Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chimaltenango and Panajachel

For one person, living costs are similar in Chimaltenango and in Panajachel: $746 and $745 a month, rent and utilities included.

Jump to prices

Chimaltenango

🇬🇹 Guatemala

$746

/mo nomad

Panajachel

🇬🇹 Guatemala

$745

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chimaltenango and in Panajachel

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

A single person spends $746 per month in Chimaltenango vs $745 in Panajachel, rent included.

Chimaltenango $746
Panajachel $745

A couple spends around $1,246 per month in Chimaltenango vs $1,242 in Panajachel, rent included.

Chimaltenango $1,246
Panajachel $1,242

A family of three spends $1,747 per month in Chimaltenango vs $1,739 in Panajachel, rent included.

Chimaltenango $1,747
Panajachel $1,739

Chimaltenango and Panajachel have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Chimaltenango and Panajachel are more affordable than the global median – Chimaltenango 45% lower, Panajachel 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.73 Q 51.4

$6.89 Q 52.6

-2.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.0 Q 389

$49.46 Q 378

3.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.02 Q 61.2

$7.91 Q 60.4

1.39%

Cappuccino

$3.31 Q 25.27

$3.42 Q 26.11

-3.22%

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

$1.15 Q 8.78

$1.16 Q 8.83

-0.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 Q 6.93

$0.93 Q 7.08

-2.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 Q 24.84

$3.18 Q 24.29

2.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.83 Q 36.91

$4.72 Q 36.01

2.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 Q 15.97

$2.10 Q 16.00

-0.48%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 Q 23.49

$3.08 Q 23.54

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 Q 16.25

$2.13 Q 16.27

Eggs

$2.34 Q 17.90

$2.35 Q 17.92

-0.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.34 Q 48.44

$6.33 Q 48.32

0.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.38 Q 71.6

$9.54 Q 72.9

-1.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.39 Q 102

$13.46 Q 103

-0.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.86 Q 29.49

$3.78 Q 28.90

2.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 Q 12.95

$1.65 Q 12.63

3.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 Q 22.11

$2.84 Q 21.66

2.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 Q 12.56

$1.63 Q 12.45

0.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 Q 11.30

$1.53 Q 11.70

-3.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 Q 15.94

$2.08 Q 15.89

0.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 Q 5.65

$0.68 Q 5.18

8.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 Q 9.10

$1.17 Q 8.90

1.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 Q 30.31

$4.02 Q 30.73

-1.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.31 Q 63.4

$8.24 Q 62.9

0.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 Q 13.71

$1.71 Q 13.06

4.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 Q 20.05

$2.72 Q 20.78

-3.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.18 Q 39.56

$5.18 Q 39.57

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.54 Q 80.5

$10.60 Q 81.0

-0.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 Q 10.15

$1.34 Q 10.24

-0.75%

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

$27.1K Q 206.8K

$27.1K Q 206.6K

0.11%

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

$25.0K Q 190.7K

$25.2K Q 192.7K

-1.04%

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

$73.1 Q 558

$72.7 Q 555

0.62%

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

$29.14 Q 223

$29.08 Q 222

0.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.75 Q 349

$45.40 Q 347

0.77%

Cinema Ticket

$6.66 Q 50.9

$6.40 Q 48.84

4.06%

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

$340 Q 2,593

$338 Q 2,582

0.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,732 Q 51.4K

$6,571 Q 50.2K

2.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.4 Q 385

$49.15 Q 375

2.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.71 Q 357

$47.06 Q 359

-0.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 Q 882

$115 Q 880

0.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 Q 847

$111 Q 845

0.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.62

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

Last update for Chimaltenango: November 3, 2026

Last update for Panajachel: November 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51 in Chimaltenango versus $49 in Panajachel. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $282 vs $281 – making Panajachel the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇬🇹 Chimaltenango

🇬🇹 Panajachel

🕒 Local time

22:56 10:56 PM

Same time as Chimaltenango

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

43,900

11,142

💱 Currency

Guatemalan Quetzal GTQ Q

📈 Exchange rate

1 GTQ = 0.131 USD

1 GTQ = 0.117 EUR

1 GTQ = 0.131 USD

1 GTQ = 0.117 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chimaltenango Panajachel 37 km

From you

Chimaltenango
Panajachel

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

Chimaltenango vs Panajachel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,118 per month in Chimaltenango and $1,117 in Panajachel. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51 in Chimaltenango and $49 in Panajachel. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Kindergarten costs $340 per month in Chimaltenango and $338 in Panajachel. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

It depends on your priorities. Panajachel has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $745 in Panajachel to $746 in Chimaltenango. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.