Cost of Living Comparison Between Guatemala and Spain Cost of Living Comparison Between Guatemala and Spain

Monthly Cost of Living

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
$5.79 Q 44.26
$16.01 €13.70
-63.84%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$49.80 Q 380
$59.0 €50.5
-15.56%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.62 Q 50.6
$10.26 €8.79
-35.48%
Cappuccino
$3.52 Q 26.89
$2.29 €1.96
53.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.31 Q 10.04
$2.59 €2.22
-49.42%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03 Q 7.88
$1.81 €1.55
-43.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.25 Q 24.82
$3.53 €3.02
-7.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.15 Q 39.32
$4.02 €3.44
28.11%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Guatemala
Spain
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.94 Q 14.84
$1.24 €1.06
56.45%
White Bread (500g)
$2.60 Q 19.85
$1.52 €1.30
71.05%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.76 Q 13.47
$1.60 €1.37
10.00%
Eggs
$2.25 Q 17.20
$2.98 €2.55
-24.50%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.61 Q 58.2
$14.49 €12.41
-47.48%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.89 Q 60.3
$8.37 €7.16
-5.73%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.97 Q 76.2
$15.94 €13.65
-37.45%
Apples (1kg)
$3.61 Q 27.61
$2.54 €2.18
42.13%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 Q 12.90
$2.10 €1.79
-19.52%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.27 Q 25.00
$2.06 €1.76
58.74%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.51 Q 11.56
$2.64 €2.26
-42.80%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 Q 11.54
$1.84 €1.58
-17.93%
Onion (1kg)
$1.77 Q 13.49
$1.91 €1.64
-7.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.74 Q 5.69
$1.33 €1.14
-44.36%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09 Q 8.32
$0.80 €0.68
36.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.69 Q 28.22
$6.43 €5.50
-42.61%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.32 Q 63.5
$5.82 €4.99
42.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.89 Q 14.42
$1.24 €1.06
52.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82 Q 21.56
$2.11 €1.81
33.65%
🚌 Getting Around
Guatemala
Spain
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.06 Q 8.06
$1.70 €1.46
-37.65%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$12.99 Q 99.3
$34.64 €29.65
-62.50%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.52 Q 26.89
$4.60 €3.94
-23.48%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$1.35 €1.15
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.08 Q 77.0
$27.00 €23.11
-62.67%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.12 Q 8.55
$1.84 €1.57
-39.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.2K Q 138.8K
$38.3K €32.8K
-52.56%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.4K Q 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)
$58.3 Q 445
$151 €129
-61.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.30 Q 224
$20.30 €17.38
44.33%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.5 Q 409
$33.21 €28.43
61.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Guatemala
Spain
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.71 Q 334
$47.38 €40.56
-7.75%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.57 Q 195
$15.74 €13.47
62.45%
Cinema Ticket
$6.71 Q 51.3
$9.06 €7.76
-25.94%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Guatemala
Spain
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$262 Q 2,000
$523 €447
-49.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,050 Q 61.5K
$9,978 €8,541
-19.32%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Guatemala
Spain
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.2 Q 383
$87.7 €75.1
-42.84%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.7 Q 387
$37.32 €31.94
35.85%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$97.6 Q 745
$88.7 €76.0
9.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104 Q 796
$106 €91.0
-2.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Guatemala
Spain
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$673 Q 5,145
$1,052 €901
-35.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$434 Q 3,319
$809 €692
-46.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,325 Q 10.1K
$1,674 €1,433
-20.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$699 Q 5,340
$1,213 €1,038
-42.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,260 Q 17.3K
$4,487 €3,841
-49.64%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,141 Q 8,719
$2,733 €2,339
-58.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Guatemala
Spain
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$592 Q 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.

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