Cost of Living Comparison Between Chimaltenango and Santa Lucía Milpas Altas Cost of Living Comparison Between Chimaltenango and Santa Lucía Milpas Altas

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $757 per month in Chimaltenango vs $648 in Santa Lucía Milpas Altas, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,258 per month in Chimaltenango vs $1,099 in Santa Lucía Milpas Altas, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,758 per month in Chimaltenango vs $1,551 in Santa Lucía Milpas Altas, rent included.

Chimaltenango costs about 17% more than Santa Lucía Milpas Altas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chimaltenango and Santa Lucía Milpas Altas are more affordable than the global median – Chimaltenango 44% lower, Santa Lucía Milpas Altas 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.13 Q 39.10

$2.54 Q 19.33

101.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.02 Q 373

$15.68 Q 119

212.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.30 Q 47.94

$6.26 Q 47.69

0.64%

Cappuccino

$3.22 Q 24.53

$3.35 Q 25.52

-3.88%

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

$1.22 Q 9.30

$1.17 Q 8.89

4.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 Q 7.11

$0.99 Q 7.54

-6.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.34 Q 25.43

$3.27 Q 24.92

2.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.55 Q 34.64

$4.62 Q 35.16

-1.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 Q 16.20

$1.05 Q 8.01

102.86%

White Bread (500g)

$3.06 Q 23.28

$1.61 Q 12.24

90.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 Q 15.88

$0.54 Q 4.10

287.04%

Eggs

$2.65 Q 20.18

$1.54 Q 11.75

72.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.75 Q 59.0

$7.76 Q 59.1

-0.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.57 Q 65.2

$8.18 Q 62.3

4.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.04 Q 91.7

$8.87 Q 67.5

35.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.67 Q 27.91

$3.43 Q 26.10

7.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Q 11.89

$1.54 Q 11.72

1.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.07 Q 23.36

$3.16 Q 24.03

-2.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 Q 13.96

$1.18 Q 9.00

55.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.72 Q 13.07

$1.47 Q 11.18

17.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Q 18.02

$1.16 Q 8.85

104.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 Q 5.29

$0.54 Q 4.08

27.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 Q 9.09

$0.80 Q 6.09

48.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.67 Q 27.98

$3.71 Q 28.25

-1.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.41 Q 64.0

$8.30 Q 63.2

1.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 Q 12.72

$1.61 Q 12.27

3.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 Q 18.30

$2.47 Q 18.81

-2.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.07 Q 38.59

$5.12 Q 39.00

-0.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 Q 4.83

$0.64 Q 4.85

-1.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.60 Q 119

$15.90 Q 121

-1.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 Q 8.12

$1.11 Q 8.43

-3.60%

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

$19.7K Q 150.3K

$19.7K Q 149.7K

0.37%

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

$25.0K Q 190.4K

$24.3K Q 185.2K

2.85%

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

$81.5 Q 621

$79.7 Q 607

2.28%

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

$26.20 Q 200

$26.00 Q 198

0.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.92 Q 365

$26.11 Q 199

83.53%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 Q 54.1

$7.22 Q 55.0

-1.52%

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

$248 Q 1,892

$103 Q 782

141.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,899 Q 44.9K

$5,894 Q 44.9K

0.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.2 Q 383

$50.9 Q 388

-1.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 Q 404

$53.7 Q 409

-1.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 Q 903

$115 Q 873

3.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 Q 926

$124 Q 943

-1.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 Q 1,367

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.9

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

Last update for Chimaltenango: June 7, 2026

Last update for Santa Lucía Milpas Altas: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Chimaltenango versus $16.00 in Santa Lucía Milpas Altas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $279 vs $219 – making Santa Lucía Milpas Altas the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Santa Lucía Milpas Altas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chimaltenango costs about 17% more than Santa Lucía Milpas Altas, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,136 per month in Chimaltenango and $972 in Santa Lucía Milpas Altas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Chimaltenango and $16.00 in Santa Lucía Milpas Altas. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% more in Chimaltenango, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $757 in Chimaltenango and $648 in Santa Lucía Milpas Altas, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Santa Lucía Milpas Altas – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Santa Lucía Milpas Altas. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chimaltenango makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.