Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Guatemala City and Martinez, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Guatemala City: $1,347 a month against $2,580 in Martinez, CA, rent and utilities included – about $14,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Guatemala City, Guatemala
Martinez, CA, United States
Guatemala City
🇬🇹 Guatemala
$1,347
/mo nomad
Martinez, CA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,580
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Guatemala City and in Martinez, CA

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,347 in Guatemala City versus $2,580 in Martinez, CA.

  • Guatemala City $1,347
  • Martinez, CA $2,580

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,028 in Guatemala City versus $3,801 in Martinez, CA.

  • Guatemala City $2,028
  • Martinez, CA $3,801

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,710 in Guatemala City versus $5,022 in Martinez, CA.

  • Guatemala City $2,710
  • Martinez, CA $5,022

Living in Guatemala City costs roughly 48% less than in Martinez, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Guatemala City
Martinez, CA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.76 Q 59.3
$19.72 $19.72
-60.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$49.88 Q 381
$75.3 $75.3
-33.73%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.72 Q 59.0
$11.56 $11.56
-33.22%
Cappuccino
$3.31 Q 25.28
$5.43 $5.43
-39.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.17 Q 8.98
$3.20 $3.20
-63.44%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.01 Q 7.75
$1.58 $1.58
-36.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 Q 24.29
$5.18 $5.18
-38.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.71 Q 36.00
$7.33 $7.33
-35.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Guatemala City
Martinez, CA
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.08 Q 15.88
$1.06 $1.06
96.23%
White Bread (500g)
$3.11 Q 23.78
$3.59 $3.59
-13.37%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.12 Q 16.19
$4.84 $4.84
-56.20%
Eggs
$2.44 Q 18.68
$4.20 $4.20
-41.90%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.19 Q 47.28
$12.53 $12.53
-50.60%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.64 Q 73.7
$11.69 $11.69
-17.54%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.48 Q 103
$16.23 $16.23
-16.94%
Apples (1kg)
$3.98 Q 30.43
$4.98 $4.98
-20.08%
Banana (1kg)
$1.65 Q 12.58
$1.67 $1.67
-1.20%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.83 Q 21.66
$4.01 $4.01
-29.43%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.63 Q 12.48
$4.59 $4.59
-64.49%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 Q 11.70
$2.69 $2.69
-43.12%
Onion (1kg)
$2.18 Q 16.63
$2.51 $2.51
-13.15%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.69 Q 5.26
$1.88 $1.88
-63.30%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.17 Q 8.94
$2.23 $2.23
-47.53%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.01 Q 30.62
$9.13 $9.13
-56.08%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.08 Q 61.7
$14.78 $14.78
-45.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79 Q 13.71
$1.82 $1.82
-1.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68 Q 20.46
$3.17 $3.17
-15.46%
🚌 Getting Around
Guatemala City
Martinez, CA
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.01 Q 7.69
$2.04 $2.04
-50.49%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.11 Q 84.9
$51.5 $51.5
-78.44%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.17 Q 39.48
$3.59 $3.59
44.01%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$1.70 $1.70
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.66 Q 81.5
$32.39 $32.39
-67.09%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.37 Q 10.47
$1.44 $1.44
-4.86%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.1K Q 207.4K
$27.8K $27.8K
-2.52%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.9K Q 190.7K
$26.5K $26.5K
-5.82%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Guatemala City
Martinez, CA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$73.1 Q 559
$203 $203
-63.99%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.48 Q 225
$57.3 $57.3
-48.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$45.73 Q 349
$69.4 $69.4
-34.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Guatemala City
Martinez, CA
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.04 Q 291
$40.10 $40.10
-5.14%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.79 Q 97.8
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.57 Q 50.2
$14.20 $14.20
-53.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Guatemala City
Martinez, CA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$338 Q 2,582
$1,374 $1,374
-75.41%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.8K Q 120.8K
$18.9K $18.9K
-16.55%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Guatemala City
Martinez, CA
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.96 Q 382
$52.6 $52.6
-5.04%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.37 Q 362
$41.10 $41.10
15.26%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$119 Q 908
$82.3 $82.3
44.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$111 Q 845
$113 $113
-1.97%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Guatemala City
Martinez, CA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$835 Q 6,383
$2,036 $2,036
-58.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$538 Q 4,114
$1,269 $1,269
-57.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,568 Q 12.0K
$3,652 $3,652
-57.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$823 Q 6,292
$2,142 $2,142
-61.56%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,041 Q 15.6K
$2,823 $2,823
-27.72%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,099 Q 8,398
$2,381 $2,381
-53.85%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Guatemala City
Martinez, CA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$846 Q 6,463
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.62
6.59
76.33%

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

Last update for Guatemala City: November 3, 2026

Last update for Martinez, CA: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Guatemala City
$538
Martinez, CA
$1.3K 136% $731
Groceries & Markets
Guatemala City
$283
Martinez, CA
$394 39.1% $111
Eating Out
Guatemala City
$159
Martinez, CA
$317 99.5% $158
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Guatemala City
$148
Martinez, CA
$330 122% $181
Clothing & Footwear
Guatemala City
$147
Martinez, CA
$130 11.6% $17
Sport & Entertainment
Guatemala City
$51
Martinez, CA
$68 33.8% $17
Getting Around
Guatemala City
$20 *
Martinez, CA
$72 253% $51

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $835 in Guatemala City and $2,036 in Martinez, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $50 in Guatemala City vs $75 in Martinez, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $394 per month, with Guatemala City cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇹 Guatemala City
🇺🇸 Martinez, CA
🕒 Local time
10:52 10:52 AM
08:52 8:52 AM
2 h behind Guatemala City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,450,212 Capital
38,297
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GTQ – Guatemalan Quetzal Converter

Guatemalan Quetzal exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 7.64 GTQ (1 GTQ = 0.131 USD). 1 EUR = 8.58 GTQ (1 GTQ = 0.117 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Guatemala City Martinez, CA 4,050 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Guatemala City
  • Martinez, CA

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
Guatemala City vs Martinez, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Guatemala City or Martinez, CA?
Guatemala City wins on cost – living expenses run 48% lower than in Martinez, CA. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Guatemala City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Guatemala City and in Martinez, CA?
You’d need roughly $2,021 in Guatemala City and $3,870 in Martinez, CA 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Guatemala City compared to Martinez, CA?
Rent for a central apartment: $835 in Guatemala City versus $2,036 in Martinez, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Guatemala City and in Martinez, CA?
Dining out is cheaper in Guatemala City – a meal for two runs $50 versus $75 in Martinez, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Guatemala City compared to Martinez, CA?
All in, you’ll spend $1,347 per month in Guatemala City versus $2,580 in Martinez, CA – Guatemala City is about 48% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Guatemala City or in Martinez, CA?
Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Guatemala City is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Which city is better for families?
For families, Guatemala City is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Martinez, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Guatemala City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Martinez, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Guatemala City vs other spots: cost of living compared

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