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: $1,281 in Antigua Guatemala versus $1,288 in Santiago.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,115 in Antigua Guatemala versus $2,020 in Santiago.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,950 in Antigua Guatemala versus $2,752 in Santiago.

Living in Antigua Guatemala costs roughly 1% less than in Santiago, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Antigua Guatemala 4% lower, Santiago 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.19 Q 39.54

$10.72 CLP 9,983

-51.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.3 Q 406

$54.8 CLP 51.0K

-2.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.35 Q 48.41

$8.16 CLP 7,601

-22.18%

Cappuccino

$3.42 Q 26.05

$3.16 CLP 2,941

8.23%

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

$1.19 Q 9.07

$1.78 CLP 1,660

-33.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 Q 7.39

$1.25 CLP 1,162

-22.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.92 Q 29.89

$3.31 CLP 3,086

18.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 Q 35.72

$4.24 CLP 3,946

10.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.91 Q 14.54

$1.18 CLP 1,101

61.86%

White Bread (500g)

$3.18 Q 24.20

$1.53 CLP 1,429

107.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 Q 12.09

$2.18 CLP 2,031

-27.06%

Eggs

$2.53 Q 19.31

$4.19 CLP 3,898

-39.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.46 Q 56.9

$10.65 CLP 9,913

-29.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.45 Q 64.4

$6.59 CLP 6,135

28.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.18 Q 77.6

$11.13 CLP 10.4K

-8.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.65 Q 27.81

$2.09 CLP 1,947

74.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 Q 11.56

$1.55 CLP 1,440

-1.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.15 Q 24.02

$2.07 CLP 1,923

52.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 Q 12.11

$1.86 CLP 1,730

-14.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 Q 13.34

$1.95 CLP 1,820

-10.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 Q 13.47

$1.63 CLP 1,514

8.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 Q 5.59

$1.28 CLP 1,194

-42.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 Q 9.15

$1.25 CLP 1,160

-4.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.56 Q 27.15

$5.75 CLP 5,359

-38.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.07 Q 61.5

$6.50 CLP 6,051

24.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 Q 12.77

$1.56 CLP 1,452

7.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 Q 19.16

$2.48 CLP 2,308

1.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 Q 15.61

$0.85 CLP 788

141.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.60 CLP 39.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.71 Q 35.93

$0.51 CLP 477

823.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 CLP 1,351

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.77 Q 120

$11.30 CLP 10.5K

39.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 Q 8.49

$1.39 CLP 1,290

-20.14%

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

$19.4K Q 148.1K

$19.5K CLP 18.2M

-0.61%

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

$22.5K Q 171.5K

$22.6K CLP 21.0M

-0.26%

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

$49.84 Q 380

$134 CLP 124.6K

-62.74%

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

$26.09 Q 199

$13.59 CLP 12.7K

91.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.09 Q 374

$22.02 CLP 20.5K

122.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.22 Q 307

$34.67 CLP 32.3K

16.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.79 Q 212

$21.24 CLP 19.8K

30.84%

Cinema Ticket

$7.24 Q 55.2

$6.29 CLP 5,857

15.10%

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

$249 Q 1,894

$436 CLP 406.4K

-43.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Q 44.6K

$8,744 CLP 8.1M

-33.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.36 Q 361

$55.3 CLP 51.5K

-14.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.0 Q 412

$32.30 CLP 30.1K

67.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 Q 764

$77.3 CLP 71.9K

29.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.9 Q 655

$85.5 CLP 79.6K

0.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$880 Q 6,705

$515 CLP 479.3K

70.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$551 Q 4,199

$462 CLP 430.1K

19.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 Q 15.5K

$989 CLP 920.7K

105.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 Q 9,607

$920 CLP 856.6K

37.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,046 Q 23.2K

$2,871 CLP 2.7M

6.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,205 Q 9,189

$2,757 CLP 2.6M

-56.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$544 Q 4,144

$803 CLP 747.6K

-32.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.5

5.18

64.09%

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

Last update for Antigua Guatemala: July 13, 2026

Last update for Santiago: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $880 in Antigua Guatemala and $515 in Santiago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santiago pays 48% 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: $53.0 in Antigua Guatemala vs $55.0 in Santiago. Groceries flip the comparison at $266 vs $243, 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 1% in total monthly costs ($1,281 vs $1,288 including rent). Antigua Guatemala is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 48% 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: $880 in Antigua Guatemala versus $515 in Santiago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $249 in Antigua Guatemala versus $436 in Santiago. 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 $53.0 versus $55.0 in Santiago. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,281 in Antigua Guatemala versus $1,288 in Santiago, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Antigua Guatemala but tight or insufficient in Santiago. 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 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 Antigua Guatemala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Santiago. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.