Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiquimula and Guatemala City Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiquimula and Guatemala City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $808 per month in Chiquimula vs $1,211 in Guatemala City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,324 per month in Chiquimula vs $1,920 in Guatemala City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,841 per month in Chiquimula vs $2,629 in Guatemala City, rent included.

Chiquimula is about 33% cheaper than Guatemala City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Chiquimula and Guatemala City are more affordable than the global median – Chiquimula 39% lower, Guatemala City 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.36 Q 63.7

$5.23 Q 39.90

59.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.7 Q 402

$50.9 Q 388

3.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.24 Q 70.4

$6.24 Q 47.56

48.08%

Cappuccino

$4.00 Q 30.49

$3.31 Q 25.21

20.85%

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

$1.99 Q 15.21

$1.22 Q 9.27

63.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 Q 9.55

$0.93 Q 7.09

34.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.95 Q 30.14

$3.33 Q 25.39

18.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 Q 44.20

$4.48 Q 34.17

29.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 Q 14.81

$2.05 Q 15.59

-5.37%

White Bread (500g)

$3.68 Q 28.07

$3.17 Q 24.13

16.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 Q 12.12

$2.05 Q 15.63

-22.44%

Eggs

$2.58 Q 19.68

$2.54 Q 19.34

1.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.62 Q 58.1

$7.77 Q 59.2

-1.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.28 Q 70.8

$8.59 Q 65.5

8.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.17 Q 77.5

$11.59 Q 88.3

-12.25%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 Q 34.68

$3.58 Q 27.29

27.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 Q 16.43

$1.52 Q 11.58

42.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.03 Q 38.37

$3.15 Q 24.00

59.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 Q 12.64

$1.84 Q 14.05

-9.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.89 Q 14.40

$1.77 Q 13.47

6.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.76 Q 13.44

$2.36 Q 18.01

-25.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 Q 9.83

$0.74 Q 5.61

74.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 Q 10.16

$1.22 Q 9.31

9.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.86 Q 29.42

$3.66 Q 27.90

5.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.71 Q 66.4

$8.11 Q 61.8

7.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 Q 22.18

$1.59 Q 12.15

83.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 Q 28.35

$2.53 Q 19.25

47.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 Q 9.70

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.43 Q 102

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.59 Q 35.00

$5.19 Q 39.55

-11.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 Q 4.87

$0.60 Q 4.55

6.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.92 Q 121

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 Q 8.56

$1.08 Q 8.21

3.70%

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

$19.9K Q 152.0K

$19.6K Q 149.7K

1.56%

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

$22.1K Q 168.1K

$24.8K Q 189.3K

-11.22%

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

$49.39 Q 377

$80.4 Q 613

-38.54%

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

$40.01 Q 305

$26.23 Q 200

52.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.3 Q 513

$48.76 Q 372

37.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.46 Q 369

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.54 Q 187

Cinema Ticket

$8.29 Q 63.2

$7.16 Q 54.6

15.78%

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

$521 Q 3,974

$249 Q 1,896

109.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K Q 94.6K

$5,758 Q 43.9K

115.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.87 Q 350

$51.0 Q 388

-9.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.7 Q 409

$53.3 Q 407

0.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 Q 779

$119 Q 903

-13.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 Q 654

$120 Q 912

-28.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 Q 5,467

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 Q 3,271

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,372 Q 10.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$760 Q 5,795

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,016 Q 15.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,093 Q 8,332

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$862 Q 6,569

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.5

8.9

-4.49%

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

Last update for Chiquimula: July 14, 2026

Last update for Guatemala City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Chiquimula versus $51.0 in Guatemala City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $307 vs $277 – making Guatemala City 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 Guatemala City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Guatemala City is pricier by about 50%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,212 per month in Chiquimula and $1,817 in Guatemala City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Chiquimula and $51.0 in Guatemala City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% cheaper in Guatemala City – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Chiquimula, where all-in costs run around $808, than in Guatemala City at $1,211. In Chiquimula it covers expenses comfortably, while in Guatemala City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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