Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Federal Way, WA and Guatemala City

For one person, living is cheaper in Guatemala City: $1,347 a month against $3,306 in Federal Way, WA, rent and utilities included – about $23,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Federal Way, WA, United States
Guatemala City, Guatemala
Federal Way, WA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,306
/mo nomad
Guatemala City
🇬🇹 Guatemala
$1,347
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Federal Way, WA and in Guatemala City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Federal Way, WA and in Guatemala City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,306 per month in Federal Way, WA vs $1,347 in Guatemala City, rent included.

  • Federal Way, WA $3,306
  • Guatemala City $1,347

A couple spends around $4,315 per month in Federal Way, WA vs $2,028 in Guatemala City, rent included.

  • Federal Way, WA $4,315
  • Guatemala City $2,028

A family of three spends $5,324 per month in Federal Way, WA vs $2,710 in Guatemala City, rent included.

  • Federal Way, WA $5,324
  • Guatemala City $2,710

Federal Way, WA costs about 145% more than Guatemala City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Federal Way, WA
Guatemala City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.25 $25.25
$7.76 Q 59.3
225.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$76.1 $76.1
$49.88 Q 381
52.65%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.63 $12.63
$7.72 Q 59.0
63.60%
Cappuccino
$5.59 $5.59
$3.31 Q 25.28
68.88%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82 $2.82
$1.17 Q 8.98
141.03%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.69 $1.69
$1.01 Q 7.75
67.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.87 $6.87
$3.18 Q 24.29
116.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.96 $6.96
$4.71 Q 36.00
47.77%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Federal Way, WA
Guatemala City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.10 $1.10
$2.08 Q 15.88
-47.12%
White Bread (500g)
$4.10 $4.10
$3.11 Q 23.78
31.83%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.12 $3.12
$2.12 Q 16.19
47.17%
Eggs
$5.04 $5.04
$2.44 Q 18.68
106.56%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.40 $16.40
$6.19 Q 47.28
164.94%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.62 $10.62
$9.64 Q 73.7
10.17%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.97 $18.97
$13.48 Q 103
40.73%
Apples (1kg)
$4.97 $4.97
$3.98 Q 30.43
24.87%
Banana (1kg)
$1.62 $1.62
$1.65 Q 12.58
-1.82%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.12 $4.12
$2.83 Q 21.66
45.58%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.66 $4.66
$1.63 Q 12.48
185.89%
Potato (1kg)
$2.70 $2.70
$1.53 Q 11.70
76.47%
Onion (1kg)
$2.41 $2.41
$2.18 Q 16.63
10.55%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.19 $2.19
$0.69 Q 5.26
217.39%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.60 $2.60
$1.17 Q 8.94
122.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.26 $12.26
$4.01 Q 30.62
205.74%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.80 $14.80
$8.08 Q 61.7
83.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 $1.70
$1.79 Q 13.71
-5.03%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.78 $4.78
$2.68 Q 20.46
78.36%
🚌 Getting Around
Federal Way, WA
Guatemala City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.66 $2.66
$1.01 Q 7.69
163.37%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$11.11 Q 84.9
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.65 $2.65
$5.17 Q 39.48
-48.74%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.73 $1.73
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.11 $30.11
$10.66 Q 81.5
182.46%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.41 $1.41
$1.37 Q 10.47
2.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.1K $28.1K
$27.1K Q 207.4K
3.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6K $26.6K
$24.9K Q 190.7K
6.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Federal Way, WA
Guatemala City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$159 $159
$73.1 Q 559
117.05%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$77.7 $77.7
$29.48 Q 225
163.43%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$86.6 $86.6
$45.73 Q 349
89.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Federal Way, WA
Guatemala City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$13.09 $13.09
$38.04 Q 291
-65.59%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$12.79 Q 97.8
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.87 $11.87
$6.57 Q 50.2
80.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Federal Way, WA
Guatemala City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,458 $1,458
$338 Q 2,582
331.60%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.4K $14.4K
$15.8K Q 120.8K
-8.80%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Federal Way, WA
Guatemala City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.81 $45.81
$49.96 Q 382
-8.31%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.03 $44.03
$47.37 Q 362
-7.05%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$83.8 $83.8
$119 Q 908
-29.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102 $102
$111 Q 845
-8.11%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Federal Way, WA
Guatemala City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,994 $1,994
$835 Q 6,383
138.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,009 $2,009
$538 Q 4,114
273.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,816 $2,816
$1,568 Q 12.0K
79.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,419 $2,419
$823 Q 6,292
193.81%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,041 Q 15.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,099 Q 8,398
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Federal Way, WA
Guatemala City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,489 $4,489
$846 Q 6,463
430.76%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.64
11.62
-42.86%

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

Last update for Federal Way, WA: November 2, 2026

Last update for Guatemala City: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Federal Way, WA
$2K
Guatemala City
$538 73.2% $1.5K
Groceries & Markets
Federal Way, WA
$419
Guatemala City
$283 32.5% $136
Eating Out
Federal Way, WA
$373
Guatemala City
$159 57.4% $214
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Federal Way, WA
$323
Guatemala City
$148 54.1% $175
Clothing & Footwear
Federal Way, WA
$124
Guatemala City
$147 18.7% $23
Sport & Entertainment
Federal Way, WA
$37
Guatemala City
$51 38.9% $14
Getting Around
Federal Way, WA
$22 *
Guatemala City
$20 * 7.4% $1.6

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,994 in Federal Way, WA versus $835 in Guatemala City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Federal Way, WA are about 5.3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76 in Federal Way, WA versus $50 in Guatemala City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $419 vs $283 – making Guatemala City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Federal Way, WA
🇬🇹 Guatemala City
🕒 Local time
12:29 12:29 PM
14:29 2:29 PM
2 h ahead of Federal Way, WA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
101,030
2,450,212 Capital
Exchange rates and currency converter

GTQ, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.895 EUR).

Guatemalan Quetzal exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 7.64 GTQ (1 GTQ = 0.131 USD). 1 EUR = 8.54 GTQ (1 GTQ = 0.117 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Federal Way, WA Guatemala City 4,670 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Federal Way, WA
  • Guatemala City

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Federal Way, WA vs Guatemala City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Guatemala City cheaper than Federal Way, WA?
Yes – Federal Way, WA is pricier by about 145%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,959 per month in Federal Way, WA and $2,021 in Guatemala City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Guatemala City, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $835 there versus $1,994 in Federal Way, WA.
What are total monthly expenses in Federal Way, WA and in Guatemala City?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,306 in Federal Way, WA and $1,347 in Guatemala City. That makes Guatemala City about 59% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $1,458 per month in Federal Way, WA and $338 in Guatemala City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,000 enough to cover costs in Federal Way, WA or in Guatemala City?
$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,306 in Federal Way, WA and $1,347 in Guatemala City. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is Federal Way, WA or Guatemala City more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Guatemala City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Guatemala City. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Federal Way, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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