Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Guatemala instead of Nicaragua, you would:
Health
be 10.5% less likely to be obese
In Nicaragua, 23.7% of adults are obese as of 2016. In Guatemala, that number is 21.2% of people as of 2016.
live 1.9 years less
In Nicaragua, the average life expectancy is 75 years (73 years for men, 77 years for women) as of 2022. In Guatemala, that number is 73 years (71 years for men, 75 years for women) as of 2022.
Economy
make 74.0% more money
Nicaragua has a GDP per capita of $7,300 as of 2023, while in Guatemala, the GDP per capita is $12,700 as of 2023.
be 43.5% less likely to be unemployed
In Nicaragua, 4.8% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Guatemala, that number is 2.7% as of 2023.
pay a 76.7% lower top tax rate
Nicaragua has a top tax rate of 30.0% as of 2016. In Guatemala, the top tax rate is 7.0% as of 2016.
be 2.4 times more likely to live below the poverty line
In Nicaragua, 24.9% live below the poverty line as of 2016. In Guatemala, however, that number is 59.3% as of 2014.
Life
have 30.5% more children
In Nicaragua, there are approximately 16.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Guatemala, there are 21.4 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.
be 23.1% more likely to die during childbirth
In Nicaragua, approximately 78.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Guatemala, 96.0 women do as of 2020.
be 37.1% more likely to die during infancy
In Nicaragua, approximately 19.1 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Guatemala, on the other hand, 26.2 children do as of 2022.
Basic Needs
be 14.6% more likely to have access to electricity
In Nicaragua, approximately 86% of people have electricity access (100% in urban areas, and 66% in rural areas) as of 2022. In Guatemala, that number is 99% of people on average (98% in urban areas, and 98% in rural areas) as of 2022.
be 14.2% more likely to have access to improved drinking water
In Nicaragua, approximately 83% of people have improved drinking water access (98% in urban areas, and 63% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Guatemala, that number is 95% of people on average (98% in urban areas, and 92% in rural areas) as of 2020.
be 10.5% less likely to have internet access
In Nicaragua, approximately 57.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Guatemala, about 51.0% do as of 2021.
Expenditures
spend 32.6% less on education
Nicaragua spends 4.6% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Guatemala spends 3.1% of total GDP on education as of 2021.
spend 24.4% less on healthcare
Nicaragua spends 8.6% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Guatemala, that number is 6.5% of GDP as of 2020.
Geography
see 56.0% less coastline
Nicaragua has a total of 910 km of coastline. In Guatemala, that number is 400 km.
The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: General Directorate of Revenues, The World Factbook, Superintendence of the Tax Administration.
Guatemala: At a glance
How big is Guatemala compared to Nicaragua? See an in-depth size comparison.