Cost of Living Comparison Between Guatemala and Costa Rica Cost of Living Comparison Between Guatemala and Costa Rica

Name: Costa Rica
Address: CR

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $791 per month in Guatemala vs $1,536 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,255 per month in Guatemala vs $2,325 in Costa Rica, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,719 per month in Guatemala vs $3,113 in Costa Rica, rent included.

Guatemala is roughly 49% cheaper than Costa Rica on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Guatemala sits 41% below the global median, while Costa Rica is 14% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Both countries show comparable internal variation: Guatemala spans $112–$1,271, Costa Rica spans $1,141–$2,107. City choice affects budget similarly in either country.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.81 Q 44.24

$9.92 ₡4,484

-41.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.2 Q 382

$60.2 ₡27.2K

-16.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.60 Q 50.2

$9.80 ₡4,429

-32.65%

Cappuccino

$3.38 Q 25.77

$4.11 ₡1,859

-17.76%

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

$1.32 Q 10.09

$2.10 ₡951

-37.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 Q 7.99

$1.70 ₡770

-38.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 Q 24.19

$3.01 ₡1,359

5.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.27 Q 40.13

$4.39 ₡1,986

20.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 Q 14.92

$2.01 ₡909

-2.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.65 Q 20.20

$3.10 ₡1,401

-14.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 Q 13.53

$2.45 ₡1,105

-27.35%

Eggs

$2.26 Q 17.23

$3.37 ₡1,524

-32.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.58 Q 57.7

$9.13 ₡4,127

-16.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.17 Q 62.2

$9.46 ₡4,275

-13.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.98 Q 76.0

$13.21 ₡5,970

-24.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.74 Q 28.51

$4.54 ₡2,052

-17.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 Q 12.87

$1.61 ₡729

4.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.15 Q 24.01

$3.19 ₡1,440

-1.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 Q 11.11

$3.07 ₡1,387

-52.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 Q 11.50

$2.98 ₡1,346

-49.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 Q 13.95

$2.72 ₡1,228

-32.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 Q 6.07

$1.01 ₡458

-20.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 Q 8.45

$2.44 ₡1,102

-54.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.80 Q 28.93

$5.04 ₡2,277

-24.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.95 Q 60.5

$15.95 ₡7,205

-50.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 Q 15.08

$2.35 ₡1,063

-15.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 Q 21.56

$2.72 ₡1,228

4.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 Q 8.00

$0.97 ₡438

8.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.11 Q 99.8

$49.77 ₡22.5K

-73.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 Q 26.64

$1.89 ₡855

85.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 ₡879

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.98 Q 76.0

$7.78 ₡3,513

28.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 Q 8.45

$1.51 ₡683

-26.49%

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

$18.0K Q 136.9K

$37.3K ₡16.9M

-51.84%

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

$23.2K Q 176.7K

$35.7K ₡16.1M

-35.02%

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

$58.1 Q 442

$86.7 ₡39.2K

-33.03%

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

$28.71 Q 219

$25.28 ₡11.4K

13.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.4 Q 399

$54.7 ₡24.7K

-4.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.99 Q 343

$57.8 ₡26.1K

-22.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.47 Q 194

$29.25 ₡13.2K

-12.92%

Cinema Ticket

$6.37 Q 48.53

$9.10 ₡4,112

-30.00%

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

$257 Q 1,960

$542 ₡244.9K

-52.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,145 Q 62.0K

$10.0K ₡4.5M

-18.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.2 Q 383

$73.6 ₡33.3K

-31.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.9 Q 395

$54.3 ₡24.5K

-4.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 Q 768

$119 ₡53.9K

-15.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 Q 771

$104 ₡46.9K

-2.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$676 Q 5,150

$799 ₡360.9K

-15.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 Q 3,326

$545 ₡246.3K

-19.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,334 Q 10.2K

$1,482 ₡669.5K

-10.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Q 5,339

$1,037 ₡468.4K

-32.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,327 Q 17.7K

$2,403 ₡1.1M

-3.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,137 Q 8,654

$1,603 ₡724.1K

-29.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$594 Q 4,521

$1,079 ₡487.7K

-44.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.71

10.53

-17.28%

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

Last update for Guatemala: June 8, 2026

Last update for Costa Rica: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $221 in Guatemala vs $777 in Costa Rica. For reference, capital cities sit at $733 in Guatemala City and $880 in San Jose.

Average salary: $708 in Guatemala vs $1,089 in Costa Rica. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 252% higher in Costa Rica.

Dining out costs 53% more in Costa Rica.

Public transport is 1200% more expensive in Costa Rica.

Salaries are 54% higher in Costa Rica, giving Guatemala stronger purchasing power.

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 Costa Rica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Guatemala is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 135% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Costa Rica, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Costa Rica consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Guatemala, contributing to the overall 135% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Guatemala, but in Costa Rica it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Guatemala 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.