For one person, living is cheaper in Guatemala: $1,358 a month against $2,626 in Australia, rent and utilities included – about $15,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
How much you'll spend in Guatemala and in Australia
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Guatemala and in Australia actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $1,358 per month in Guatemala vs $2,626 in Australia, rent included.
Guatemala $1,358
Australia $2,626
A couple spends around $2,099 per month in Guatemala vs $3,810 in Australia, rent included.
Guatemala $2,099
Australia $3,810
A family of three spends $2,840 per month in Guatemala vs $4,994 in Australia, rent included.
Guatemala $2,840
Australia $4,994
📏
The regional cost range is wider in Australia ($1,068–$3,303) than in Guatemala ($743–$1,342), so city choice matters more there.
🌍
The cost of living in Guatemala is roughly 48% lower than in Australia on average.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Guatemala
Australia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09Q 61.8
$17.65A$25.08
-54.16%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$51.2Q 391
$85.2A$121
-39.92%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.97Q 60.9
$11.09A$15.76
-28.13%
Cappuccino
$3.58Q 27.37
$3.90A$5.54
-8.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43Q 10.90
$2.85A$4.05
-49.82%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.14Q 8.69
$2.31A$3.29
-50.65%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.34Q 25.51
$7.53A$10.70
-55.64%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.28Q 40.34
$8.59A$12.20
-38.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Guatemala
Australia
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.10Q 16.03
$1.76A$2.50
19.32%
White Bread(500g)
$3.34Q 25.52
$2.81A$3.99
18.86%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.03Q 15.53
$2.24A$3.19
-9.38%
Eggs
$2.44Q 18.64
$5.02A$7.14
-51.39%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$6.08Q 46.46
$9.87A$14.02
-38.40%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.95Q 76.0
$9.32A$13.24
6.76%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.19Q 93.2
$14.86A$21.13
-17.97%
Apples(1kg)
$4.04Q 30.85
$3.82A$5.42
5.76%
Banana(1kg)
$2.01Q 15.39
$2.92A$4.16
-31.16%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.46Q 34.08
$3.13A$4.46
42.49%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.71Q 13.04
$4.81A$6.83
-64.45%
Potato(1kg)
$1.89Q 14.45
$2.80A$3.98
-32.50%
Onion(1kg)
$2.16Q 16.50
$2.38A$3.38
-9.24%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.75Q 5.77
$2.37A$3.37
-68.35%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.23Q 9.37
$1.65A$2.35
-25.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.85Q 29.44
$39.13A$55.6
-90.16%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.28Q 63.3
$13.93A$19.80
-40.56%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.34Q 17.85
$4.96A$7.05
-52.82%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.25Q 24.82
$5.17A$7.35
-37.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Guatemala
Australia
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.29Q 9.87
$2.42A$3.44
-46.69%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$10.89Q 83.2
$94.6A$134
-88.49%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.33Q 40.71
$3.49A$4.97
52.72%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.71Q 13.08
$1.60A$2.27
6.87%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$10.49Q 80.1
$39.84A$56.6
-73.67%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.37Q 10.44
$1.39A$1.97
-1.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.4KQ 163.4K
$30.0KA$42.7K
-28.74%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.5KQ 187.1K
$25.8KA$36.6K
-4.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Guatemala
Australia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$70.2Q 537
$205A$291
-65.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$31.89Q 244
$28.33A$40.27
12.57%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.4Q 393
$58.8A$83.5
-12.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Guatemala
Australia
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$38.60Q 295
$55.7A$79.1
-30.64%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.29Q 117
$19.57A$27.82
-21.87%
Cinema Ticket
$6.67Q 50.9
$15.38A$21.86
-56.63%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Guatemala
Australia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$350Q 2,671
$2,145A$3,049
-83.71%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,517Q 57.4K
$18.3KA$26.1K
-59.03%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Guatemala
Australia
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.37Q 354
$78.3A$111
-40.79%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.6Q 387
$56.3A$80.0
-10.06%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$106Q 808
$115A$164
-8.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108Q 824
$123A$175
-12.45%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Guatemala
Australia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$828Q 6,327
$1,591A$2,261
-47.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$515Q 3,939
$1,293A$1,837
-60.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,558Q 11.9K
$2,524A$3,588
-38.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$880Q 6,728
$2,005A$2,850
-56.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,295Q 17.5K
$8,751A$12.4K
-73.78%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,158Q 8,849
$6,260A$8,898
-81.50%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Guatemala
Australia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$660Q 5,040
$3,984A$5,663
-83.44%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.62
5.93
95.95%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Guatemala: October 27, 2026
Last update for Australia: October 27, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Guatemala
$515 38%
Australia
$1.3K 49.2% ↑ 151%$777
🛒Groceries & Markets
Guatemala
$298 21.9%
Australia
$374 14.3% ↑ 25.6%$76
🍽Eating Out
Guatemala
$169 12.5%
Australia
$297 11.3% ↑ 75.4%$128
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Guatemala
$154 11.3%
Australia
$292 11.1% ↑ 90.3%$139
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Guatemala
$140 10.3%
Australia
$168 6.4% ↑ 20.1%$28
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Guatemala
$52 3.8%
Australia
$86 3.3% ↑ 66.4%$34
🚌Getting Around
Guatemala
$30 2.2%
Australia
$116 4.4% ↑ 287%$86
🏠Accommodation & Living
Guatemala
$880 31%
Australia
$2K 40.2% ↑ 128%$1.1K
🛒Groceries & Markets
Guatemala
$691 24.3%
Australia
$848 17% ↑ 22.7%$157
🍽Eating Out
Guatemala
$591 20.8%
Australia
$1K 20.4% ↑ 72.4%$428
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Guatemala
$185 6.5%
Australia
$320 6.4% ↑ 72.9%$135
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Guatemala
$311 10.9%
Australia
$373 7.5% ↑ 20.1%$62
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Guatemala
$119 4.2%
Australia
$192 3.9% ↑ 61.5%$73
🚌Getting Around
Guatemala
$62 2.2%
Australia
$236 4.7% ↑ 278%$174
Cost Breakdown
🏠Average rent: $698 in Guatemala vs $1,383 in Australia. For reference, capital cities sit at $816 in Guatemala City and $1,749 in Canberra.
💰Average salary: $741 in Guatemala vs $3,874 in Australia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 98% higher in Australia.
⭐Dining out costs 65% more in Australia.
⭐Public transport is 664% more expensive in Australia.
⭐Salaries are about 5.2 times higher in Australia, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Australia.
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 vs Australia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Australia more expensive than Guatemala?
Guatemala is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 48% lower on average.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in Australia: a central one-bedroom averages $1,383 versus $698 in Guatemala.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Groceries, public transport, and eating out all cost less in Guatemala – part of why living there is about 48% cheaper overall.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget in Australia or in Guatemala?
$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Guatemala, but in Australia it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Should I move to Australia or to Guatemala?
Guatemala is the budget-friendly choice for expats. But cost isn’t everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.