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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,341 in Antigua Guatemala versus $1,233 in Santiago.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,199 in Antigua Guatemala versus $1,947 in Santiago.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,057 in Antigua Guatemala versus $2,660 in Santiago.

Living in Antigua Guatemala is roughly 9% more expensive than in Santiago, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Antigua Guatemala 2% lower, Santiago 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.98 Q 53.2

$10.81 CLP 10.1K

-35.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.7 Q 394

$52.9 CLP 49.2K

-2.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.71 Q 58.8

$9.15 CLP 8,516

-15.74%

Cappuccino

$3.44 Q 26.21

$3.38 CLP 3,149

1.78%

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

$1.11 Q 8.50

$1.74 CLP 1,619

-36.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 Q 6.48

$1.31 CLP 1,221

-35.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.29 Q 25.13

$4.30 CLP 4,005

-23.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.84 Q 36.93

$4.94 CLP 4,599

-2.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 Q 15.38

$1.37 CLP 1,272

47.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 Q 22.31

$1.86 CLP 1,727

56.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 Q 12.51

$1.69 CLP 1,572

-2.96%

Eggs

$2.53 Q 19.30

$4.14 CLP 3,848

-38.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.50 Q 41.98

$11.39 CLP 10.6K

-51.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.14 Q 69.7

$6.78 CLP 6,312

34.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.28 Q 78.4

$11.35 CLP 10.6K

-9.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.93 Q 29.97

$2.01 CLP 1,868

95.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 Q 12.90

$1.65 CLP 1,533

2.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 Q 21.44

$1.75 CLP 1,624

60.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 Q 12.16

$1.78 CLP 1,660

-10.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 Q 11.66

$1.12 CLP 1,041

36.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 Q 13.10

$1.61 CLP 1,499

6.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 Q 5.66

$1.32 CLP 1,229

-43.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 Q 8.75

$1.12 CLP 1,047

2.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 Q 30.52

$5.61 CLP 5,224

-28.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 Q 61.4

$6.27 CLP 5,833

28.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 Q 13.78

$1.60 CLP 1,488

13.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 Q 20.47

$2.51 CLP 2,335

6.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 Q 15.59

$0.83 CLP 777

145.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.10 CLP 39.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.57 Q 34.88

$0.41 CLP 384

1014.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 CLP 828

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.38 Q 79.2

$12.16 CLP 11.3K

-14.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 Q 9.26

$1.59 CLP 1,478

-23.90%

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

$23.0K Q 175.6K

$18.3K CLP 17.1M

25.49%

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

$21.7K Q 165.7K

$22.5K CLP 20.9M

-3.33%

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

$63.5 Q 484

$155 CLP 144.1K

-59.03%

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

$29.10 Q 222

$13.12 CLP 12.2K

121.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.90 Q 343

$20.80 CLP 19.4K

115.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.1 Q 390

$34.92 CLP 32.5K

46.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.29 Q 208

$12.43 CLP 11.6K

119.55%

Cinema Ticket

$6.23 Q 47.51

$7.69 CLP 7,151

-18.99%

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

$337 Q 2,573

$456 CLP 424.0K

-25.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,794 Q 51.8K

$11.4K CLP 10.6M

-40.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.45 Q 339

$53.2 CLP 49.5K

-16.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.21 Q 360

$30.18 CLP 28.1K

56.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 Q 709

$70.1 CLP 65.2K

32.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.1 Q 687

$85.3 CLP 79.4K

5.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$908 Q 6,924

$555 CLP 516.8K

63.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 Q 4,349

$389 CLP 361.7K

46.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,002 Q 15.3K

$1,084 CLP 1.0M

84.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,266 Q 9,659

$818 CLP 760.8K

54.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,968 Q 22.6K

$2,686 CLP 2.5M

10.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,183 Q 9,027

$2,689 CLP 2.5M

-55.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$540 Q 4,122

$836 CLP 777.9K

-35.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.62

5.39

115.58%

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

Last update for Antigua Guatemala: August 30, 2026

Last update for Santiago: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $908 in Antigua Guatemala and $555 in Santiago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santiago pays 55% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $52.0 in Antigua Guatemala vs $53.0 in Santiago. Groceries flip the comparison at $263 vs $244, with Santiago 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 Santiago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Antigua Guatemala and Santiago differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($1,341 vs $1,233 including rent). Santiago is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 55% lower in Santiago. 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 $555 in Santiago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $337 in Antigua Guatemala versus $456 in Santiago. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Santiago – a meal for two runs $53.0 versus $52.0 in Antigua Guatemala. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,233 in Santiago versus $1,341 in Antigua Guatemala, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Santiago but tight or insufficient in Antigua Guatemala. The gap between the two cities makes Santiago 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 Santiago 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 Santiago gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Antigua Guatemala. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.