Cost of Living Comparison Between Colima and Quetzaltenango Cost of Living Comparison Between Colima and Quetzaltenango

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,047 in Colima versus $1,143 in Quetzaltenango.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,702 in Colima versus $1,441 in Quetzaltenango.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,357 in Colima versus $1,740 in Quetzaltenango.

Living in Colima costs roughly 8% less than in Quetzaltenango, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Colima 23% lower, Quetzaltenango 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.79 MX$134

$6.65 Q 50.7

17.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.34 MX$609

$49.45 Q 377

-28.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 MX$130

$7.97 Q 60.7

-5.65%

Cappuccino

$2.29 MX$39.48

$3.44 Q 26.19

-33.43%

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

$1.11 MX$19.14

$1.12 Q 8.53

-0.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 MX$14.92

$0.83 Q 6.31

4.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 MX$41.20

$3.22 Q 24.57

-25.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 MX$45.90

$4.85 Q 36.96

-45.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 MX$25.83

$2.04 Q 15.53

-26.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.79 MX$48.06

$2.63 Q 20.07

6.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 MX$24.96

$2.08 Q 15.89

-30.29%

Eggs

$2.66 MX$45.93

$2.53 Q 19.27

5.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.43 MX$163

$6.15 Q 46.91

53.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.98 MX$155

$8.03 Q 61.2

11.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.67 MX$184

$12.98 Q 98.9

-17.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 MX$52.4

$2.97 Q 22.61

2.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.31

$1.71 Q 13.01

-4.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 MX$44.74

$2.87 Q 21.89

-9.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 MX$45.58

$1.63 Q 12.44

61.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$42.23

$1.49 Q 11.37

64.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 MX$44.00

$2.17 Q 16.53

17.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 MX$26.40

$0.72 Q 5.52

112.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.92

$1.19 Q 9.10

1.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.86 MX$66.5

$3.24 Q 24.66

19.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.90 MX$154

$8.01 Q 61.0

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.77 Q 13.51

-8.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 MX$33.82

$2.59 Q 19.74

-24.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 MX$12.27

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.07 MX$363

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 MX$46.26

$5.19 Q 39.58

-48.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.99 MX$51.6

$1.75 Q 13.34

70.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.36 MX$299

$10.50 Q 80.0

65.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 MX$25.47

$1.23 Q 9.37

20.33%

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

$22.8K MX$392.7K

$27.1K Q 206.4K

-15.88%

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

$23.8K MX$409.8K

$25.7K Q 195.8K

-7.49%

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

$69.0 MX$1,190

$76.9 Q 586

-10.26%

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

$21.91 MX$378

$13.02 Q 99.2

68.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.61 MX$545

$45.27 Q 345

-30.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.78 MX$651

$32.28 Q 246

17.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.40 MX$403

Cinema Ticket

$4.90 MX$84.5

$6.53 Q 49.79

-24.96%

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

$156 MX$2,691

$335 Q 2,556

-53.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,644 MX$45.6K

$6,666 Q 50.8K

-60.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.30 MX$816

$47.89 Q 365

-1.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.77 MX$548

$46.79 Q 357

-32.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.4 MX$1,438

$108 Q 822

-22.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 MX$1,893

$112 Q 851

-1.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$280 MX$4,821

$396 Q 3,021

-29.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$284 MX$4,901

$397 Q 3,024

-28.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$394 MX$6,799

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$628 MX$10.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$300 MX$5,180

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

11.62

-2.75%

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

Last update for Colima: September 13, 2026

Last update for Quetzaltenango: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $280 in Colima and $396 in Quetzaltenango. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35.00 in Colima vs $49.00 in Quetzaltenango. Groceries flip the comparison at $276 vs $264, with Quetzaltenango cheaper for home cooking.

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

Colima vs Quetzaltenango: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Colima and Quetzaltenango differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($1,047 vs $1,143 including rent). Colima is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,570 in Colima and $1,714 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $280 in Colima versus $396 in Quetzaltenango. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $156 in Colima versus $335 in Quetzaltenango. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Colima – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $49.00 in Quetzaltenango. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,047 in Colima versus $1,143 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.

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.

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.

Expats usually find Colima gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Quetzaltenango. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.