🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $789 in Guatemala versus $1,642 in Spain.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,251 in Guatemala versus $2,392 in Spain.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,713 in Guatemala versus $3,142 in Spain.
🌍Living in Guatemala costs about 52% less than in Spain on average.
📊Guatemala (41% below) and Spain (23% above) straddle the global median.
📏Internal cost variation is higher in Spain: monthly costs span $1,122 to $3,254, compared to $112–$1,285 in Guatemala. City choice carries more weight in Spain.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Guatemala
Spain
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.80Q 44.25
$16.06€14.00
-63.89%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$49.95Q 381
$56.9€49.57
-12.15%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.57Q 50.1
$10.30€8.98
-36.21%
Cappuccino
$3.38Q 25.81
$2.32€2.02
45.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35Q 10.32
$2.60€2.27
-48.08%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.00Q 7.64
$1.84€1.60
-45.65%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.23Q 24.63
$3.43€2.99
-5.83%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.26Q 40.07
$3.97€3.46
32.49%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Guatemala
Spain
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.94Q 14.78
$1.19€1.04
63.03%
White Bread(500g)
$2.69Q 20.53
$1.52€1.33
76.97%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.84Q 14.04
$1.67€1.46
10.18%
Eggs
$2.34Q 17.84
$2.98€2.60
-21.48%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.67Q 58.5
$14.42€12.58
-46.81%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.10Q 61.7
$8.59€7.49
-5.70%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.72Q 74.1
$15.95€13.91
-39.06%
Apples(1kg)
$3.55Q 27.10
$2.51€2.19
41.43%
Banana(1kg)
$1.69Q 12.85
$2.07€1.81
-18.36%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.29Q 25.05
$2.04€1.78
61.27%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.45Q 11.03
$2.64€2.30
-45.08%
Potato(1kg)
$1.50Q 11.46
$1.76€1.53
-14.77%
Onion(1kg)
$1.78Q 13.55
$1.98€1.73
-10.10%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.78Q 5.96
$1.35€1.17
-42.22%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.11Q 8.44
$0.74€0.65
50.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.74Q 28.48
$6.27€5.46
-40.35%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.15Q 62.1
$5.75€5.01
41.74%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.92Q 14.63
$1.30€1.14
47.69%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76Q 21.01
$2.06€1.80
33.98%
🚌 Getting Around
Guatemala
Spain
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.06Q 8.04
$1.77€1.54
-40.11%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$13.24Q 101
$34.49€30.07
-61.61%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.67Q 27.98
$4.49€3.91
-18.26%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
-
$1.32€1.15
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$10.27Q 78.3
$27.12€23.64
-62.13%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.12Q 8.55
$1.80€1.57
-37.78%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.9KQ 136.6K
$38.2K€33.3K
-53.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.2KQ 176.7K
$30.8K€26.9K
-24.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Guatemala
Spain
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$59.0Q 450
$149€130
-60.37%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.77Q 219
$20.14€17.56
42.85%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.9Q 395
$33.50€29.21
54.84%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Guatemala
Spain
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$44.99Q 343
$46.30€40.37
-2.83%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.45Q 194
$15.61€13.61
63.04%
Cinema Ticket
$6.64Q 50.6
$9.40€8.20
-29.36%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Guatemala
Spain
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$265Q 2,021
$522€455
-49.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,240Q 62.8K
$9,880€8,613
-16.59%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Guatemala
Spain
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.2Q 390
$88.1€76.8
-41.90%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.5Q 393
$35.98€31.36
43.19%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.2Q 749
$89.0€77.6
10.38%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102Q 778
$108€94.2
-5.53%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Guatemala
Spain
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$683Q 5,204
$1,039€906
-34.33%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$435Q 3,317
$820€715
-46.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,312Q 10.0K
$1,689€1,472
-22.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$711Q 5,420
$1,214€1,058
-41.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,287Q 17.4K
$4,301€3,750
-46.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,120Q 8,536
$2,604€2,270
-57.00%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Guatemala
Spain
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$583Q 4,448
$1,982€1,728
-70.56%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
8.71
3.51
148.15%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Guatemala: July 25, 2026
Last update for Spain: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $220 in Guatemala, $898 in Spain. Capital cities: $741 in Guatemala City vs $1,561 in Madrid.
💰National salary averages: $703 in Guatemala, $1,989 in Spain. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 308% higher in Spain.
⭐Dining out costs 56% more in Spain.
⭐Public transport is 3200% more expensive in Spain.
⭐Salaries are 183% higher in Spain, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Spain.
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 Spain: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Guatemala or Spain?
At $699 per month in Guatemala and $2,188 in Spain, there's a 213% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Guatemala or Spain?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Guatemala: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
How do rents compare between Guatemala and Spain?
Rent in Spain is consistently higher than in Guatemala across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
How far does $2,000 go in Guatemala compared to Spain?
In Guatemala, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in Spain it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in Guatemala and in Spain?
It depends on what you're after: Guatemala wins on affordability; Spain may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.