😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,718 in Italy versus $792 in Guatemala.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,621 in Italy versus $1,256 in Guatemala.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,524 in Italy versus $1,719 in Guatemala.
🌍Living in Italy is roughly 117% more expensive than in Guatemala on average.
📊Italy (29% above) and Guatemala (41% below) straddle the global median.
📏Italy ($1,176–$2,467) and Guatemala ($112–$1,281) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
Guatemala
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.58€15.38
$5.73Q 43.70
206.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$82.5€72.1
$50.6Q 386
62.98%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.72€10.25
$6.36Q 48.47
84.28%
Cappuccino
$1.92€1.68
$3.42Q 26.09
-43.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.99€2.62
$1.35Q 10.31
121.48%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.36€1.19
$1.05Q 8.01
29.52%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.76€5.04
$3.21Q 24.46
79.44%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.22€4.57
$5.32Q 40.58
-1.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
Guatemala
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.69€1.48
$1.92Q 14.66
-11.98%
White Bread(500g)
$2.33€2.04
$2.72Q 20.76
-14.34%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.05€2.67
$1.83Q 13.98
66.67%
Eggs
$3.99€3.49
$2.33Q 17.79
71.24%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$16.68€14.59
$7.32Q 55.8
127.87%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.57€11.00
$7.89Q 60.1
59.32%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$20.53€17.96
$9.49Q 72.4
116.33%
Apples(1kg)
$2.56€2.24
$3.66Q 27.92
-30.05%
Banana(1kg)
$2.20€1.93
$1.61Q 12.29
36.65%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.68€2.34
$3.33Q 25.41
-19.52%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.37€2.95
$1.51Q 11.51
123.18%
Potato(1kg)
$2.04€1.78
$1.57Q 12.00
29.94%
Onion(1kg)
$1.88€1.65
$1.84Q 14.04
2.17%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.47€1.29
$0.73Q 5.59
101.37%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54€0.47
$1.15Q 8.76
-53.04%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.00€6.12
$3.71Q 28.29
88.68%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.09€6.20
$8.20Q 62.5
-13.54%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80€1.58
$1.87Q 14.29
-3.74%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.51€2.19
$2.88Q 21.98
-12.85%
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
Guatemala
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.96€1.71
$1.02Q 7.75
92.16%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.58€36.38
$13.09Q 99.8
217.65%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.80€5.08
$3.68Q 28.08
57.61%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.60€1.40
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$35.07€30.68
$9.91Q 75.6
253.88%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.13€1.86
$1.10Q 8.41
93.64%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.6K€28.5K
$18.6KQ 141.4K
75.56%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.8K€29.6K
$22.7KQ 172.7K
49.13%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Guatemala
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$225€197
$59.1Q 450
280.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.14€11.50
$28.82Q 220
-54.41%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.19€27.29
$52.4Q 399
-40.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Guatemala
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$57.2€50.0
$44.45Q 339
28.59%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.85€22.61
$25.14Q 192
2.82%
Cinema Ticket
$10.34€9.05
$6.62Q 50.5
56.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
Guatemala
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$564€493
$261Q 1,992
115.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.3K€9,047
$8,177Q 62.3K
26.47%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Guatemala
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.9€80.4
$50.8Q 387
81.02%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.54€35.47
$51.7Q 394
-21.57%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.2€85.9
$98.0Q 747
0.19%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$132€116
$102Q 780
29.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
Guatemala
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$855€748
$668Q 5,095
27.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$663€580
$435Q 3,319
52.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,522€1,332
$1,294Q 9,868
17.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,089€953
$709Q 5,402
53.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,747€3,278
$2,243Q 17.1K
67.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,299€2,011
$1,153Q 8,793
99.30%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
Guatemala
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,897€1,659
$583Q 4,441
225.51%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.41
8.71
-49.37%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Italy: July 11, 2026
Last update for Guatemala: July 11, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $742 in Italy, $219 in Guatemala. Capital cities: $1,328 in Rome vs $717 in Guatemala City.
💰National salary averages: $1,912 in Italy, $703 in Guatemala. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 239% higher in Italy.
⭐Dining out costs 118% more in Italy.
⭐Public transport is 4300% more expensive in Italy.
⭐Salaries are 172% higher in Italy, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Italy.
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
Italy vs Guatemala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Guatemala or Italy?
At $697 per month in Guatemala and $1,822 in Italy, there's a 162% 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 Italy?
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 Italy?
Rent in Italy 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 Italy?
In Guatemala, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in Italy 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 Italy?
It depends on what you're after: Guatemala wins on affordability; Italy may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.