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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,215 in Guatemala City versus $112 in Zacapa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,955 in Guatemala City versus $181 in Zacapa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,695 in Guatemala City versus $250 in Zacapa.

Living in Guatemala City is roughly 980% more expensive than Zacapa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Guatemala City 9% lower, Zacapa 92% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.19 Q 39.64

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.3 Q 384

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.47 Q 49.40

Cappuccino

$3.35 Q 25.59

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

$1.21 Q 9.25

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 Q 7.48

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 Q 24.37

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.64 Q 35.44

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 Q 15.55

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 Q 24.22

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 Q 15.93

Eggs

$2.52 Q 19.24

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.89 Q 60.3

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.47 Q 64.7

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.58 Q 88.5

Apples (1kg)

$3.51 Q 26.78

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 Q 12.04

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 Q 23.95

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 Q 14.07

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 Q 12.85

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Q 17.43

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 Q 5.26

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 Q 9.35

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.72 Q 28.40

Wine (Bottle)

$7.95 Q 60.8

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 Q 12.83

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 Q 18.53

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 Q 9.75

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.66 Q 104

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.27 Q 40.25

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 Q 4.59

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.86 Q 121

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 Q 8.25

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

$19.8K Q 151.1K

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

$24.5K Q 187.4K

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

$79.9 Q 610

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

$26.75 Q 204

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.47 Q 378

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.52 Q 378

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.99 Q 183

Cinema Ticket

$7.09 Q 54.2

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

$248 Q 1,895

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,879 Q 44.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.6 Q 387

$51.6 Q 394

-1.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.5 Q 401

$39.09 Q 299

34.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 Q 880

$79.7 Q 609

44.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 Q 920

$77.0 Q 589

56.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$739 Q 5,649

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$428 Q 3,269

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,379 Q 10.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$758 Q 5,790

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,035 Q 15.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,078 Q 8,238

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$851 Q 6,499

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Zacapa: April 26, 2026

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 Zacapa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zacapa wins on cost – living expenses run 980% lower than in Guatemala City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Zacapa the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,822 in Guatemala City and $169 in Zacapa 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.

At $112 in Zacapa versus $1,215 in Guatemala City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Zacapa but tight or insufficient in Guatemala City. The gap between the two cities makes Zacapa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Zacapa delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $112 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Zacapa hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Zacapa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 980% less than in Guatemala City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.