Cost of Living Comparison Between Antigua Guatemala and Guatemala City Cost of Living Comparison Between Antigua Guatemala and Guatemala City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,281 in Antigua Guatemala versus $1,211 in Guatemala City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,115 in Antigua Guatemala versus $1,920 in Guatemala City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,950 in Antigua Guatemala versus $2,629 in Guatemala City.

Living in Antigua Guatemala is roughly 6% more expensive than in Guatemala City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Antigua Guatemala 4% lower, Guatemala City 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.19 Q 39.54

$5.23 Q 39.90

-0.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.3 Q 406

$50.9 Q 388

4.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.35 Q 48.41

$6.24 Q 47.56

1.76%

Cappuccino

$3.42 Q 26.05

$3.31 Q 25.21

3.32%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 Q 9.07

$1.22 Q 9.27

-2.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 Q 7.39

$0.93 Q 7.09

4.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.92 Q 29.89

$3.33 Q 25.39

17.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 Q 35.72

$4.48 Q 34.17

4.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 Q 14.54

$2.05 Q 15.59

-6.83%

White Bread (500g)

$3.18 Q 24.20

$3.17 Q 24.13

0.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 Q 12.09

$2.05 Q 15.63

-22.44%

Eggs

$2.53 Q 19.31

$2.54 Q 19.34

-0.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.46 Q 56.9

$7.77 Q 59.2

-3.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.45 Q 64.4

$8.59 Q 65.5

-1.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.18 Q 77.6

$11.59 Q 88.3

-12.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.65 Q 27.81

$3.58 Q 27.29

1.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 Q 11.56

$1.52 Q 11.58

Oranges (1kg)

$3.15 Q 24.02

$3.15 Q 24.00

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 Q 12.11

$1.84 Q 14.05

-13.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 Q 13.34

$1.77 Q 13.47

-1.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 Q 13.47

$2.36 Q 18.01

-25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 Q 5.59

$0.74 Q 5.61

-1.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 Q 9.15

$1.22 Q 9.31

-1.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.56 Q 27.15

$3.66 Q 27.90

-2.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.07 Q 61.5

$8.11 Q 61.8

-0.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 Q 12.77

$1.59 Q 12.15

5.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 Q 19.16

$2.53 Q 19.25

-0.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 Q 15.61

$1.27 Q 9.70

61.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.43 Q 102

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.71 Q 35.93

$5.19 Q 39.55

-9.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 Q 4.55

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.77 Q 120

$15.92 Q 121

-0.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 Q 8.49

$1.08 Q 8.21

2.78%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$19.4K Q 148.1K

$19.6K Q 149.7K

-1.05%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$22.5K Q 171.5K

$24.8K Q 189.3K

-9.40%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$49.84 Q 380

$80.4 Q 613

-37.98%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$26.09 Q 199

$26.23 Q 200

-0.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.09 Q 374

$48.76 Q 372

0.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.22 Q 307

$48.46 Q 369

-17.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.79 Q 212

$24.54 Q 187

13.24%

Cinema Ticket

$7.24 Q 55.2

$7.16 Q 54.6

1.12%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$249 Q 1,894

$249 Q 1,896

-0.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Q 44.6K

$5,758 Q 43.9K

1.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.36 Q 361

$51.0 Q 388

-7.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.0 Q 412

$53.3 Q 407

1.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 Q 764

$119 Q 903

-15.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.9 Q 655

$120 Q 912

-28.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$880 Q 6,705

$717 Q 5,467

22.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$551 Q 4,199

$429 Q 3,271

28.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 Q 15.5K

$1,372 Q 10.5K

48.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 Q 9,607

$760 Q 5,795

65.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,046 Q 23.2K

$2,016 Q 15.4K

51.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,205 Q 9,189

$1,093 Q 8,332

10.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$544 Q 4,144

$862 Q 6,569

-36.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.5

8.9

-4.49%

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

Last update for Antigua Guatemala: July 13, 2026

Last update for Guatemala City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $880 in Antigua Guatemala and $717 in Guatemala City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Guatemala City pays 59% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $53.0 in Antigua Guatemala vs $51.0 in Guatemala City. Groceries flip the comparison at $266 vs $277, with Antigua Guatemala cheaper for home cooking.

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 Guatemala City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Antigua Guatemala and Guatemala City differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($1,281 vs $1,211 including rent). Guatemala City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 59% lower in Guatemala City. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $880 in Antigua Guatemala versus $717 in Guatemala City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $249 in Antigua Guatemala versus $249 in Guatemala City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Guatemala City – a meal for two runs $51.0 versus $53.0 in Antigua Guatemala. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,211 in Guatemala City versus $1,281 in Antigua Guatemala, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Guatemala City but tight or insufficient in Antigua Guatemala. The gap between the two cities makes Guatemala City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Antigua Guatemala and Guatemala City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Guatemala City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Antigua Guatemala. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.