Not any more. The regional ladder of minimum monthly labor cost in maquila (approximate, our own conversions): Nicaragua ~US$273 < Dominican Republic ~US$303-337 < El Salvador US$402 < Guatemala ~US$475 (with the bonus) < Honduras ~US$494 < Mexico general ~US$515 < Mexico border ~US$721 < Costa Rica ~US$734 (no separate regime). Three direct competitors in textiles and apparel (Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic and El Salvador) pay minimums 15-45% lower. Guatemala's advantage is the scale of its labor force, not its price. An honest comparison would require effective wages paid, not minimums.
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- Ladder of maquila minimums (approx. US$)
NI 273 < RD 303-337 < SV 402 < GT 475 < HN 494 < MX 515 < MX border 721 < CR 734
2026cálculo propio sobre acuerdos citados en §2