Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Antigua Guatemala and Bansko

For one person, living is cheaper in Bansko: $970 a month against $1,269 in Antigua Guatemala, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Antigua Guatemala
🇬🇹 Guatemala
$1,269
/mo nomad
Bansko
🇧🇬 Bulgaria
$970
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Antigua Guatemala and in Bansko

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Antigua Guatemala and in Bansko actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,269 in Antigua Guatemala versus $970 in Bansko.

  • Antigua Guatemala $1,269
  • Bansko $970

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,123 in Antigua Guatemala versus $1,464 in Bansko.

  • Antigua Guatemala $2,123
  • Bansko $1,464

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,977 in Antigua Guatemala versus $1,957 in Bansko.

  • Antigua Guatemala $2,977
  • Bansko $1,957

Living in Antigua Guatemala is roughly 31% more expensive than in Bansko, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Antigua Guatemala 5% lower, Bansko 28% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Antigua Guatemala
Bansko
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.63 Q 50.7
$8.66 BGN 15.15
-23.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$51.7 Q 395
$46.63 BGN 81.6
10.94%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.64 Q 58.4
$9.01 BGN 15.77
-15.21%
Cappuccino
$3.41 Q 26.08
$2.24 BGN 3.92
52.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.15 Q 8.81
$1.50 BGN 2.63
-23.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93 Q 7.14
$0.86 BGN 1.51
8.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.23 Q 24.69
$1.76 BGN 3.07
83.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.63 Q 35.41
$2.00 BGN 3.51
131.50%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Antigua Guatemala
Bansko
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.04 Q 15.60
$1.79 BGN 3.14
13.97%
White Bread (500g)
$3.11 Q 23.78
$0.81 BGN 1.42
283.95%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.93 Q 14.76
$1.52 BGN 2.66
26.97%
Eggs
$2.44 Q 18.65
$2.30 BGN 4.02
6.09%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.48 Q 41.88
$9.60 BGN 16.81
-42.92%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.20 Q 70.3
$6.32 BGN 11.06
45.57%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.54 Q 80.6
$8.64 BGN 15.12
21.99%
Apples (1kg)
$3.79 Q 28.97
$1.28 BGN 2.24
196.09%
Banana (1kg)
$1.64 Q 12.55
$1.68 BGN 2.95
-2.38%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.83 Q 21.62
$1.70 BGN 2.98
66.47%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.67 Q 12.75
$1.89 BGN 3.30
-11.64%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 Q 11.67
$0.93 BGN 1.63
64.52%
Onion (1kg)
$1.74 Q 13.27
$0.76 BGN 1.32
128.95%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.67 Q 5.16
$0.54 BGN 0.95
24.07%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.19 Q 9.10
$0.58 BGN 1.02
105.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.86 Q 29.49
$3.44 BGN 6.02
12.21%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.02 Q 61.3
$5.14 BGN 9.00
56.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74 Q 13.30
$1.11 BGN 1.94
56.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.58 Q 19.74
$1.70 BGN 2.97
51.76%
🚌 Getting Around
Antigua Guatemala
Bansko
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.58 Q 19.75
$0.88 BGN 1.55
193.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$26.76 BGN 46.83
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.56 Q 34.81
$1.29 BGN 2.26
253.49%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$0.65 BGN 1.14
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.49 Q 80.2
$10.18 BGN 17.81
3.05%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 Q 9.82
$1.50 BGN 2.63
-14.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.8K Q 174.4K
$28.8K BGN 50.4K
-20.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.8K Q 166.8K
$21.5K BGN 37.5K
1.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Antigua Guatemala
Bansko
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$57.0 Q 436
$91.4 BGN 160
-37.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.77 Q 220
$14.68 BGN 25.68
95.98%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$45.71 Q 349
$12.07 BGN 21.12
278.71%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Antigua Guatemala
Bansko
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.18 Q 315
$32.28 BGN 56.5
27.57%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.13 Q 215
$8.60 BGN 15.05
227.09%
Cinema Ticket
$6.51 Q 49.73
$5.63 BGN 9.86
15.63%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Antigua Guatemala
Bansko
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$338 Q 2,585
$228 BGN 400
48.08%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,808 Q 52.0K
$2,311 BGN 4,045
194.57%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Antigua Guatemala
Bansko
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.44 Q 332
$30.48 BGN 53.3
42.52%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.13 Q 368
$19.01 BGN 33.26
153.18%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$92.1 Q 704
$45.53 BGN 79.7
102.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.5 Q 608
$48.67 BGN 85.2
63.41%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Antigua Guatemala
Bansko
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$884 Q 6,757
$521 BGN 913
69.57%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$518 Q 3,960
$367 BGN 643
41.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,900 Q 14.5K
$634 BGN 1,110
199.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,195 Q 9,129
$558 BGN 976
114.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,963 Q 22.6K
$1,204 BGN 2,106
146.23%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,198 Q 9,155
$971 BGN 1,699
23.37%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Antigua Guatemala
Bansko
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$609 Q 4,655
$1,670 BGN 2,923
-63.53%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.62
2.99
288.63%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Antigua Guatemala: October 4, 2026

Last update for Bansko: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Antigua Guatemala
$518
Bansko
$367 29.1% $151
Groceries & Markets
Antigua Guatemala
$267
Bansko
$193 27.5% $73
Eating Out
Antigua Guatemala
$151
Bansko
$145 3.5% $5.3
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Antigua Guatemala
$132
Bansko
$118 10.1% $13
Clothing & Footwear
Antigua Guatemala
$118
Bansko
$65 45.4% $54
Sport & Entertainment
Antigua Guatemala
$54
Bansko
$44 19.6% $11
Getting Around
Antigua Guatemala
$15 *
Bansko
$35 134% $20

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $884 in Antigua Guatemala and $521 in Bansko. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bansko pays 174% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $52.0 in Antigua Guatemala vs $47.00 in Bansko for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $193 per month, with Bansko cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇹 Antigua Guatemala
🇧🇬 Bansko
🕒 Local time
20:11 8:11 PM
05:11 5:11 AM
9 h ahead of Antigua Guatemala
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
46,054
8,000
💱 Currency
Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.
Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, USD, EUR to GTQ – Guatemalan Quetzal Converter

Guatemalan Quetzal exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 7.64 GTQ (1 GTQ = 0.131 USD). 1 EUR = 8.57 GTQ (1 GTQ = 0.117 EUR).

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.75 BGN (1 BGN = 0.571 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.509 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Antigua Guatemala Bansko 10,830 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Antigua Guatemala
  • Bansko

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Antigua Guatemala vs Bansko: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Antigua Guatemala and in Bansko?
Antigua Guatemala and Bansko differ by about 31% in total monthly costs ($1,269 vs $970 including rent). Bansko is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 174% lower in Bansko. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Antigua Guatemala and in Bansko?
Rent for a central apartment: $884 in Antigua Guatemala versus $521 in Bansko. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Antigua Guatemala and Bansko?
Childcare runs $338 in Antigua Guatemala versus $228 in Bansko. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Bansko – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $52.0 in Antigua Guatemala. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $970 in Bansko versus $1,269 in Antigua Guatemala, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bansko but tight or insufficient in Antigua Guatemala. The gap between the two cities makes Bansko the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Antigua Guatemala and Bansko?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Antigua Guatemala or Bansko safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Antigua Guatemala and Bansko are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Antigua Guatemala or Bansko?
Expats usually find Bansko gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Antigua Guatemala. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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