Currency & Payment

Guatemala uses the Guatemalan quetzal (GTQ, symbol Q), divided into 100 centavos. US dollars are accepted at some hotels and tourist spots, but everyday prices are in quetzales, so you will need local cash for markets, small shops and transport. Carry small denominations, as change for large notes can be hard to get.

US dollars are the easiest currency to exchange in Guatemala. You can change money at the airport, at banks and at exchange bureaus (casas de cambio). Bring clean, undamaged USD notes, as torn or heavily marked bills are often refused. Rates at the airport are usually poorer, so change only a small amount there and more in the city.

Cards are accepted in cities, hotels, larger stores, restaurants and tourist areas, with Visa and Mastercard the most widely taken. However, markets, small shops, rural areas and chicken buses are cash-only, so you cannot rely on cards everywhere. Carry enough quetzales in cash for daily spending and use cards for larger or urban purchases.

ATMs are plentiful in cities and tourist areas, run by banks such as Banco Industrial, Banrural and BAC, and 5B, Visa Plus and Cirrus networks are widely available. For safety, use ATMs inside banks, malls or hotels in daylight rather than isolated street machines. Watch out for foreign-card fees and always decline home-currency conversion (DCC) for the better rate.

Mobile and contactless payments are growing in Guatemalan cities, and Apple Pay and Google Pay work where contactless cards are accepted, mainly in hotels, malls and larger restaurants. However, Guatemala remains a strongly cash-based society, so do not rely on mobile payments outside urban and tourist areas. Keep quetzales in cash as your main payment method.

Tipping is appreciated in Guatemala. In restaurants, around 10% is customary when a service charge is not already included, so check the bill first. Small tips for hotel staff, guides and drivers are welcome, and rounding up is fine for taxis. Tip in cash quetzales where possible, as this reaches staff most directly.

Guatemala is relatively inexpensive by Central American standards, which makes it good value for travellers. Local street food, market meals and public transport are very cheap, while tourist restaurants, hotels in Antigua and guided tours cost more. Budget travellers can get by on little, while mid-range comfort is still affordable compared with North America or Europe.

Guatemala levies a value-added tax (IVA) of 12%, usually already included in displayed prices. Unlike some countries, there is no widely available tourist VAT-refund (tax-free shopping) scheme for visitors, so you should not expect to reclaim IVA on purchases when leaving. Treat the price you see as the price you pay.