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: $1,341 in Antigua Guatemala versus $1,353 in Guatemala City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,199 in Antigua Guatemala versus $2,024 in Guatemala City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,057 in Antigua Guatemala versus $2,696 in Guatemala City.

Living in Antigua Guatemala costs roughly 1% less than in Guatemala City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Antigua Guatemala 2% lower, Guatemala City 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.98 Q 53.2

$6.99 Q 53.3

-0.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.7 Q 394

$49.28 Q 376

4.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.71 Q 58.8

$7.68 Q 58.6

0.39%

Cappuccino

$3.44 Q 26.21

$3.41 Q 26.04

0.88%

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

$1.11 Q 8.50

$1.12 Q 8.52

-0.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 Q 6.48

$0.89 Q 6.78

-4.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.29 Q 25.13

$3.21 Q 24.50

2.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.84 Q 36.93

$4.80 Q 36.59

0.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 Q 15.38

$2.09 Q 15.93

-3.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 Q 22.31

$2.89 Q 22.06

1.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 Q 12.51

$2.03 Q 15.47

-19.21%

Eggs

$2.53 Q 19.30

$2.47 Q 18.81

2.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.50 Q 41.98

$6.49 Q 49.52

-15.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.14 Q 69.7

$9.32 Q 71.1

-1.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.28 Q 78.4

$13.34 Q 102

-22.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.93 Q 29.97

$3.80 Q 29.02

3.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 Q 12.90

$1.72 Q 13.15

-1.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 Q 21.44

$2.91 Q 22.17

-3.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 Q 12.16

$1.65 Q 12.56

-3.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 Q 11.66

$1.48 Q 11.31

3.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 Q 13.10

$2.17 Q 16.57

-20.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 Q 5.66

$0.69 Q 5.24

7.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 Q 8.75

$1.21 Q 9.21

-4.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 Q 30.52

$4.01 Q 30.58

-0.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 Q 61.4

$8.08 Q 61.7

-0.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 Q 13.78

$1.80 Q 13.76

0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 Q 20.47

$2.58 Q 19.68

3.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 Q 15.59

$1.28 Q 9.77

59.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.99 Q 107

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.57 Q 34.88

$5.18 Q 39.51

-11.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.38 Q 79.2

$10.43 Q 79.6

-0.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 Q 9.26

$1.28 Q 9.80

-5.47%

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

$23.0K Q 175.6K

$27.9K Q 212.9K

-17.54%

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

$21.7K Q 165.7K

$25.7K Q 196.3K

-15.55%

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

$63.5 Q 484

$76.4 Q 583

-16.99%

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

$29.10 Q 222

$29.08 Q 222

0.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.90 Q 343

$45.55 Q 347

-1.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.1 Q 390

$39.86 Q 304

28.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.29 Q 208

$13.08 Q 99.8

108.64%

Cinema Ticket

$6.23 Q 47.51

$6.38 Q 48.68

-2.35%

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

$337 Q 2,573

$344 Q 2,621

-1.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,794 Q 51.8K

$6,719 Q 51.3K

1.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.45 Q 339

$47.73 Q 364

-6.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.21 Q 360

$47.86 Q 365

-1.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 Q 709

$108 Q 822

-13.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.1 Q 687

$111 Q 850

-19.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 Q 6,924

$828 Q 6,316

9.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 Q 4,349

$546 Q 4,163

4.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,002 Q 15.3K

$1,556 Q 11.9K

28.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,266 Q 9,659

$819 Q 6,249

54.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,968 Q 22.6K

$2,043 Q 15.6K

45.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,183 Q 9,027

$1,103 Q 8,416

7.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$540 Q 4,122

$843 Q 6,427

-35.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.62

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

Last update for Antigua Guatemala: August 30, 2026

Last update for Guatemala City: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $908 in Antigua Guatemala and $828 in Guatemala City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Guatemala City pays 56% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $52.0 in Antigua Guatemala vs $49.00 in Guatemala City. Groceries flip the comparison at $263 vs $279, 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 1% in total monthly costs ($1,341 vs $1,353 including rent). Antigua Guatemala is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 56% 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: $908 in Antigua Guatemala versus $828 in Guatemala City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $337 in Antigua Guatemala versus $344 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 Antigua Guatemala – a meal for two runs $52.0 versus $49.00 in Guatemala City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,341 in Antigua Guatemala versus $1,353 in Guatemala City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Antigua Guatemala but tight or insufficient in Guatemala City. The gap between the two cities makes Antigua Guatemala 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 Antigua Guatemala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Guatemala City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.