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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,234 per month in Guatemala City vs $730 in Chimaltenango, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,935 per month in Guatemala City vs $1,212 in Chimaltenango, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,637 per month in Guatemala City vs $1,694 in Chimaltenango, rent included.

Guatemala City costs about 69% more than Chimaltenango, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Guatemala City and Chimaltenango are more affordable than the global median – Guatemala City 8% lower, Chimaltenango 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.34 Q 40.68

$5.08 Q 38.74

5.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.37 Q 376

$50.8 Q 387

-2.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.50 Q 49.54

$6.44 Q 49.04

0.93%

Cappuccino

$3.41 Q 25.96

$3.30 Q 25.11

3.33%

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

$1.17 Q 8.89

$1.23 Q 9.41

-4.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.96 Q 7.34

$0.91 Q 6.95

5.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 Q 25.58

$3.29 Q 25.11

2.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.49 Q 34.24

$4.69 Q 35.72

-4.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.08 Q 15.87

$2.09 Q 15.95

-0.48%

White Bread (500g)

$3.13 Q 23.89

$3.03 Q 23.07

3.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 Q 16.11

$2.06 Q 15.69

2.43%

Eggs

$2.56 Q 19.53

$2.65 Q 20.19

-3.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.93 Q 60.5

$7.75 Q 59.0

2.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.65 Q 65.9

$8.38 Q 63.9

3.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.63 Q 88.6

$11.58 Q 88.3

0.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.67 Q 28.00

$3.69 Q 28.11

-0.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 Q 11.60

$1.57 Q 11.95

-3.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 Q 22.93

$3.01 Q 22.95

Tomato (1kg)

$1.76 Q 13.40

$1.78 Q 13.54

-1.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.71 Q 13.03

$1.69 Q 12.85

1.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 Q 17.28

$2.36 Q 18.02

-3.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 Q 5.62

$0.75 Q 5.68

-1.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 Q 9.42

$1.23 Q 9.35

0.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.63 Q 27.63

$3.73 Q 28.46

-2.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.12 Q 61.9

$8.28 Q 63.1

-1.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 Q 12.13

$1.62 Q 12.37

-1.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 Q 18.95

$2.41 Q 18.37

3.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 Q 9.82

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.64 Q 104

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.30 Q 40.39

$5.19 Q 39.58

2.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.59 Q 4.51

$0.60 Q 4.56

-1.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.50 Q 118

$15.64 Q 119

-0.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 Q 8.20

$1.11 Q 8.46

-2.70%

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

$19.7K Q 150.5K

$19.9K Q 151.6K

-0.72%

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

$24.6K Q 187.6K

$24.9K Q 190.0K

-1.28%

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

$81.7 Q 623

$80.2 Q 611

1.88%

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

$26.82 Q 204

$26.30 Q 200

1.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.40 Q 376

$48.04 Q 366

2.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.18 Q 375

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.66 Q 188

Cinema Ticket

$7.37 Q 56.2

$7.22 Q 55.0

2.08%

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

$247 Q 1,885

$244 Q 1,856

1.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,695 Q 43.4K

$5,786 Q 44.1K

-1.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 Q 387

$49.30 Q 376

3.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.6 Q 408

$52.3 Q 398

2.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 Q 881

$118 Q 897

-1.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 Q 932

$120 Q 913

2.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 Q 5,452

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 Q 3,270

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,376 Q 10.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$770 Q 5,868

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,024 Q 15.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,096 Q 8,352

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$857 Q 6,534

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.9

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

Last update for Guatemala City: May 30, 2026

Last update for Chimaltenango: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Guatemala City versus $51.0 in Chimaltenango. Groceries tell a different story – $278 in Guatemala City vs $276 in Chimaltenango – so Chimaltenango wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Chimaltenango: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Guatemala City costs about 69% more than Chimaltenango, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,850 per month in Guatemala City and $1,094 in Chimaltenango. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Guatemala City and $51.0 in Chimaltenango. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Guatemala City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chimaltenango, where all-in costs run around $730, than in Guatemala City at $1,234. In Chimaltenango it covers expenses comfortably, while in Guatemala City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chimaltenango costs $730 versus $1,234 in Guatemala City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chimaltenango. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Guatemala City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.