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: $914 in Colima versus $1,071 in Quetzaltenango.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,483 in Colima versus $1,424 in Quetzaltenango.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,053 in Colima versus $1,776 in Quetzaltenango.

Living in Colima costs roughly 15% less than in Quetzaltenango, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Colima 31% lower, Quetzaltenango 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.48 MX$112

$4.02 Q 30.65

61.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.64 MX$547

$33.88 Q 258

-6.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.89 MX$137

$6.16 Q 46.96

28.08%

Cappuccino

$2.08 MX$35.90

$2.54 Q 19.33

-18.11%

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

$0.81 MX$13.97

$0.48 Q 3.68

68.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 MX$9.45

$0.52 Q 3.96

5.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 MX$29.52

$1.39 Q 10.59

23.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 MX$49.16

$2.04 Q 15.56

39.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.21

$1.75 Q 13.33

-23.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 MX$43.72

$2.68 Q 20.45

-5.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 MX$23.56

$2.13 Q 16.21

-36.15%

Eggs

$2.28 MX$39.37

$2.23 Q 17.01

2.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.92 MX$102

$7.63 Q 58.2

-22.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.84 MX$136

$6.24 Q 47.55

25.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.52 MX$165

$9.36 Q 71.4

1.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 MX$47.79

$2.50 Q 19.06

10.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 MX$23.32

$1.56 Q 11.92

-13.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.19

$3.09 Q 23.53

-51.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 MX$37.02

$1.02 Q 7.74

109.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.76

$1.74 Q 13.27

2.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.41 MX$41.71

$1.99 Q 15.18

21.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 MX$23.46

$0.71 Q 5.41

91.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.65

$1.23 Q 9.39

-12.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.65 MX$63.1

$3.20 Q 24.43

14.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$8.19 Q 62.5

-17.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 MX$27.65

$1.62 Q 12.32

-1.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 MX$33.77

$2.48 Q 18.89

-21.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 MX$11.08

$0.27 Q 2.07

137.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.40 MX$336

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.44 MX$42.23

$3.65 Q 27.82

-33.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 MX$27.81

$0.60 Q 4.60

168.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.31 MX$144

$6.58 Q 50.2

26.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.15

$0.96 Q 7.28

39.58%

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

$22.2K MX$383.5K

$16.1K Q 122.9K

37.46%

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

$21.7K MX$374.7K

$22.4K Q 170.7K

-3.28%

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

$63.8 MX$1,104

$79.0 Q 602

-19.23%

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

$19.25 MX$333

$13.02 Q 99.3

47.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.18 MX$540

$49.44 Q 377

-36.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.11 MX$590

$32.97 Q 251

3.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.92 MX$362

Cinema Ticket

$4.47 MX$77.4

$7.01 Q 53.5

-36.23%

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

$143 MX$2,468

$245 Q 1,865

-41.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,485 MX$43.0K

$5,750 Q 43.8K

-56.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.12 MX$815

$49.55 Q 378

-4.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.14 MX$487

$54.2 Q 413

-48.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.6 MX$1,499

$111 Q 849

-22.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.4 MX$1,702

$124 Q 945

-20.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$508 MX$8,786

$216 Q 1,649

134.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$252 MX$4,364

$415 Q 3,167

-39.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$326 MX$5,638

$381 Q 2,905

-14.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$541 MX$9,352

$255 Q 1,947

111.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$295 MX$5,111

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.07

7.69

43.95%

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

Last update for Colima: July 26, 2026

Last update for Quetzaltenango: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $508 in Colima and $216 in Quetzaltenango. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Colima vs $34.00 in Quetzaltenango for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $231 vs $239 per month, with Colima cheaper across the board.

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 17% in total monthly costs ($914 vs $1,071 including rent). Colima is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,371 in Colima and $1,607 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: $508 in Colima versus $216 in Quetzaltenango. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $143 in Colima versus $245 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 $32.00 versus $34.00 in Quetzaltenango. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $914 in Colima versus $1,071 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 17% less than in Quetzaltenango. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.