80points

Guatemala City

83points

San Salvador

Guatemala City
Comparison winner
San Salvador
vs
vs

96 facts in comparison

Guatemala City vs San Salvador

Guatemala City
San Salvador

How does Guatemala City compare to San Salvador?

  • 2.9% lower unemployment rate
    ?

    4.1%vs7%
  • 11.16$ cheaper monthly public transport ticket
    ?

    11.71$vs22.87$
  • 51.72$ higher average salary
    ?

    461.72$vs410.00$
  • 0.54million more inhabitants
    ?

    1.11 millionvs0.57 million
  • 4.3 years younger population
    ?

    20.4 yearsvs24.7 years
  • Possibility of drinking alcohol in public places
    ?
  • 0.09$ lower cost of one single transportation ticket
    ?

    0.26$vs0.35$
  • 5.5 °C lower average minimum temperature
    ?

    14.7 °Cvs20.2 °C

How does San Salvador compare to Guatemala City?

  • 5.8 °C higher average maximum temperature
    ?

    30.9 °Cvs25.1 °C
  • 5.6 °C higher average temperature
    ?

    25.5 °Cvs19.9 °C
  • Has a seaside beach
    ?
  • 175.31$ cheaper rent for a one-bedroom apartment
    ?

    462.50$vs637.81$
  • Has lake/s
    ?
  • 1 more big sports facilities (stadiums, arenas, etc.)
    ?

    2vs1
  • 0.07 lower income inequalities
    ?

    0.47vs0.54
  • 6% lower maximum income tax
    ?

    25%vs31%

User reviews

Overall rating

Guatemala City
0 User reviews
Guatemala City
0 User reviews
San Salvador
7.5
4 User reviews
San Salvador
7.5/10
4 User reviews

Features

Safety

No reviews yet
 
7.0/10
4 votes

Walkability

No reviews yet
 
5.8/10
4 votes

Job opportunities

No reviews yet
 
6.3/10
4 votes

Public transport

No reviews yet
 
5.5/10
4 votes

Food and drink

No reviews yet
 
7.5/10
4 votes

Comments

Luis Guillermo

Luis Guillermo

8 months ago

5 / 10

A Complicated and Disordered City

Luis Guillermo

Luis Guillermo

8 months ago

5 / 10

Guatemala is an urban center that has quickly grown. The 'safe' tourism areas in zones 4, 10, and 14 are small hubs, each of them spanning a few hundred meters with a wide variety of quality bars and restaurants. However, there is high amount of petty crime and motorcycle robbers. Public transportation is scarce, old, and unsafe. Not all areas are connected. Poor and dangerous neighborhoods are mixed with middle class and affluent ones. Ideal only for a layover of one or two days before travelling to smaller villages and cultural or tourist sites.

Pros

  • Central location to travel to other towns
  • Affordable prices for Europeans

Cons

  • Insecurity
  • Low cultural scene
  • Homogeneous and classist
  • LGBTIQ+ Discrimination
3 users found this helpful
Dany

Dany

2 years ago

9 / 10

My Experience

Dany

Dany

2 years ago

9 / 10

Guatemala City is a massive city, the largest in Central America. However, the photo on Versus corresponds to a rural area of the country and doesn't represent this beautiful, cosmopolitan, and modern capital with over 3 million inhabitants.

Pros

  • Climate, transportation, entertainment, banking

Cons

  • Security issues, environment
1 users found this helpful
Rene

Rene

2 years ago

10 / 10

A Beautiful City

Rene

Rene

2 years ago

10 / 10

I have visited Guatemala City in recent months for both work and leisure. It is a city that is undergoing positive growth and changes recently. I would recommend it 100%

Pros

  • Accessible, safe, hotels, skylines, cityscapes, culture

Cons

  • Rush hours
1 users found this helpful

Demographics

population

1.11 million

0.57 million

Populous cities or countries usually offer better employment opportunities because of their large economies. Big cities attract companies and business investment, and are usually important cultural centers and research hubs. Source: Wikipedia, 2024.
population density

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Guatemala City)

7490 people/km²

Population density shows how cramped or spread out inhabitants are. Cities or countries with high population densities can be considered overpopulated, which can be a problem if the infrastructure is underdeveloped. Source: Wikipedia, 2024.
annual population growth rate

2.5%

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (San Salvador)

The average population growth rate reflects the annual increase or decrease in population. Currently, the world’s population is growing at a rate of approximately 1.07% per year. The higher the growth, the more dynamic society feels. Source: Wikipedia, 2024.
median age of population

20.4 years

24.7 years

Cities or countries with younger population have usually better development perspectives. Young societies are more dynamic and creative. Source: Wikipedia, 2024.
The percentage of female residents, according to the city's official statistics. Source: Wikipedia, 2024; UNData, 2024.
male population

49.2%

48.2%

The percentage of male residents, according to the city's official statistics. Source: Wikipedia, 2024; UNData, 2024.
international population

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Guatemala City)

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (San Salvador)

More people from abroad residing in the city provides a multicultural environment and may show how attractive it is for foreigners.
single population

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Guatemala City)

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (San Salvador)

Bigger single population indicates that living alone in the city is easier and more affordable. It's also usually connected with better night life and dating possibilities. Source: Wikipedia, 2024; city's official stats, 2024.
Facebook users

16.06%

24.64%

The percentage of Facebook users among a whole city population indicates how familiar are city’s inhabitants with web 2.0 and shows how popular the social media are. Source: Socialbakers, 2024.

Quality of living

Low unemployment rate indicates better career opportunities and economic growth. Source: Wikipedia, 2024; city's official stats, 2024.
has public health care
Guatemala City
San Salvador
Public health care is more affordable for an average citizen and usually guaranteed for everyone. Source: city's official website, 2024.
average salary

461.72$

410.00$

Source: Wikipedia, 2024; city's official stats, 2024.
The average rent of a single-bedroom apartment located in the city center. This indicates how much of your salary would be allocated to rent expenses, and the general cost of living of the city. Source: numbeo.com, 2024.
VAT

12%

13%

The standard value-added tax (VAT) rate. Source: Wikipedia, 2024.
number of universities

14

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (San Salvador)

Universities, as centers of higher education and research, are important contributions to a city’s development. Source: Wikipedia, 2024.
gross domestic product (GDP)

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Guatemala City)

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (San Salvador)

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) reflects the value and productivity of an economy. It measures the market value of all the final goods and services produced annually. To reflect the differences in the cost of living and inflation rates, we show the GDP at purchasing power parity (PPP). Sources: Wikipedia, CIA World Factbook, 2024.
The Gini coefficient is a measure of dispersion, in this case used to show the variation in income. A Gini coefficient of zero expresses perfect equality. A Gini coefficient of one expresses maximal inequality. Lower income inequalities indicate a more equal distribution of wealth and better opportunities for the average citizen. Source: Wikipedia, 2024.
Big Mac Index

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Guatemala City)

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (San Salvador)

The Big Mac Index is published by The Economist as an informal way of measuring the purchasing power parity (PPP) between two currencies. The Big Mac PPP exchange rate between two countries is obtained by dividing the price of a Big Mac in one country (in its currency) by the price of a Big Mac in another country (in its currency). Source: Economist, 2024.

Environment

average temperature

19.9 °C

25.5 °C

Source: Wikipedia, 2024; WMO, 2024.
humidity rate

70%

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (San Salvador)

Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air. High relative humidity reduces the effectiveness of sweating in cooling the body by reducing the rate of evaporation of moisture from the skin. In general, higher humidity makes climate harder to stand for people. Source: Wikipedia, 2024; WMO, 2024.
level of air pollution (Air Quality Index)

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Guatemala City)

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (San Salvador)

Low level of air pollution has a good influence on people’s health and quality of living. Source: Wikipedia, 2024.
has a seaside beach
Guatemala City
San Salvador
Source: Wikipedia, 2024; city's official website, 2024.
has river/s
Guatemala City
San Salvador
Source: Wikipedia, 2024; city's official website, 2024.
has mountains nearby
Guatemala City
San Salvador
There are mountains at a distance of maximum 100 kilometers (62 miles) from the city. Mountains are considered to have an elevation of at least 1,000 m (3,300 ft). Source: Wikipedia, 2024; city's official website, 2024.
has lake/s
Guatemala City
San Salvador
Source: Wikipedia, 2024; city's official website, 2024.
Source: Wikipedia, 2024; WMO, 2024.
Source: Wikipedia, 2024; WMO, 2024.

Leisure

With more large sports facilities (20,000+ seats), a city is able to organize more important sporting events. Source: worldstadiums.com, 2024.
number of museums

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Guatemala City)

9

Source: Wikipedia, 2024; city's official website, 2024.
number of theaters

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Guatemala City)

4

Source: Wikipedia, 2024; city's official website, 2024.
number of cinemas

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Guatemala City)

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (San Salvador)

Source: Wikipedia, 2024; city's official website, 2024.
is/was a host city of the Olympics
Guatemala City
San Salvador
Source: Wikipedia, 2024.
is/was a host city of the Grand Slam
Guatemala City
San Salvador
Source: Wikipedia, 2024; city's official website, 2024.
The World Heritage List includes 962 properties forming part of the cultural and natural heritage which the World Heritage Committee considers as having outstanding universal value. Source: UNESCO, 2024.
number of public Wi-Fi spots

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Guatemala City)

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (San Salvador)

City with more public wireless spots provides easier and wider internet access. Source: city's official website, 2024.
is a site of pilgrimage for world religion
Guatemala City
San Salvador
It indicates that the city is an important religious center. Source: Wikipedia, 2024.

Transportation

Cost of the monthly public transport ticket indicates affordability of public transportation for an average inhabitant. Source: Wikipedia, 2024; city's public transport website, 2024.
A cheaper single ticket will allow you to move through the city for less money. Whether you are a visitor or a resident, it will help your economy. Source: Official city's public transport website, 2024.
average commuting time

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Guatemala City)

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (San Salvador)

Cities with shorter average commuting time have usually better organized public transportation system which allows citizens to waste less time in a traffic. Source: Wikipedia, 2024; city's official stats, 2024.
has a bike-sharing system
Guatemala City
San Salvador
A bike-sharing system makes a city more eco-friendly, shows the city’s pro cycling attitude, and provides new touristic opportunities. Source: Wikipedia, 2024.
total length of bike paths

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Guatemala City)

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (San Salvador)

More bike paths gives more opportunities for cyclist, makes a city more eco friendly and helps to reduce traffic jams. Source: Wikipedia, 2024.
The presence and number of airports shows how good is connection of city with different international destinations and its international accessibility. Source: Wikipedia, 2024.
The subway rate or number of kilometers of subway per number of inhabitants indicates how well developed the subway network is. Source: Wikipedia, 2024.
Commuter Pain Index

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Guatemala City)

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (San Salvador)

The Commuter Pain Index is comprised of 10 issues: 1) commuting time, 2) time stuck in traffic, agreement that: 3) price of gas is already too high, 4) traffic has gotten worse, 5) start-­‐stop traffic is a problem, 6) driving causes stress, 7) driving causes anger, 8) traffic affects work, 9) traffic so bad driving stopped, and 10) decided not to make trip due to traffic. Source: IBM, 2024.
distance from capital

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Guatemala City)

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (San Salvador)

A city located near to the country capital may provide more possibilities. Some people love to visit or live in a quiet city, but also want to enjoy the variety of entertainment options or job opportunities that a capital city may offer.

General info

total surface

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Guatemala City)

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (San Salvador)

It can be nice to live in big cities or countries, as a larger space may offer more options for residents and visitors.
year of foundation

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Guatemala City)

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (San Salvador)

A city founded a longer time ago has more history, which can give extra cultural richness for visitors and residents. Source: city's official stats, 2024.
number of tourists per year

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Guatemala City)

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (San Salvador)

More arrivals per year shows how important the city is viewed internationally, and may indicate better infrastructure, such as airports, public transport, hotels, etc. Tourism is usually a major source of income of a city. Source: World Tourism Organization, 2024.
is a capital city
Guatemala City
San Salvador
National capital status indicates that a city is of great importance for political and diplomatic matters. Source: Wikipedia, 2024.
has a stock exchange
Guatemala City
San Salvador
Cities with stock exchanges are usually important financial centers influencing international or national’s financial markets. Source: Wikipedia, 2024.
possibility of drinking alcohol in public places
Guatemala City
San Salvador
In general, cities with possibility of drinking alcohol in public places have more thriving nightlife. It's easier to organize parties in public places. Source: Wikipedia, 2024; city's official website, 2024.
Global Cities Index

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (Guatemala City)

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (San Salvador)

The Global Cities Index is unique in that it measures global engagement of cities across five dimensions: business activity, human capital, information exchange, cultural experience and political engagement. Source: ATKearney, 2024.
Number of billionaires can indicate if the city has significant agglomerations of personal wealth. Source: Forbes, 2024.
number of international embassies

37

Unknown. Help us by suggesting a value. (San Salvador)

The number of international embassies indicates the importance of a city for political, diplomatic and lobbying issues. Source: city's official website, 2024.

Miscellaneous

An indicator of how safe people feel walking alone in the city during the night, with 1 being very unsafe and 10 being very safe. Source: numbeo.com, 2024
An indicator of how drinkable the tap water is, with 1 being not drinkable and 10 being very drinkable. Source: numbeo.com, 2024
An indicator of how safe people feel walking alone in the city during the day, with 1 being very unsafe and 10 being very safe. Source: numbeo.com, 2024
An indicator of how worried people are about having things stolen from their car, with 1 being not worried and 10 being very worried. Source: numbeo.com, 2024
price of internet

64.91$

48.81$

The average monthly price of internet (60 Mbps or more, unlimited data, cable/ADSL). Source: numbeo.com, 2024
An indicator of how worried people are about having their home broken into, with 1 being not worried and 10 being very worried. Source: numbeo.com, 2024
The average rent of a three-bedroom apartment located in the city center. This indicates how much of your salary would be allocated to rent expenses, and the general cost of living of the city. Source: numbeo.com, 2024.
The cost of 1km covered during a taxi ride. Source: numbeo.com, 2024
The average cost of monthly basic utilities (electricity, heating, cooling, water, and garbage) for an 85m2 apartment. Source: numbeo.com, 2024

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