🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $787 in Guatemala versus $1,644 in Spain.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,253 in Guatemala versus $2,400 in Spain.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,719 in Guatemala versus $3,155 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 $1,115 to $3,300, compared to $112–$1,264 in Guatemala. City choice carries more weight in Spain.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Guatemala
Spain
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.79Q 44.26
$16.01€13.70
-63.84%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$49.80Q 380
$59.0€50.5
-15.56%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.62Q 50.6
$10.26€8.79
-35.48%
Cappuccino
$3.52Q 26.89
$2.29€1.96
53.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31Q 10.04
$2.59€2.22
-49.42%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03Q 7.88
$1.81€1.55
-43.09%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.25Q 24.82
$3.53€3.02
-7.93%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.15Q 39.32
$4.02€3.44
28.11%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Guatemala
Spain
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.94Q 14.84
$1.24€1.06
56.45%
White Bread(500g)
$2.60Q 19.85
$1.52€1.30
71.05%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.76Q 13.47
$1.60€1.37
10.00%
Eggs
$2.25Q 17.20
$2.98€2.55
-24.50%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.61Q 58.2
$14.49€12.41
-47.48%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.89Q 60.3
$8.37€7.16
-5.73%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.97Q 76.2
$15.94€13.65
-37.45%
Apples(1kg)
$3.61Q 27.61
$2.54€2.18
42.13%
Banana(1kg)
$1.69Q 12.90
$2.10€1.79
-19.52%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.27Q 25.00
$2.06€1.76
58.74%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.51Q 11.56
$2.64€2.26
-42.80%
Potato(1kg)
$1.51Q 11.54
$1.84€1.58
-17.93%
Onion(1kg)
$1.77Q 13.49
$1.91€1.64
-7.33%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.74Q 5.69
$1.33€1.14
-44.36%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09Q 8.32
$0.80€0.68
36.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.69Q 28.22
$6.43€5.50
-42.61%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.32Q 63.5
$5.82€4.99
42.96%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.89Q 14.42
$1.24€1.06
52.42%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82Q 21.56
$2.11€1.81
33.65%
🚌 Getting Around
Guatemala
Spain
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.06Q 8.06
$1.70€1.46
-37.65%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$12.99Q 99.3
$34.64€29.65
-62.50%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.52Q 26.89
$4.60€3.94
-23.48%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
-
$1.35€1.15
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$10.08Q 77.0
$27.00€23.11
-62.67%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.12Q 8.55
$1.84€1.57
-39.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.2KQ 138.8K
$38.3K€32.8K
-52.56%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.4KQ 171.4K
$31.2K€26.7K
-28.11%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Guatemala
Spain
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$58.3Q 445
$151€129
-61.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.30Q 224
$20.30€17.38
44.33%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.5Q 409
$33.21€28.43
61.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Guatemala
Spain
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$43.71Q 334
$47.38€40.56
-7.75%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.57Q 195
$15.74€13.47
62.45%
Cinema Ticket
$6.71Q 51.3
$9.06€7.76
-25.94%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Guatemala
Spain
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$262Q 2,000
$523€447
-49.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,050Q 61.5K
$9,978€8,541
-19.32%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Guatemala
Spain
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.2Q 383
$87.7€75.1
-42.84%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.7Q 387
$37.32€31.94
35.85%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$97.6Q 745
$88.7€76.0
9.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104Q 796
$106€91.0
-2.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Guatemala
Spain
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$673Q 5,145
$1,052€901
-35.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$434Q 3,319
$809€692
-46.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,325Q 10.1K
$1,674€1,433
-20.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$699Q 5,340
$1,213€1,038
-42.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,260Q 17.3K
$4,487€3,841
-49.64%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,141Q 8,719
$2,733€2,339
-58.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Guatemala
Spain
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$592Q 4,523
$2,111€1,807
-71.96%
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: April 25, 2026
Last update for Spain: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $221 in Guatemala, $899 in Spain. Capital cities: $739 in Guatemala City vs $1,595 in Madrid.
💰National salary averages: $692 in Guatemala, $2,010 in Spain. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 307% higher in Spain.
⭐Dining out costs 56% more in Spain.
⭐Public transport is 3200% more expensive in Spain.
⭐Salaries are 190% higher in Spain, giving Spain 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 Spain: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Guatemala or Spain?
At $688 per month in Guatemala and $2,208 in Spain, there's a 221% 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?
Guatemala is simply cheaper day-to-day: 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 beats 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 vs Spain?
In Guatemala, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In Spain, it works in regional areas but 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 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.