Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chimaltenango and Quetzaltenango

For one person, living is cheaper in Chimaltenango: $750 a month against $1,138 in Quetzaltenango, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Quetzaltenango outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Quetzaltenango
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Quetzaltenango Living Index

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Chimaltenango

🇬🇹 Guatemala

$750

/mo nomad

Quetzaltenango

🇬🇹 Guatemala

$1,138

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chimaltenango and in Quetzaltenango

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 Quetzaltenango actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $750 per month in Chimaltenango vs $1,138 in Quetzaltenango, rent included.

Chimaltenango $750
Quetzaltenango $1,138

A couple spends around $1,252 per month in Chimaltenango vs $1,443 in Quetzaltenango, rent included.

Chimaltenango $1,252
Quetzaltenango $1,443

A family of three spends $1,753 per month in Chimaltenango vs $1,747 in Quetzaltenango, rent included.

Chimaltenango $1,753
Quetzaltenango $1,747

Chimaltenango is about 34% cheaper than Quetzaltenango, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Chimaltenango and Quetzaltenango are more affordable than the global median – Chimaltenango 45% lower, Quetzaltenango 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.93 Q 52.9

$6.77 Q 51.7

2.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.84 Q 381

$50.9 Q 389

-2.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.86 Q 60.1

$7.68 Q 58.7

2.34%

Cappuccino

$3.30 Q 25.23

$3.36 Q 25.69

-1.79%

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

$1.11 Q 8.49

$1.10 Q 8.40

0.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 Q 7.01

$0.97 Q 7.44

-5.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.34 Q 25.52

$3.33 Q 25.45

0.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.65 Q 35.56

$4.62 Q 35.27

0.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 Q 15.20

$2.10 Q 16.01

-5.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 Q 23.75

$2.57 Q 19.64

21.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 Q 15.66

$2.05 Q 15.69

Eggs

$2.41 Q 18.45

$2.36 Q 18.05

2.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.23 Q 47.63

$6.37 Q 48.69

-2.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.68 Q 74.0

$7.92 Q 60.5

22.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.41 Q 102

$13.09 Q 100

2.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.96 Q 30.23

$2.96 Q 22.58

33.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 Q 13.22

$1.72 Q 13.14

0.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 Q 22.21

$2.92 Q 22.34

-0.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 Q 12.52

$1.60 Q 12.20

2.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 Q 11.41

$1.54 Q 11.73

-3.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 Q 16.01

$2.20 Q 16.79

-5.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 Q 5.32

$0.74 Q 5.65

-5.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 Q 9.12

$1.16 Q 8.90

2.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 Q 31.76

$3.35 Q 25.61

24.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.23 Q 62.9

$8.04 Q 61.5

2.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 Q 13.36

$1.78 Q 13.57

-1.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 Q 19.76

$2.60 Q 19.84

-0.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 Q 40.62

$5.12 Q 39.12

3.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 Q 13.16

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.37 Q 79.2

$10.34 Q 79.0

0.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 Q 10.10

$1.33 Q 10.14

-0.75%

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

$27.3K Q 208.7K

$27.6K Q 210.6K

-0.90%

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

$25.3K Q 193.1K

$25.8K Q 197.5K

-2.21%

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

$72.4 Q 554

$72.2 Q 551

0.39%

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

$28.72 Q 219

$12.97 Q 99.1

121.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.00 Q 351

$46.36 Q 354

-0.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.27 Q 254

Cinema Ticket

$6.67 Q 51.0

$6.34 Q 48.46

5.21%

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

$333 Q 2,548

$342 Q 2,613

-2.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,742 Q 51.5K

$6,808 Q 52.0K

-0.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.3 Q 384

$48.78 Q 373

3.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.48 Q 363

$47.81 Q 365

-0.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 Q 916

$110 Q 839

9.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 Q 874

$112 Q 853

2.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$399 Q 3,052

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 Q 2,971

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: October 27, 2026

Last update for Quetzaltenango: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chimaltenango

–

Quetzaltenango

$389 34.2%

Groceries & Markets

Chimaltenango

–

Quetzaltenango

$263 23.1%

Eating Out

Chimaltenango

–

Quetzaltenango

$152 13.3%

Clothing & Footwear

Chimaltenango

–

Quetzaltenango

$143 12.6%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chimaltenango

–

Quetzaltenango

$131 11.6%

Sport & Entertainment

Chimaltenango

–

Quetzaltenango

$46 4%

Getting Around

Chimaltenango

–

Quetzaltenango

$14 * 1.2%

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

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50 in Chimaltenango versus $51 in Quetzaltenango. Groceries tell a different story – $282 in Chimaltenango vs $263 in Quetzaltenango – so Quetzaltenango wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇬🇹 Chimaltenango

🇬🇹 Quetzaltenango

🕒 Local time

09:15 9:15 AM

Same time as Chimaltenango

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

43,900

500,000

💱 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 Quetzaltenango 78 km

From you

Chimaltenango
Quetzaltenango

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 Quetzaltenango: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Quetzaltenango costs about 52% more than Chimaltenango, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from leisure. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,125 per month in Chimaltenango and $1,707 in Quetzaltenango. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $750 in Chimaltenango and $1,138 in Quetzaltenango. That makes Chimaltenango about 34% cheaper.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Quetzaltenango – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

It depends on your priorities. Chimaltenango has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $750 in Chimaltenango to $1,138 in Quetzaltenango. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.