Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiquimula and Chimaltenango Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiquimula and Chimaltenango

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $879 per month in Chiquimula vs $737 in Chimaltenango, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,417 per month in Chiquimula vs $1,246 in Chimaltenango, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,954 per month in Chiquimula vs $1,754 in Chimaltenango, rent included.

Chiquimula costs about 19% more than Chimaltenango, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiquimula and Chimaltenango are more affordable than the global median – Chiquimula 36% lower, Chimaltenango 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.96 Q 68.3

$6.75 Q 51.5

32.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 Q 394

$49.18 Q 375

5.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.08 Q 69.3

$7.70 Q 58.7

17.92%

Cappuccino

$4.21 Q 32.14

$3.43 Q 26.18

22.74%

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

$2.24 Q 17.08

$1.11 Q 8.45

101.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 Q 11.38

$0.84 Q 6.43

77.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.81 Q 29.10

$3.22 Q 24.56

18.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.93 Q 45.22

$4.63 Q 35.30

28.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 Q 16.73

$2.09 Q 15.92

4.78%

White Bread (500g)

$4.97 Q 37.89

$2.85 Q 21.73

74.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 Q 12.17

$2.13 Q 16.24

-25.35%

Eggs

$2.63 Q 20.03

$2.47 Q 18.87

6.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.44 Q 41.50

$6.37 Q 48.63

-14.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.94 Q 122

$9.21 Q 70.3

73.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.23 Q 78.0

$13.52 Q 103

-24.33%

Apples (1kg)

$4.48 Q 34.21

$3.85 Q 29.34

16.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 Q 16.30

$1.70 Q 12.98

25.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.24 Q 39.96

$2.77 Q 21.13

89.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 Q 12.06

$1.66 Q 12.68

-4.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 Q 14.30

$1.47 Q 11.22

27.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 Q 13.61

$2.16 Q 16.48

-17.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 Q 10.29

$0.69 Q 5.30

95.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 Q 10.15

$1.15 Q 8.77

15.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.89 Q 29.69

$4.15 Q 31.68

-6.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.14 Q 69.8

$7.98 Q 60.9

14.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.28 Q 25.04

$1.71 Q 13.05

91.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 Q 31.05

$2.65 Q 20.20

53.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.75 Q 36.20

$5.33 Q 40.64

-10.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.54 Q 80.4

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 Q 9.30

$1.23 Q 9.39

-0.81%

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

$22.5K Q 171.8K

$27.2K Q 207.2K

-17.10%

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

$22.0K Q 167.7K

$25.1K Q 191.6K

-12.50%

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

$62.2 Q 474

$76.3 Q 582

-18.56%

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

$39.70 Q 303

$29.69 Q 226

33.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.1 Q 519

$46.22 Q 353

47.23%

Cinema Ticket

$8.52 Q 65.0

$6.28 Q 47.90

35.67%

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

$535 Q 4,085

$346 Q 2,642

54.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K Q 108.2K

$6,577 Q 50.2K

115.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.54 Q 332

$46.70 Q 356

-6.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.8 Q 403

$46.64 Q 356

13.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 Q 709

$108 Q 827

-14.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.3 Q 674

$114 Q 868

-22.41%

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 Chiquimula: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chimaltenango: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Chiquimula versus $49.00 in Chimaltenango. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $353 vs $277 – 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

Chiquimula vs Chimaltenango: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chiquimula costs about 19% more than Chimaltenango, 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 $1,319 per month in Chiquimula and $1,106 in Chimaltenango. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Chiquimula and $49.00 in Chimaltenango. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 27% more in Chiquimula, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $879 in Chiquimula and $737 in Chimaltenango, 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, Chiquimula makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.