Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Guatemala City and Pasadena, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Guatemala City: $1,347 a month against $3,658 in Pasadena, CA, rent and utilities included – about $27,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

65

Cost of Living Index in Guatemala City
Learn more

Guatemala City Living Index
174

Cost of Living Index in Pasadena, CA
Learn more

Pasadena, CA Living Index

Jump to prices

Guatemala City

🇬🇹 Guatemala

$1,347

/mo nomad

Pasadena, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,658

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Guatemala City and in Pasadena, 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 Pasadena, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,347 in Guatemala City versus $3,658 in Pasadena, CA.

Guatemala City $1,347
Pasadena, CA $3,658

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,028 in Guatemala City versus $5,156 in Pasadena, CA.

Guatemala City $2,028
Pasadena, CA $5,156

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,710 in Guatemala City versus $6,654 in Pasadena, CA.

Guatemala City $2,710
Pasadena, CA $6,654

Living in Guatemala City costs roughly 63% less than in Pasadena, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.76 Q 59.3

$18.13 $18.13

-57.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.88 Q 381

$76.3 $76.3

-34.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.72 Q 59.0

$10.04 $10.04

-23.11%

Cappuccino

$3.31 Q 25.28

$4.77 $4.77

-30.61%

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

$1.17 Q 8.98

$2.87 $2.87

-59.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 Q 7.75

$1.56 $1.56

-35.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 Q 24.29

$4.99 $4.99

-36.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.71 Q 36.00

$5.87 $5.87

-19.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.08 Q 15.88

$1.36 $1.36

52.94%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 Q 23.78

$3.82 $3.82

-18.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 Q 16.19

$2.95 $2.95

-28.14%

Eggs

$2.44 Q 18.68

$5.21 $5.21

-53.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.19 Q 47.28

$13.58 $13.58

-54.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.64 Q 73.7

$13.64 $13.64

-29.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.48 Q 103

$12.26 $12.26

9.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 Q 30.43

$4.50 $4.50

-11.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 Q 12.58

$2.23 $2.23

-26.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Q 21.66

$4.36 $4.36

-35.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 Q 12.48

$4.99 $4.99

-67.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 Q 11.70

$4.56 $4.56

-66.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 Q 16.63

$2.49 $2.49

-12.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 Q 5.26

$1.93 $1.93

-64.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 Q 8.94

$2.16 $2.16

-45.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.01 Q 30.62

$11.92 $11.92

-66.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.08 Q 61.7

$10.92 $10.92

-26.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 Q 13.71

$1.62 $1.62

10.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 Q 20.46

$1.87 $1.87

43.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 Q 7.69

$1.78 $1.78

-43.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.11 Q 84.9

$52.6 $52.6

-78.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.17 Q 39.48

$4.07 $4.07

27.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$7.34 $7.34

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.66 Q 81.5

$23.65 $23.65

-54.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 Q 10.47

$1.60 $1.60

-14.37%

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

$27.1K Q 207.4K

$27.7K $27.7K

-2.14%

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

$24.9K Q 190.7K

$26.0K $26.0K

-3.91%

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

$73.1 Q 559

$251 $251

-70.85%

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

$29.48 Q 225

$62.2 $62.2

-52.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.73 Q 349

$64.4 $64.4

-29.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.04 Q 291

$24.77 $24.77

53.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.79 Q 97.8

$34.75 $34.75

-63.19%

Cinema Ticket

$6.57 Q 50.2

$12.15 $12.15

-45.93%

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

$338 Q 2,582

$3,827 $3,827

-91.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K Q 120.8K

$40.5K $40.5K

-61.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.96 Q 382

$30.86 $30.86

61.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.37 Q 362

$34.32 $34.32

38.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 Q 908

$73.1 $73.1

62.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 Q 845

$137 $137

-18.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$835 Q 6,383

$3,001 $3,001

-72.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$538 Q 4,114

$2,327 $2,327

-76.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,568 Q 12.0K

$4,829 $4,829

-67.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$823 Q 6,292

$3,724 $3,724

-77.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,041 Q 15.6K

$9,139 $9,139

-77.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,099 Q 8,398

$8,980 $8,980

-87.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$846 Q 6,463

$5,298 $5,298

-84.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.62

6.33

83.57%

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

Last update for Guatemala City: November 3, 2026

Last update for Pasadena, CA: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Guatemala City

$538 40%

Pasadena, CA

$2.3K 63.6% 332% $1.8K

Groceries & Markets

Guatemala City

$283 21%

Pasadena, CA

$394 10.8% 39.4% $111

Eating Out

Guatemala City

$159 11.8%

Pasadena, CA

$287 7.8% 80.3% $128

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Guatemala City

$148 11%

Pasadena, CA

$377 10.3% 155% $229

Clothing & Footwear

Guatemala City

$147 10.9%

Pasadena, CA

$124 3.4% 15.9% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Guatemala City

$51 3.8%

Pasadena, CA

$49 1.3% 4.1% $2.1

Getting Around

Guatemala City

$20 * 1.5%

Pasadena, CA

$100 2.8% 395% $80

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 $3,001 in Pasadena, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pasadena, CA pays about 6.3 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $50 in Guatemala City vs $76 in Pasadena, 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

🇺🇸 Pasadena, CA

🕒 Local time

10:15 10:15 AM

08:15 8:15 AM

2 h behind Guatemala City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,450,212 Capital

137,122

💱 Currency

Guatemalan Quetzal GTQ Q

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 GTQ = 0.131 USD

1 GTQ = 0.117 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GTQ – Guatemalan Quetzal Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇬🇹 Guatemalan Quetzal (Q)

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).

USD to GTQ in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Guatemala City Pasadena, CA 3,520 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Guatemala City
Pasadena, 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 Pasadena, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Guatemala City wins on cost – living expenses run 63% lower than in Pasadena, CA. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Guatemala City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 84% lower in Guatemala City. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $835 in Guatemala City versus $3,001 in Pasadena, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Guatemala City – a meal for two runs $50 versus $76 in Pasadena, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $1,347 per month in Guatemala City versus $3,658 in Pasadena, CA – Guatemala City is about 63% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

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.

Both work as nomad bases, but Guatemala City delivers better value at $1,347 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Guatemala City hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Guatemala City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 63% less than in Pasadena, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.