Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Chimaltenango

For one person, living is cheaper in Chimaltenango: $745 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $23,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,704
/mo nomad
Chimaltenango
🇬🇹 Guatemala
$745
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Chimaltenango

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Austin, TX and in Chimaltenango actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,704 in Austin, TX versus $745 in Chimaltenango.

  • Austin, TX $2,704
  • Chimaltenango $745

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,133 in Austin, TX versus $1,229 in Chimaltenango.

  • Austin, TX $4,133
  • Chimaltenango $1,229

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,562 in Austin, TX versus $1,712 in Chimaltenango.

  • Austin, TX $5,562
  • Chimaltenango $1,712

Living in Austin, TX is roughly 263% more expensive than in Chimaltenango, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Austin, TX is 102% above, Chimaltenango is 44% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Austin, TX
Chimaltenango
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.22 $20.22
$6.92 Q 52.9
192.20%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$85.0 $85.0
$49.80 Q 381
70.74%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.35 $12.35
$7.69 Q 58.8
60.60%
Cappuccino
$5.47 $5.47
$3.36 Q 25.67
62.80%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.82 $3.82
$1.16 Q 8.88
229.31%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50 $2.50
$0.93 Q 7.10
168.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.06 $8.06
$3.19 Q 24.36
152.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.99 $8.99
$4.85 Q 37.04
85.36%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
Chimaltenango
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.13 $1.13
$2.00 Q 15.30
-43.50%
White Bread (500g)
$3.78 $3.78
$3.13 Q 23.94
20.77%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.25 $3.25
$2.09 Q 15.96
55.50%
Eggs
$4.14 $4.14
$2.56 Q 19.59
61.72%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.08 $13.08
$6.46 Q 49.37
102.48%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.31 $14.31
$9.44 Q 72.1
51.59%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.96 $15.96
$13.47 Q 103
18.49%
Apples (1kg)
$4.38 $4.38
$4.00 Q 30.54
9.50%
Banana (1kg)
$1.45 $1.45
$1.66 Q 12.66
-12.65%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.54 $4.54
$2.82 Q 21.56
60.99%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.19 $4.19
$1.66 Q 12.70
152.41%
Potato (1kg)
$2.63 $2.63
$1.48 Q 11.27
77.70%
Onion (1kg)
$2.36 $2.36
$2.10 Q 16.08
12.38%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.76 $1.76
$0.68 Q 5.17
158.82%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.16 $2.16
$1.15 Q 8.78
87.83%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.81 $9.81
$3.99 Q 30.48
145.86%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.72 $14.72
$8.36 Q 63.9
76.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.78 $2.78
$1.75 Q 13.36
58.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.48 $3.48
$2.68 Q 20.49
29.85%
🚌 Getting Around
Austin, TX
Chimaltenango
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.49 $1.49
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$40.51 $40.51
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.67 $2.67
$5.27 Q 40.28
-49.34%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.58 $1.58
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.29 $35.29
$10.27 Q 78.5
243.62%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.99 $0.99
$1.21 Q 9.28
-18.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.8K $35.8K
$27.9K Q 213.3K
28.28%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.2K $27.2K
$25.3K Q 193.1K
7.52%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
Chimaltenango
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$219 $219
$72.4 Q 553
202.90%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$58.0 $58.0
$29.30 Q 224
97.92%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$68.4 $68.4
$47.04 Q 359
45.32%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
Chimaltenango
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.9 $57.9
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.82 $14.82
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.13 $14.13
$6.34 Q 48.43
122.87%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Austin, TX
Chimaltenango
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,509 $1,509
$338 Q 2,583
346.40%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.5K $21.5K
$6,593 Q 50.4K
225.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
Chimaltenango
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.7 $51.7
$49.38 Q 377
4.62%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.05 $44.05
$47.63 Q 364
-7.52%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.1 $85.1
$116 Q 889
-26.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$105 $105
$114 Q 873
-7.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
Chimaltenango
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,932 $1,932
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,272 $1,272
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,670 $3,670
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,525 $2,525
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,617 $7,617
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,199 $3,199
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Austin, TX
Chimaltenango
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,105 $5,105
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.79
11.62
-41.57%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Last update for Chimaltenango: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Austin, TX
$1.3K
Chimaltenango
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Austin, TX
$403
Chimaltenango
$282 29.9% $120
Eating Out
Austin, TX
$348
Chimaltenango
$153 56.1% $195
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Austin, TX
$346
Chimaltenango
$149 57% $197
Clothing & Footwear
Austin, TX
$129
Chimaltenango
$147 14.5% $19
Sport & Entertainment
Austin, TX
$86
Chimaltenango
$13 * 85.3% $73
Getting Around
Austin, TX
$57
Chimaltenango
$5.3 * 90.8% $52

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $85.0 in Austin, TX vs $50.0 in Chimaltenango for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $403 vs $282 per month, with Chimaltenango cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🇬🇹 Chimaltenango
🕒 Local time
00:15 12:15 AM
23:15 11:15 PM
1 h behind Austin, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
974,447
43,900
Exchange rates and currency converter

GTQ, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Guatemalan Quetzal exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 7.64 GTQ (1 GTQ = 0.131 USD). 1 EUR = 8.57 GTQ (1 GTQ = 0.117 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Austin, TX Chimaltenango 1,870 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Austin, TX
  • Chimaltenango

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Austin, TX vs Chimaltenango: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Austin, TX or Chimaltenango?
Chimaltenango wins on cost – living expenses run 263% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chimaltenango the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Austin, TX and in Chimaltenango?
You'd need roughly $4,055 in Austin, TX and $1,117 in Chimaltenango 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.
How do childcare costs compare in Austin, TX and in Chimaltenango?
Childcare runs $1,509 in Austin, TX versus $338 in Chimaltenango. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Austin, TX and in Chimaltenango?
Dining out is cheaper in Chimaltenango – a meal for two runs $50.0 versus $85.0 in Austin, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Austin, TX or in Chimaltenango?
At $745 in Chimaltenango versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Chimaltenango but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Chimaltenango the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Austin, TX or Chimaltenango?
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.
How safe is Austin, TX compared to Chimaltenango?
Safety-wise, Austin, TX and Chimaltenango are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Chimaltenango gentler on the wallet – expenses run 263% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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