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 $755 per month in Chimaltenango vs $756 in Santa Lucía Milpas Altas, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,248 per month in Chimaltenango vs $1,240 in Santa Lucía Milpas Altas, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,741 per month in Chimaltenango vs $1,724 in Santa Lucía Milpas Altas, rent included.

Chimaltenango and Santa Lucía Milpas Altas have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Chimaltenango and Santa Lucía Milpas Altas are more affordable than the global median – Chimaltenango 45% lower, Santa Lucía Milpas Altas 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.88 Q 52.4

$6.97 Q 53.1

-1.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.56 Q 370

$50.4 Q 384

-3.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 Q 60.0

$7.95 Q 60.6

-1.01%

Cappuccino

$3.35 Q 25.50

$3.42 Q 26.03

-2.05%

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

$1.14 Q 8.70

$1.11 Q 8.45

2.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 Q 6.33

$0.84 Q 6.42

-1.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 Q 25.58

$3.23 Q 24.61

4.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.78 Q 36.41

$4.65 Q 35.44

2.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 Q 15.51

$2.11 Q 16.08

-3.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 Q 21.43

$2.87 Q 21.85

-2.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 Q 16.05

$2.13 Q 16.23

-0.94%

Eggs

$2.58 Q 19.68

$2.49 Q 18.98

3.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.29 Q 47.92

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.17 Q 69.9

$9.19 Q 70.1

-0.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.16 Q 100

$13.53 Q 103

-2.73%

Apples (1kg)

$4.02 Q 30.68

$4.01 Q 30.54

0.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 Q 12.62

$1.66 Q 12.66

Oranges (1kg)

$2.92 Q 22.29

$2.87 Q 21.90

1.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 Q 12.24

$1.64 Q 12.53

-1.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 Q 11.42

$1.54 Q 11.70

-2.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 Q 15.95

$2.09 Q 15.94

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 Q 5.20

$0.75 Q 5.68

-9.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 Q 9.16

$1.21 Q 9.24

-0.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.00 Q 30.50

$4.12 Q 31.39

-2.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.30 Q 63.2

$8.07 Q 61.5

2.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 Q 13.79

$1.72 Q 13.10

5.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 Q 20.16

$2.58 Q 19.70

2.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.31 Q 40.48

$5.29 Q 40.29

0.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.40 Q 79.3

$10.51 Q 80.1

-1.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 Q 9.25

$1.22 Q 9.32

-0.82%

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

$27.8K Q 211.9K

$27.8K Q 212.0K

-0.06%

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

$25.1K Q 191.3K

$25.3K Q 192.9K

-0.80%

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

$75.3 Q 574

$75.6 Q 576

-0.46%

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

$29.05 Q 221

$29.40 Q 224

-1.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.31 Q 353

$46.14 Q 352

0.37%

Cinema Ticket

$6.45 Q 49.17

$6.46 Q 49.26

-0.15%

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

$335 Q 2,556

$347 Q 2,645

-3.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,800 Q 51.8K

$6,602 Q 50.3K

2.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.59 Q 355

$47.08 Q 359

-1.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.52 Q 362

$46.86 Q 357

1.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 Q 846

$111 Q 847

-0.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 Q 875

$111 Q 845

3.51%

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: September 14, 2026

Last update for Santa Lucía Milpas Altas: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Chimaltenango versus $50.0 in Santa Lucía Milpas Altas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $280 – making Chimaltenango 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,132 per month in Chimaltenango and $1,133 in Santa Lucía Milpas Altas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Santa Lucía Milpas Altas, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Chimaltenango and $50.0 in Santa Lucía Milpas Altas. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $755 in Chimaltenango and $756 in Santa Lucía Milpas Altas, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Chimaltenango – 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 Chimaltenango. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Santa Lucía Milpas Altas makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.