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: $1,267 in Antigua Guatemala versus $1,234 in Guatemala City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,111 in Antigua Guatemala versus $1,935 in Guatemala City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,955 in Antigua Guatemala versus $2,637 in Guatemala City.

Living in Antigua Guatemala is roughly 3% more expensive than Guatemala City, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Antigua Guatemala 5% lower, Guatemala City 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.12 Q 39.04

$5.34 Q 40.68

-4.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.2 Q 405

$49.37 Q 376

7.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.49 Q 49.49

$6.50 Q 49.54

-0.15%

Cappuccino

$3.40 Q 25.90

$3.41 Q 25.96

-0.29%

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

$1.22 Q 9.31

$1.17 Q 8.89

4.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 Q 6.98

$0.96 Q 7.34

-4.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.87 Q 29.46

$3.36 Q 25.58

15.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.60 Q 35.08

$4.49 Q 34.24

2.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 Q 14.79

$2.08 Q 15.87

-6.73%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 Q 23.47

$3.13 Q 23.89

-1.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 Q 12.52

$2.11 Q 16.11

-22.27%

Eggs

$2.55 Q 19.45

$2.56 Q 19.53

-0.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.65 Q 58.3

$7.93 Q 60.5

-3.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.47 Q 64.6

$8.65 Q 65.9

-2.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.28 Q 78.3

$11.63 Q 88.6

-11.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.65 Q 27.85

$3.67 Q 28.00

-0.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Q 11.91

$1.52 Q 11.60

2.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.08 Q 23.47

$3.01 Q 22.93

2.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 Q 12.59

$1.76 Q 13.40

-6.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 Q 13.39

$1.71 Q 13.03

2.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 Q 13.15

$2.27 Q 17.28

-23.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 Q 5.65

$0.74 Q 5.62

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 Q 9.34

$1.24 Q 9.42

-0.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.61 Q 27.50

$3.63 Q 27.63

-0.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 Q 60.8

$8.12 Q 61.9

-1.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 Q 12.87

$1.59 Q 12.13

6.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 Q 18.48

$2.49 Q 18.95

-2.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 Q 15.03

$1.29 Q 9.82

52.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.64 Q 104

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.67 Q 35.60

$5.30 Q 40.39

-11.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.59 Q 4.51

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.37 Q 117

$15.50 Q 118

-0.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 Q 8.52

$1.08 Q 8.20

3.70%

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

$19.6K Q 149.4K

$19.7K Q 150.5K

-0.73%

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

$22.1K Q 168.2K

$24.6K Q 187.6K

-10.30%

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

$48.43 Q 369

$81.7 Q 623

-40.72%

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

$26.09 Q 199

$26.82 Q 204

-2.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.90 Q 373

$49.40 Q 376

-1.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.38 Q 308

$49.18 Q 375

-17.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.77 Q 212

$24.66 Q 188

12.61%

Cinema Ticket

$7.31 Q 55.7

$7.37 Q 56.2

-0.81%

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

$246 Q 1,878

$247 Q 1,885

-0.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,834 Q 44.5K

$5,695 Q 43.4K

2.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.64 Q 355

$50.8 Q 387

-8.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.6 Q 409

$53.6 Q 408

0.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 Q 771

$116 Q 881

-12.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 Q 639

$122 Q 932

-31.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$879 Q 6,701

$716 Q 5,452

22.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 Q 4,237

$429 Q 3,270

29.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,010 Q 15.3K

$1,376 Q 10.5K

46.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 Q 9,503

$770 Q 5,868

61.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Q 22.8K

$2,024 Q 15.4K

47.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,222 Q 9,312

$1,096 Q 8,352

11.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$539 Q 4,104

$857 Q 6,534

-37.18%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Guatemala City: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $879 in Antigua Guatemala and $716 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 $49.00 in Guatemala City. Groceries flip the comparison at $267 vs $278, 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 3% in total monthly costs ($1,267 vs $1,234 including rent). Guatemala City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Guatemala City earns 59% less. 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: $879 in Antigua Guatemala versus $716 in Guatemala City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $246 in Antigua Guatemala versus $247 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 $49.00 versus $53.0 in Antigua Guatemala. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,234 in Guatemala City versus $1,267 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 3% less than in Antigua Guatemala. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.