Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and Guatemala Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and Guatemala

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,184 per month in Australia vs $787 in Guatemala, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,217 per month in Australia vs $1,253 in Guatemala, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,249 per month in Australia vs $1,719 in Guatemala, rent included.

Australia costs about 178% more than Guatemala on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Australia sits 63% above the global median, while Guatemala is 41% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Both countries show comparable internal variation: Australia spans $1,584$2,827, Guatemala spans $112$1,264. City choice affects budget similarly in either country.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Australia
Guatemala
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.24 A$22.73
$5.79 Q 44.26
180.48%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$77.1 A$108
$49.80 Q 380
54.76%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.81 A$13.74
$6.62 Q 50.6
48.19%
Cappuccino
$3.58 A$5.01
$3.52 Q 26.89
1.70%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.57 A$3.60
$1.31 Q 10.04
96.18%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.18 A$3.05
$1.03 Q 7.88
111.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.63 A$9.28
$3.25 Q 24.82
104.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.12 A$9.97
$5.15 Q 39.32
38.25%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Australia
Guatemala
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 A$2.10
$1.94 Q 14.84
-22.68%
White Bread (500g)
$2.53 A$3.54
$2.60 Q 19.85
-2.69%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.07 A$2.90
$1.76 Q 13.47
17.61%
Eggs
$4.29 A$6.01
$2.25 Q 17.20
90.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.65 A$12.11
$7.61 Q 58.2
13.67%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.34 A$11.68
$7.89 Q 60.3
5.70%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.90 A$19.47
$9.97 Q 76.2
39.42%
Apples (1kg)
$3.30 A$4.61
$3.61 Q 27.61
-8.59%
Banana (1kg)
$2.77 A$3.88
$1.69 Q 12.90
63.91%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.95 A$4.13
$3.27 Q 25.00
-9.79%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.19 A$5.87
$1.51 Q 11.56
177.48%
Potato (1kg)
$2.42 A$3.39
$1.51 Q 11.54
60.26%
Onion (1kg)
$2.10 A$2.94
$1.77 Q 13.49
18.64%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.26 A$3.16
$0.74 Q 5.69
205.41%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.50 A$2.10
$1.09 Q 8.32
37.61%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$31.58 A$44.22
$3.69 Q 28.22
755.83%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.29 A$20.00
$8.32 Q 63.5
71.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.59 A$6.42
$1.89 Q 14.42
142.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.82 A$6.75
$2.82 Q 21.56
70.92%
🚌 Getting Around
Australia
Guatemala
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.02 A$4.22
$1.06 Q 8.06
184.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$98.3 A$138
$12.99 Q 99.3
656.43%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.48 A$4.88
$3.52 Q 26.89
-1.14%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.75 A$2.45
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$37.97 A$53.2
$10.08 Q 77.0
276.69%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.21 A$1.69
$1.12 Q 8.55
8.04%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.0K A$40.6K
$18.2K Q 138.8K
59.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.6K A$31.6K
$22.4K Q 171.4K
0.57%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Australia
Guatemala
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$177 A$248
$58.3 Q 445
204.46%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.85 A$37.59
$29.30 Q 224
-8.36%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$52.4 A$73.4
$53.5 Q 409
-2.09%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Australia
Guatemala
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.57 A$66.6
$43.71 Q 334
8.83%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.46 A$23.04
$25.57 Q 195
-35.63%
Cinema Ticket
$13.73 A$19.23
$6.71 Q 51.3
104.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Australia
Guatemala
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,593 A$2,231
$262 Q 2,000
508.60%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.7K A$17.8K
$8,050 Q 61.5K
57.84%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Australia
Guatemala
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$72.0 A$101
$50.2 Q 383
43.65%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.3 A$71.8
$50.7 Q 387
1.10%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 A$144
$97.6 Q 745
5.63%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 A$152
$104 Q 796
4.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Australia
Guatemala
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,401 A$1,961
$673 Q 5,145
108.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,080 A$1,512
$434 Q 3,319
148.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,340 A$3,276
$1,325 Q 10.1K
76.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,756 A$2,459
$699 Q 5,340
151.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,733 A$10.8K
$2,260 Q 17.3K
242.22%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,563 A$7,788
$1,141 Q 8,719
387.44%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Australia
Guatemala
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,000 A$5,600
$592 Q 4,523
575.66%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.35
8.71
-27.10%

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

Last update for Australia: April 27, 2026

Last update for Guatemala: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,232 in Australia vs $221 in Guatemala. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,529 in Canberra and $739 in Guatemala City.

Average salary: $3,878 in Australia vs $692 in Guatemala. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 457% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 126% more in Australia.

Public transport is 6600% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 460% higher in Australia, giving Australia stronger purchasing power.

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
Australia vs Guatemala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Australia more expensive than Guatemala?
Guatemala is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 221% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in Australia, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Australia consistently has higher rents.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Guatemala, contributing to the overall 221% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget in Australia or Guatemala?
$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Guatemala, but in Australia it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Should I move to Australia or Guatemala?
Guatemala is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

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