Cost of Living Comparison Between Guatemala City and Antigua Guatemala Cost of Living Comparison Between Guatemala City and Antigua Guatemala

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,353 in Guatemala City versus $1,341 in Antigua Guatemala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,024 in Guatemala City versus $2,199 in Antigua Guatemala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,696 in Guatemala City versus $3,057 in Antigua Guatemala.

Living in Guatemala City is roughly 1% more expensive than in Antigua Guatemala, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Guatemala City 2% lower, Antigua Guatemala 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.99 Q 53.3

$6.98 Q 53.2

0.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.28 Q 376

$51.7 Q 394

-4.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.68 Q 58.6

$7.71 Q 58.8

-0.39%

Cappuccino

$3.41 Q 26.04

$3.44 Q 26.21

-0.87%

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

$1.12 Q 8.52

$1.11 Q 8.50

0.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 Q 6.78

$0.85 Q 6.48

4.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 Q 24.50

$3.29 Q 25.13

-2.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.80 Q 36.59

$4.84 Q 36.93

-0.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 Q 15.93

$2.02 Q 15.38

3.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 Q 22.06

$2.92 Q 22.31

-1.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 Q 15.47

$1.64 Q 12.51

23.78%

Eggs

$2.47 Q 18.81

$2.53 Q 19.30

-2.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.49 Q 49.52

$5.50 Q 41.98

18.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.32 Q 71.1

$9.14 Q 69.7

1.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.34 Q 102

$10.28 Q 78.4

29.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.80 Q 29.02

$3.93 Q 29.97

-3.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 Q 13.15

$1.69 Q 12.90

1.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.91 Q 22.17

$2.81 Q 21.44

3.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 Q 12.56

$1.59 Q 12.16

3.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 Q 11.31

$1.53 Q 11.66

-3.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 Q 16.57

$1.72 Q 13.10

26.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 Q 5.24

$0.74 Q 5.66

-6.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 Q 9.21

$1.15 Q 8.75

5.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.01 Q 30.58

$4.00 Q 30.52

0.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.08 Q 61.7

$8.05 Q 61.4

0.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 Q 13.76

$1.81 Q 13.78

-0.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 Q 19.68

$2.68 Q 20.47

-3.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 Q 9.77

$2.04 Q 15.59

-37.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.99 Q 107

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.18 Q 39.51

$4.57 Q 34.88

13.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.43 Q 79.6

$10.38 Q 79.2

0.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 Q 9.80

$1.21 Q 9.26

5.79%

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

$27.9K Q 212.9K

$23.0K Q 175.6K

21.27%

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

$25.7K Q 196.3K

$21.7K Q 165.7K

18.41%

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

$76.4 Q 583

$63.5 Q 484

20.47%

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

$29.08 Q 222

$29.10 Q 222

-0.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.55 Q 347

$44.90 Q 343

1.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.86 Q 304

$51.1 Q 390

-22.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.08 Q 99.8

$27.29 Q 208

-52.07%

Cinema Ticket

$6.38 Q 48.68

$6.23 Q 47.51

2.41%

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

$344 Q 2,621

$337 Q 2,573

1.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,719 Q 51.3K

$6,794 Q 51.8K

-1.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.73 Q 364

$44.45 Q 339

7.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.86 Q 365

$47.21 Q 360

1.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 Q 822

$93.0 Q 709

15.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 Q 850

$90.1 Q 687

23.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$828 Q 6,316

$908 Q 6,924

-8.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$546 Q 4,163

$570 Q 4,349

-4.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,556 Q 11.9K

$2,002 Q 15.3K

-22.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$819 Q 6,249

$1,266 Q 9,659

-35.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,043 Q 15.6K

$2,968 Q 22.6K

-31.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,103 Q 8,416

$1,183 Q 9,027

-6.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$843 Q 6,427

$540 Q 4,122

55.93%

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 Guatemala City: August 30, 2026

Last update for Antigua Guatemala: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $828 in Guatemala City and $908 in Antigua Guatemala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Guatemala City pays 56% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $49.00 in Guatemala City vs $52.0 in Antigua Guatemala. Groceries flip the comparison at $279 vs $263, with Antigua Guatemala 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

Guatemala City vs Antigua Guatemala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Guatemala City and Antigua Guatemala differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($1,353 vs $1,341 including rent). Antigua Guatemala is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 56% higher in Guatemala City, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $828 in Guatemala City versus $908 in Antigua Guatemala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $344 in Guatemala City versus $337 in Antigua Guatemala. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Antigua Guatemala – a meal for two runs $52.0 versus $49.00 in Guatemala City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,341 in Antigua Guatemala versus $1,353 in Guatemala City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Antigua Guatemala but tight or insufficient in Guatemala City. The gap between the two cities makes Antigua Guatemala 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, Guatemala City and Antigua Guatemala 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 Antigua Guatemala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Guatemala City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.