestic mountain ranges, punctuated by breathtaking volcanic landscapes (33 in all).

Type of Government:

According to the U.S. Department of State, Guatemala is a “constitutional democratic republic.” And, in fact, it has freely elected its presidents, legislature, and high court for nearly two decades. Since the country’s grueling 36-year civil war (which cost an estimated 200,000 lives) ended in 1996, general tranquility has prevailed.

The Guatemalan Constitution protects freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, movement within the country and foreign travel. It prohibits discrimination based on race, creed, color, national origin, opinion or political beliefs.

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The United Nations has called it, “one of the major sites of Mayan civilization,” with UNESCO making it a “World Heritage Site” in 1979.”

Moon Travel Guides describes it as, “a site of mammoth historical importance both in terms of natural and human heritage.”

And The Netherlands’s internationally famed global travel maven Els Slots – whose journeys have taken her to 75 UNESCO World Heritage sites, terms it, “one of the most important archeologist find places in the world.”

It, of course, is Guatemala’s breathtaking Tikal National Park – home to the largest excavated site of Maya Civilization on the American continent.

Here, you’ll see the breathtaking temples and palaces, the public squares, and the remains of dwellings inhabited by the mysterious Mayans from the 6th Century B.C. to the 10th Century A.D. You’ll walk the Great Plaza at the core of the site, flanked on the east and west by two towering temple-pyramids. You’ll gaze upon the ancient hieroglyphics revealing the bloodstained history of a brutal superpower struggle that may have presaged the collapse of the Maya Civilization.

And you will stand in awe as you realize that here lived a people who gathered from the stars, moon, sun, and planets the secrets of time still governing societies today.

That awe will be deepened as you contemplate the unsolved mystery of this “Mundo Perdido” (Lost World). For, as Smithsonian Magazine explains, “Tikal's reign abruptly ended when, for unknown reasons, the Mayans abandoned the city in A.D. 900. Enveloped by jungle, it would not be rediscovered until 1848.”

For Additional Information:

• Heritage Foundation Economic Freedom Index:

• Freedom House Index:

• State Department Country Report:

• CIA Country Factbook:

• World Health Organization Rankings 2000 (dated but still useful):