South America · Georgetown
Cost of living in Guyana
Guyana is 62% cheaper than the US, ranking #131 of 203 countries we cover for cost of living.
World Bank data through 2024 · last reviewed 2026-06.
What drives the cost here
Price levels by category, where the world average = 100. Above 100 is pricier than the global norm; below it is cheaper.
In Guyana, food & groceries is the priciest category relative to the world (127), while housing & utilities is the most affordable (44).
Category price levels: World Bank ICP 2021 (world average = 100) · source
What your money is worth here
A $100,000 US lifestyle would cost roughly $37,500 in Guyana.
Quality of life
66/100 · #128 of 198Beyond cost — health, safety, and connectivity. The score is a transparent, equal-weight composite of the verified metrics below (see methodology).
About Guyana
Originally a Dutch colony in the 17th century, by 1815 Guyana had become a British possession. The abolition of slavery led to former slaves settling urban areas and indentured servants being imported from India to work the sugar plantations. The resulting ethnocultural divide has persisted and has led to turbulent politics. Guyana achieved independence from the UK in 1966, and since then primarily socialist-oriented governments have ruled the country. In 1992, Cheddi JAGAN was elected president in what is considered the country's first free and fair election since independence.
Read the full background
After his death five years later, his wife, Janet JAGAN, became president but resigned in 1999 due to poor health. Her successor, Bharrat JAGDEO, was elected in 2001 and again in 2006. Donald RAMOTAR won in 2011, but early elections held in 2015 resulted in the first change in governing party, and David GRANGER took office. After a 2018 no-confidence vote against the GRANGER government, the administration ignored a constitutional requirement to hold elections and remained in place until the 2020 elections, when Irfaan ALI became president. The discovery of massive offshore oil reserves in 2015 has been Guyana's primary economic and political focus, with many hoping the reserves will transform one of the poorest countries in the region. Guyana is the only English-speaking country in South America and shares cultural and historical bonds with the Anglophone Caribbean.
Background from the CIA World Factbook (public domain), archived 2026-06-03.
Frequently asked
Is Guyana expensive to live in?
Guyana is 62% cheaper than the US, ranking #131 of the 203 countries we track. Its most expensive category relative to the world is food & groceries; housing & utilities costs the least.
How much money do you need to live in Guyana?
A lifestyle that costs $100,000 in the United States would cost roughly $37,500 in Guyana, going by overall price levels. The salary translator turns your own figure into a local equivalent.
Is Guyana cheaper than the United States?
Yes. Its overall price level is 37.6, against 100 for the United States.
What is the quality of life in Guyana?
Guyana scores 66 out of 100 on our quality-of-life index (#128 of 198), a composite of life expectancy, safety, health, and connectivity, with life expectancy around 70 years.
Every number, sourced.
We cite the exact source and year for each figure. Derived values are computed at build time, never hand-entered.
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