🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $824 in Guatemala versus $1,686 in Spain.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,316 in Guatemala versus $2,489 in Spain.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,807 in Guatemala versus $3,291 in Spain.
🌍Living in Guatemala costs about 51% less than in Spain on average.
📊Guatemala (40% below) and Spain (23% above) straddle the global median.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Guatemala
Spain
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.02Q 61.1
$17.13€14.85
-53.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$49.31Q 376
$57.2€49.59
-13.84%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.72Q 58.9
$11.60€10.06
-33.45%
Cappuccino
$3.52Q 26.84
$2.40€2.08
46.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43Q 10.91
$2.73€2.36
-47.62%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.07Q 8.13
$1.89€1.64
-43.39%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.30Q 25.15
$3.57€3.10
-7.56%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.29Q 40.35
$3.96€3.43
33.59%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Guatemala
Spain
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.12Q 16.20
$1.26€1.09
68.25%
White Bread(500g)
$3.22Q 24.52
$1.54€1.33
109.09%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.07Q 15.78
$1.63€1.41
26.99%
Eggs
$2.51Q 19.12
$3.44€2.98
-27.03%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$6.10Q 46.50
$14.42€12.50
-57.70%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.99Q 76.1
$8.89€7.71
12.37%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.20Q 93.0
$16.49€14.29
-26.02%
Apples(1kg)
$3.94Q 30.03
$2.49€2.16
58.23%
Banana(1kg)
$1.97Q 15.01
$2.13€1.85
-7.51%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.32Q 32.91
$2.22€1.93
94.59%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.65Q 12.56
$2.54€2.20
-35.04%
Potato(1kg)
$1.90Q 14.48
$1.81€1.57
4.97%
Onion(1kg)
$2.24Q 17.06
$2.00€1.73
12.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.82Q 6.22
$1.35€1.17
-39.26%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.21Q 9.21
$0.76€0.66
59.21%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.83Q 29.19
$6.91€5.98
-44.57%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.40Q 64.0
$5.72€4.95
46.85%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.25Q 17.18
$1.32€1.15
70.45%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.25Q 24.74
$2.13€1.85
52.58%
🚌 Getting Around
Guatemala
Spain
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.01Q 15.31
$1.71€1.49
17.54%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$14.08Q 107
$35.14€30.45
-59.93%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.15Q 39.22
$4.66€4.04
10.52%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.67Q 12.73
$1.54€1.34
8.44%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$10.30Q 78.5
$25.59€22.17
-59.75%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.26Q 9.61
$1.76€1.53
-28.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.5KQ 163.7K
$36.2K€31.4K
-40.71%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.4KQ 186.3K
$30.2K€26.2K
-19.07%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Guatemala
Spain
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$69.4Q 529
$155€134
-55.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.74Q 257
$18.12€15.70
86.20%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$52.4Q 399
$32.66€28.30
60.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Guatemala
Spain
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.74Q 318
$46.15€39.99
-9.56%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.56Q 119
$15.65€13.56
-0.58%
Cinema Ticket
$6.64Q 50.6
$10.01€8.67
-33.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Guatemala
Spain
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$357Q 2,720
$560€486
-36.31%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$7,374Q 56.2K
$10.7K€9,299
-31.28%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Guatemala
Spain
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.94Q 335
$87.1€75.5
-49.56%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.83Q 380
$38.45€33.32
29.60%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$100Q 764
$91.9€79.6
9.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107Q 819
$108€93.8
-0.78%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Guatemala
Spain
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$816Q 6,220
$1,042€903
-21.69%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$508Q 3,876
$814€705
-37.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,615Q 12.3K
$1,627€1,410
-0.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$912Q 6,953
$1,246€1,080
-26.81%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,255Q 17.2K
$4,266€3,697
-47.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,147Q 8,746
$2,607€2,259
-55.99%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Guatemala
Spain
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$649Q 4,950
$2,046€1,773
-68.26%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.62
3.29
253.19%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Guatemala: September 13, 2026
Last update for Spain: September 14, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $176 in Guatemala, $932 in Spain. Capital cities: $836 in Guatemala City vs $1,567 in Madrid.
💰National salary averages: $737 in Guatemala, $2,029 in Spain. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 430% higher in Spain.
⭐Dining out costs 28% more in Spain.
⭐Public transport is 3000% more expensive in Spain.
⭐Salaries are 175% 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 $681 per month in Guatemala and $1,821 in Spain, there's a 168% 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.