Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Guatemala Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Guatemala

Name: Guatemala
Address: GT

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $712 in China versus $792 in Guatemala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,131 in China versus $1,256 in Guatemala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,550 in China versus $1,719 in Guatemala.

Living in China costs about 10% less than in Guatemala on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: China 47% lower, Guatemala 41% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in Guatemala: monthly costs span $112 to $1,281, compared to $532–$1,192 in China. City choice carries more weight in Guatemala.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.86 ¥19.35

$5.73 Q 43.70

-50.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.44 ¥159

$50.6 Q 386

-53.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 ¥32.75

$6.36 Q 48.47

-23.90%

Cappuccino

$3.11 ¥21.06

$3.42 Q 26.09

-9.06%

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

$0.44 ¥3.00

$1.35 Q 10.31

-67.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.99

$1.05 Q 8.01

-72.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 ¥6.64

$3.21 Q 24.46

-69.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥13.88

$5.32 Q 40.58

-61.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 ¥12.47

$1.92 Q 14.66

-4.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ¥10.94

$2.72 Q 20.76

-40.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.28

$1.83 Q 13.98

-49.18%

Eggs

$1.63 ¥11.03

$2.33 Q 17.79

-30.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.15 ¥89.0

$7.32 Q 55.8

79.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.26 ¥22.09

$7.89 Q 60.1

-58.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.62 ¥71.9

$9.49 Q 72.4

11.91%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.19

$3.66 Q 27.92

-50.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 ¥8.77

$1.61 Q 12.29

-19.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.90

$3.33 Q 25.41

-56.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ¥8.15

$1.51 Q 11.51

-20.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 ¥5.14

$1.57 Q 12.00

-51.59%

Onion (1kg)

$0.88 ¥5.93

$1.84 Q 14.04

-52.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 ¥3.86

$0.73 Q 5.59

-21.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ¥3.63

$1.15 Q 8.76

-53.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.42 ¥23.17

$3.71 Q 28.29

-7.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.75 ¥79.5

$8.20 Q 62.5

43.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.40

$1.87 Q 14.29

-57.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ¥10.95

$2.88 Q 21.98

-43.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.94

$1.02 Q 7.75

-57.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.47 ¥139

$13.09 Q 99.8

56.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ¥9.24

$3.68 Q 28.08

-63.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.39

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.50 ¥43.97

$9.91 Q 75.6

-34.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ¥7.59

$1.10 Q 8.41

1.82%

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

$19.5K ¥131.8K

$18.6K Q 141.4K

4.95%

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

$16.9K ¥114.1K

$22.7K Q 172.7K

-25.58%

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

$51.7 ¥350

$59.1 Q 450

-12.48%

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

$10.17 ¥68.8

$28.82 Q 220

-64.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.16 ¥75.5

$52.4 Q 399

-78.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.62 ¥268

$44.45 Q 339

-10.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.53 ¥98.3

$25.14 Q 192

-42.20%

Cinema Ticket

$6.38 ¥43.19

$6.62 Q 50.5

-3.63%

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

$407 ¥2,756

$261 Q 1,992

55.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K ¥120.7K

$8,177 Q 62.3K

118.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.53 ¥308

$50.8 Q 387

-10.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.31 ¥219

$51.7 Q 394

-37.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 ¥491

$98.0 Q 747

-25.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.4 ¥504

$102 Q 780

-27.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$443 ¥2,996

$668 Q 5,095

-33.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$258 ¥1,747

$435 Q 3,319

-40.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ¥6,162

$1,294 Q 9,868

-29.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$543 ¥3,677

$709 Q 5,402

-23.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,934 ¥33.4K

$2,243 Q 17.1K

120.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,398 ¥16.2K

$1,153 Q 8,793

107.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,065 ¥7,205

$583 Q 4,441

82.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

8.71

-53.39%

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

Last update for China: July 13, 2026

Last update for Guatemala: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $287 in China, $219 in Guatemala. Capital cities: $894 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $717 in Guatemala City.

National salary averages: $855 in China, $703 in Guatemala. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 31% higher in China.

Dining out costs 62% more in Guatemala.

Public transport is 1700% more expensive in China.

Salaries are 22% higher in China, and purchasing power comes out stronger in China.

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

China vs Guatemala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $862 per month in China and $697 in Guatemala, there's a 24% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Guatemala: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in China is consistently higher than in Guatemala across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In Guatemala, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in China it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after: Guatemala wins on affordability; China may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.