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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,267 in Antigua Guatemala versus $1,098 in Quetzaltenango.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,111 in Antigua Guatemala versus $1,435 in Quetzaltenango.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,955 in Antigua Guatemala versus $1,772 in Quetzaltenango.

Living in Antigua Guatemala is roughly 15% more expensive than Quetzaltenango, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Antigua Guatemala 5% lower, Quetzaltenango 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.12 Q 39.04

$4.11 Q 31.29

24.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.2 Q 405

$34.08 Q 260

55.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.49 Q 49.49

$5.85 Q 44.56

10.94%

Cappuccino

$3.40 Q 25.90

$2.55 Q 19.43

33.33%

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

$1.22 Q 9.31

$0.48 Q 3.66

154.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 Q 6.98

$0.49 Q 3.71

87.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.87 Q 29.46

$1.39 Q 10.56

178.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.60 Q 35.08

$1.95 Q 14.85

135.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 Q 14.79

$1.82 Q 13.86

6.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 Q 23.47

$2.62 Q 19.98

17.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 Q 12.52

$2.03 Q 15.45

-19.21%

Eggs

$2.55 Q 19.45

$2.22 Q 16.95

14.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.65 Q 58.3

$7.98 Q 60.8

-4.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.47 Q 64.6

$6.27 Q 47.77

35.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.28 Q 78.3

$9.23 Q 70.3

11.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.65 Q 27.85

$2.41 Q 18.39

51.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Q 11.91

$1.53 Q 11.66

1.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.08 Q 23.47

$3.12 Q 23.77

-1.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 Q 12.59

$1.02 Q 7.80

61.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 Q 13.39

$1.75 Q 13.31

0.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 Q 13.15

$1.89 Q 14.43

-8.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 Q 5.65

$0.75 Q 5.74

-1.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 Q 9.34

$1.22 Q 9.30

0.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.61 Q 27.50

$3.31 Q 25.25

9.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 Q 60.8

$7.94 Q 60.5

0.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 Q 12.87

$1.66 Q 12.66

1.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 Q 18.48

$2.44 Q 18.61

-0.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 Q 15.03

$0.27 Q 2.07

629.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.67 Q 35.60

$3.67 Q 27.94

27.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 Q 4.60

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.37 Q 117

$6.61 Q 50.3

132.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 Q 8.52

$0.95 Q 7.24

17.89%

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

$19.6K Q 149.4K

$15.6K Q 119.0K

25.57%

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

$22.1K Q 168.2K

$22.7K Q 173.2K

-2.84%

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

$48.43 Q 369

$79.4 Q 605

-38.99%

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

$26.09 Q 199

$13.27 Q 101

96.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.90 Q 373

$47.94 Q 365

2.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.38 Q 308

$32.69 Q 249

23.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.77 Q 212

Cinema Ticket

$7.31 Q 55.7

$7.39 Q 56.3

-1.08%

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

$246 Q 1,878

$244 Q 1,859

0.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,834 Q 44.5K

$5,720 Q 43.6K

1.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.64 Q 355

$49.21 Q 375

-5.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.6 Q 409

$54.1 Q 412

-0.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 Q 771

$112 Q 850

-9.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 Q 639

$124 Q 946

-32.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$879 Q 6,701

$211 Q 1,606

317.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 Q 4,237

$401 Q 3,056

38.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,010 Q 15.3K

$376 Q 2,868

434.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 Q 9,503

$260 Q 1,981

379.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Q 22.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,222 Q 9,312

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$539 Q 4,104

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.5

7.69

10.53%

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

Last update for Antigua Guatemala: May 31, 2026

Last update for Quetzaltenango: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $879 in Antigua Guatemala and $211 in Quetzaltenango. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Antigua Guatemala vs $34.00 in Quetzaltenango for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $239 per month, with Quetzaltenango 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 Quetzaltenango: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Antigua Guatemala and Quetzaltenango differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($1,267 vs $1,098 including rent). Quetzaltenango is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,900 in Antigua Guatemala and $1,647 in Quetzaltenango 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $879 in Antigua Guatemala versus $211 in Quetzaltenango. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $246 in Antigua Guatemala versus $244 in Quetzaltenango. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Quetzaltenango – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $53.0 in Antigua Guatemala. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,098 in Quetzaltenango versus $1,267 in Antigua Guatemala, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Quetzaltenango but tight or insufficient in Antigua Guatemala. The gap between the two cities makes Quetzaltenango 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 Quetzaltenango 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 Quetzaltenango gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Antigua Guatemala. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.