Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiquimula and Quetzaltenango Cost of Living Comparison Between Chiquimula and Quetzaltenango

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $833 per month in Chiquimula vs $1,156 in Quetzaltenango, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,360 per month in Chiquimula vs $1,448 in Quetzaltenango, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,887 per month in Chiquimula vs $1,741 in Quetzaltenango, rent included.

Chiquimula is about 28% cheaper than Quetzaltenango, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chiquimula and Quetzaltenango are more affordable than the global median – Chiquimula 38% lower, Quetzaltenango 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.82 Q 67.3

$6.91 Q 52.8

27.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.9 Q 404

$49.68 Q 379

6.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.22 Q 70.4

$7.83 Q 59.8

17.75%

Cappuccino

$3.94 Q 30.12

$3.42 Q 26.12

15.20%

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

$2.15 Q 16.43

$1.16 Q 8.84

85.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 Q 11.15

$0.89 Q 6.78

64.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.82 Q 29.15

$3.32 Q 25.37

15.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 Q 45.35

$4.69 Q 35.79

26.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 Q 16.05

$2.04 Q 15.55

2.94%

White Bread (500g)

$3.65 Q 27.86

$2.67 Q 20.39

36.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 Q 14.55

$2.04 Q 15.55

-6.37%

Eggs

$2.40 Q 18.30

$2.44 Q 18.65

-1.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.34 Q 40.79

$6.43 Q 49.08

-16.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.80 Q 105

$8.00 Q 61.1

72.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.22 Q 78.0

$13.05 Q 99.6

-21.69%

Apples (1kg)

$4.96 Q 37.85

$2.85 Q 21.74

74.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 Q 17.42

$1.72 Q 13.11

32.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.30 Q 40.47

$2.87 Q 21.88

84.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 Q 12.71

$1.59 Q 12.12

4.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 Q 14.14

$1.55 Q 11.81

19.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 Q 12.97

$2.08 Q 15.90

-18.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 Q 10.20

$0.74 Q 5.65

81.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 Q 10.03

$1.16 Q 8.85

12.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.89 Q 29.72

$3.33 Q 25.44

16.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.01 Q 61.2

$8.37 Q 63.9

-4.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.96 Q 22.60

$1.78 Q 13.60

66.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Q 28.94

$2.70 Q 20.58

40.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.74 Q 36.22

$5.17 Q 39.49

-8.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 Q 13.33

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.39 Q 79.4

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 Q 9.35

$1.28 Q 9.79

-3.91%

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

$22.6K Q 172.5K

$28.0K Q 214.2K

-19.43%

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

$21.9K Q 166.9K

$25.1K Q 191.9K

-13.03%

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

$56.7 Q 433

$76.7 Q 586

-26.08%

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

$37.69 Q 288

$13.16 Q 100

186.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.8 Q 472

$44.92 Q 343

37.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.21 Q 246

Cinema Ticket

$8.35 Q 63.8

$6.33 Q 48.32

31.91%

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

$549 Q 4,194

$341 Q 2,602

61.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K Q 105.7K

$6,719 Q 51.3K

106.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.08 Q 337

$46.69 Q 357

-5.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.9 Q 404

$46.75 Q 357

13.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 Q 704

$110 Q 840

-16.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.3 Q 605

$112 Q 857

-29.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 Q 2,992

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 Q 2,985

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: September 20, 2026

Last update for Quetzaltenango: September 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Chiquimula versus $50.0 in Quetzaltenango. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $327 vs $264 – making Quetzaltenango 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 Quetzaltenango: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Quetzaltenango is pricier by about 39%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,250 per month in Chiquimula and $1,733 in Quetzaltenango. 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 $50.0 in Quetzaltenango. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 24% cheaper in Quetzaltenango – 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 $833, than in Quetzaltenango at $1,156. In Chiquimula it covers expenses comfortably, while in Quetzaltenango 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, Quetzaltenango makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.