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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Antigua Guatemala versus $636 in Panajachel.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Antigua Guatemala versus $1,049 in Panajachel.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,988 in Antigua Guatemala versus $1,461 in Panajachel.

Living in Antigua Guatemala is roughly 99% more expensive than Panajachel, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Antigua Guatemala 6% lower, Panajachel 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.21 Q 39.78

$4.54 Q 34.67

14.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 Q 406

$32.57 Q 249

63.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.38 Q 48.75

$6.22 Q 47.52

2.57%

Cappuccino

$3.35 Q 25.59

$2.60 Q 19.85

28.85%

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

$1.19 Q 9.08

$1.17 Q 8.92

1.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 Q 7.14

$0.92 Q 7.04

1.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.94 Q 30.13

$2.64 Q 20.17

49.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 Q 35.19

$4.54 Q 34.72

1.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 Q 15.33

$2.04 Q 15.56

-1.47%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 Q 24.26

$1.54 Q 11.80

105.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 Q 12.40

$2.09 Q 16.01

-22.49%

Eggs

$2.46 Q 18.82

$1.77 Q 13.49

38.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.35 Q 56.2

$7.83 Q 59.8

-6.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.64 Q 66.0

$8.50 Q 65.0

1.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.15 Q 77.6

$10.02 Q 76.6

1.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Q 28.09

$3.72 Q 28.39

-1.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 Q 12.07

$1.53 Q 11.66

3.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.17 Q 24.20

$3.04 Q 23.24

4.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 Q 12.22

$1.13 Q 8.62

41.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.71 Q 13.06

$1.06 Q 8.10

61.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 Q 13.02

$2.27 Q 17.37

-25.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 Q 5.73

$0.67 Q 5.14

11.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 Q 9.50

$1.18 Q 9.02

5.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.68 Q 28.09

$3.67 Q 28.00

0.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.11 Q 61.9

$8.37 Q 64.0

-3.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 Q 12.22

$1.66 Q 12.72

-3.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 Q 18.41

$2.42 Q 18.52

-0.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 Q 15.49

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.72 Q 36.05

$5.10 Q 38.95

-7.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 Q 4.97

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.43 Q 118

$15.96 Q 122

-3.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 Q 8.51

$1.06 Q 8.10

4.72%

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

$19.3K Q 147.4K

$19.6K Q 149.6K

-1.47%

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

$22.6K Q 172.9K

$24.3K Q 185.4K

-6.76%

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

$49.93 Q 381

$33.15 Q 253

50.62%

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

$26.20 Q 200

$26.83 Q 205

-2.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.48 Q 378

$46.95 Q 359

5.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.27 Q 308

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.49 Q 210

Cinema Ticket

$7.35 Q 56.2

$7.11 Q 54.3

3.38%

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

$247 Q 1,889

$245 Q 1,870

1.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,689 Q 43.5K

$5,793 Q 44.3K

-1.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.84 Q 358

$49.85 Q 381

-6.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.6 Q 410

$53.4 Q 408

0.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 Q 775

$117 Q 891

-13.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.8 Q 663

$121 Q 925

-28.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$887 Q 6,774

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 Q 4,243

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,990 Q 15.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,277 Q 9,759

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,974 Q 22.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 Q 9,347

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$534 Q 4,081

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Panajachel: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $53.0 in Antigua Guatemala vs $33.00 in Panajachel for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $247 per month, with Panajachel cheaper across the board.

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 Panajachel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Antigua Guatemala and Panajachel differ by about 99% in total monthly costs ($1,264 vs $636 including rent). Panajachel is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,896 in Antigua Guatemala and $955 in Panajachel to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $247 in Antigua Guatemala versus $245 in Panajachel. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Panajachel – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $53.0 in Antigua Guatemala. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $636 in Panajachel versus $1,264 in Antigua Guatemala, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Panajachel but tight or insufficient in Antigua Guatemala. The gap between the two cities makes Panajachel 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 Panajachel 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 Panajachel gentler on the wallet – expenses run 99% less than in Antigua Guatemala. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.