Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Guatemala and Brazil

For one person, living is cheaper in Brazil: $915 a month against $1,352 in Guatemala, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

🇬🇹 Guatemala
$1,352
/mo nomad
🇧🇷 Brazil
$915
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Guatemala and in Brazil

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 Brazil actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,352 per month in Guatemala vs $915 in Brazil, rent included.

  • Guatemala $1,352
  • Brazil $915

A couple spends around $2,108 per month in Guatemala vs $1,462 in Brazil, rent included.

  • Guatemala $2,108
  • Brazil $1,462

A family of three spends $2,865 per month in Guatemala vs $2,009 in Brazil, rent included.

  • Guatemala $2,865
  • Brazil $2,009

The cost of living in Guatemala is about 48% higher than in Brazil on average.

Guatemala sits 0% above the global median, while Brazil is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Guatemala
Brazil
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.87 Q 60.1
$6.73 R$34.09
16.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$49.36 Q 377
$34.26 R$174
44.07%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.09 Q 61.9
$7.98 R$40.47
1.38%
Cappuccino
$3.60 Q 27.55
$2.16 R$10.97
66.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37 Q 10.47
$1.30 R$6.61
5.38%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.15 Q 8.83
$0.75 R$3.80
53.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.29 Q 25.14
$1.96 R$9.95
67.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.36 Q 41.00
$3.06 R$15.52
75.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Guatemala
Brazil
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.04 Q 15.63
$1.09 R$5.54
87.16%
White Bread (500g)
$3.29 Q 25.12
$1.69 R$8.54
94.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.06 Q 15.77
$1.28 R$6.50
60.94%
Eggs
$2.46 Q 18.83
$2.28 R$11.54
7.89%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.98 Q 45.76
$9.90 R$50.2
-39.60%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.92 Q 75.9
$4.38 R$22.21
126.48%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.39 Q 94.7
$8.64 R$43.78
43.40%
Apples (1kg)
$4.14 Q 31.65
$2.38 R$12.04
73.95%
Banana (1kg)
$1.96 Q 14.98
$1.37 R$6.95
43.07%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.37 Q 33.43
$1.29 R$6.54
238.76%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.66 Q 12.72
$1.65 R$8.37
0.61%
Potato (1kg)
$1.84 Q 14.08
$1.19 R$6.04
54.62%
Onion (1kg)
$2.15 Q 16.47
$1.14 R$5.78
88.60%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.82 Q 6.24
$0.82 R$4.15
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.21 Q 9.23
$0.77 R$3.91
57.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.01 Q 30.65
$2.43 R$12.31
65.02%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.34 Q 63.7
$8.06 R$40.84
3.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.33 Q 17.81
$1.38 R$7.00
68.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.11 Q 23.79
$2.33 R$11.80
33.48%
🚌 Getting Around
Guatemala
Brazil
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.98 Q 15.16
$0.99 R$5.03
100.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$14.19 Q 109
$47.39 R$240
-70.06%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.17 Q 39.53
$1.34 R$6.78
285.82%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.72 Q 13.18
$0.99 R$5.00
73.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.66 Q 81.5
$7.82 R$39.66
36.32%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.33 Q 10.16
$1.30 R$6.60
2.31%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.4K Q 163.3K
$23.6K R$119.6K
-9.43%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.6K Q 188.1K
$33.5K R$169.9K
-26.59%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Guatemala
Brazil
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$71.0 Q 543
$84.8 R$430
-16.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$31.74 Q 243
$12.97 R$65.8
144.72%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.3 Q 392
$21.05 R$107
143.85%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Guatemala
Brazil
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.40 Q 317
$26.33 R$133
57.24%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.49 Q 118
$27.36 R$139
-43.38%
Cinema Ticket
$6.60 Q 50.5
$7.27 R$36.87
-9.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Guatemala
Brazil
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$356 Q 2,722
$342 R$1,732
4.21%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,545 Q 57.7K
$9,086 R$46.1K
-16.96%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Guatemala
Brazil
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.46 Q 363
$54.5 R$276
-12.92%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.39 Q 378
$50.1 R$254
-1.36%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 Q 811
$90.0 R$456
17.80%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106 Q 812
$72.2 R$366
47.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Guatemala
Brazil
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$834 Q 6,378
$383 R$1,939
118.05%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$504 Q 3,851
$250 R$1,269
101.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,578 Q 12.1K
$742 R$3,761
112.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$903 Q 6,903
$501 R$2,540
80.16%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,306 Q 17.6K
$1,935 R$9,811
19.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,122 Q 8,581
$1,294 R$6,558
-13.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Guatemala
Brazil
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$641 Q 4,899
$537 R$2,722
19.35%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.62
11.17
4.03%

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

Last update for Guatemala: October 12, 2026

Last update for Brazil: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Guatemala
$504
Brazil
$250 50.3% $254
Groceries & Markets
Guatemala
$297
Brazil
$199 32.9% $97
Eating Out
Guatemala
$168
Brazil
$128 23.8% $40
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Guatemala
$154
Brazil
$119 22.9% $35
Clothing & Footwear
Guatemala
$139
Brazil
$120 13.7% $19
Sport & Entertainment
Guatemala
$55
Brazil
$41 25.1% $14
Getting Around
Guatemala
$36
Brazil
$58 60.4% $22

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $174 in Guatemala vs $353 in Brazil. For reference, capital cities sit at $828 in Guatemala City and $507 in Brasilia.

Average salary: $745 in Guatemala vs $503 in Brazil. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 103% higher in Brazil.

Dining out costs 52% more in Guatemala.

Public transport is 4000% more expensive in Brazil.

Salaries are 48% higher in Guatemala.

Good to know
🇬🇹 Guatemala
🇧🇷 Brazil
🕒 Local time
18:19 6:19 PM
21:19 9:19 PM
3 h ahead of Guatemala
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
17,263,239
203,062,512
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD, EUR to GTQ – Guatemalan Quetzal Converter

Guatemalan Quetzal exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 7.65 GTQ (1 GTQ = 0.131 USD). 1 EUR = 8.6 GTQ (1 GTQ = 0.116 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 5.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.197 USD). 1 EUR = 5.7 BRL (1 BRL = 0.175 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Guatemala Brazil 5,780 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Guatemala
  • Brazil

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 Brazil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do Brazil and Guatemala compare in cost of living?
Brazil is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 48% lower on average.
Is everything cheaper in Brazil?
Not necessarily. Overall, Guatemala costs about 48% more, but the gap varies by category, and some expenses can be lower in Guatemala. Compare the categories that matter most for your budget.
How far does $2,000 go in Brazil compared to Guatemala?
$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Brazil, but in Guatemala it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
How do I choose between living in Brazil and in Guatemala?
Brazil is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

Guatemala vs other spots: cost of living compared

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