🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $919 in Colima versus $1,110 in Quetzaltenango.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,490 in Colima versus $1,420 in Quetzaltenango.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,062 in Colima versus $1,730 in Quetzaltenango.
🙂Living in Colima costs roughly 17% less than in Quetzaltenango, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Colima31% lower, Quetzaltenango17% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Colima
Quetzaltenango
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.31MX$110
$4.04Q 30.93
56.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$31.38MX$546
$33.32Q 255
-5.82%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.07MX$140
$5.98Q 45.75
34.95%
Cappuccino
$2.14MX$37.16
$2.47Q 18.86
-13.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.77MX$13.35
$0.52Q 3.99
48.08%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.54MX$9.43
$0.49Q 3.74
10.20%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.74MX$30.20
$1.31Q 10.05
32.82%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71MX$47.15
$1.97Q 15.08
37.56%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Colima
Quetzaltenango
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.40MX$24.34
$1.84Q 14.04
-23.91%
White Bread(500g)
$2.48MX$43.07
$2.59Q 19.78
-4.25%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.31MX$22.87
$2.03Q 15.53
-35.47%
Eggs
$2.27MX$39.50
$2.16Q 16.49
5.09%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$5.65MX$98.3
$8.09Q 61.9
-30.16%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.72MX$134
$6.52Q 49.87
18.40%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.72MX$169
$9.74Q 74.5
-0.21%
Apples(1kg)
$2.79MX$48.50
$2.46Q 18.83
13.41%
Banana(1kg)
$1.34MX$23.24
$1.54Q 11.78
-12.99%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.46MX$25.45
$3.15Q 24.09
-53.65%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.13MX$37.10
$0.98Q 7.53
117.35%
Potato(1kg)
$1.73MX$30.18
$1.74Q 13.34
-0.57%
Onion(1kg)
$2.41MX$41.89
$1.90Q 14.50
26.84%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.35MX$23.55
$0.73Q 5.60
84.93%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07MX$18.62
$1.19Q 9.14
-10.08%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.67MX$63.9
$3.32Q 25.41
10.54%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.75MX$118
$7.91Q 60.5
-14.66%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58MX$27.49
$1.62Q 12.40
-2.47%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.89MX$32.85
$2.47Q 18.91
-23.48%
🚌 Getting Around
Colima
Quetzaltenango
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.64MX$11.18
$0.27Q 2.08
137.04%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$19.44MX$338
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.35MX$40.89
$3.57Q 27.28
-34.17%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.58MX$27.56
$0.63Q 4.83
150.79%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.20MX$143
$6.58Q 50.3
24.62%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.28MX$22.23
$0.95Q 7.30
34.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.0KMX$382.9K
$15.9KQ 121.3K
38.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.9KMX$381.0K
$22.3KQ 171.0K
-2.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Colima
Quetzaltenango
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$64.2MX$1,117
$79.2Q 606
-18.97%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.37MX$337
$13.08Q 100
48.09%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.27MX$527
$49.25Q 377
-38.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Colima
Quetzaltenango
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$34.22MX$595
$33.14Q 254
3.26%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.06MX$367
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.37MX$76.1
$7.34Q 56.2
-40.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Colima
Quetzaltenango
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$139MX$2,418
$247Q 1,886
-43.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$2,407MX$41.9K
$5,841Q 44.7K
-58.79%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Colima
Quetzaltenango
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.97MX$817
$51.0Q 390
-7.88%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.98MX$504
$54.1Q 414
-46.45%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$86.9MX$1,511
$112Q 854
-22.20%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.2MX$1,690
$120Q 921
-19.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Colima
Quetzaltenango
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$517MX$8,988
$217Q 1,661
137.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$248MX$4,319
$414Q 3,165
-40.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$332MX$5,785
$387Q 2,962
-14.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$548MX$9,542
$259Q 1,980
111.93%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,797MX$31.3K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,389MX$24.2K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Colima
Quetzaltenango
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$296MX$5,154
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.07
7.69
43.95%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Colima: April 26, 2026
Última actualización para Quetzaltenango: April 28, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $517 in Colima and $217 in Quetzaltenango. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $31.00 in Colima vs $33.00 in Quetzaltenango for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $241 per month, with Colima cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Colima vs Quetzaltenango: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
What is the total cost difference between living in Colima and Quetzaltenango?
Colima and Quetzaltenango differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($919 vs $1,110 including rent). Colima is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Colima compared to Quetzaltenango?
You'd need roughly $1,378 in Colima and $1,666 in Quetzaltenango to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Colima and Quetzaltenango?
Rent for a central apartment: $517 in Colima versus $217 in Quetzaltenango. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Colima and Quetzaltenango?
Childcare runs $139 in Colima versus $247 in Quetzaltenango. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Colima – a meal for two runs $31.00 versus $33.00 in Quetzaltenango. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $919 in Colima versus $1,110 in Quetzaltenango, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Colima but tight or insufficient in Quetzaltenango. The gap between the two cities makes Colima the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Colima and Quetzaltenango?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Colima or Quetzaltenango safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Colima and Quetzaltenango are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Colima or Quetzaltenango?
Expats usually find Colima gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Quetzaltenango. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.