Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Guatemala Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Guatemala

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,717 in Italy versus $787 in Guatemala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,624 in Italy versus $1,247 in Guatemala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,530 in Italy versus $1,707 in Guatemala.

Living in Italy is roughly 118% more expensive than Guatemala on average.

Italy (28% above) and Guatemala (41% below) straddle the global median.

Italy ($1,170$2,508) and Guatemala ($112$1,267) 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
$17.44 €15.00
$5.95 Q 45.37
193.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.5 €68.4
$50.9 Q 388
56.16%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.76 €10.11
$6.47 Q 49.29
81.76%
Cappuccino
$2.00 €1.72
$3.52 Q 26.83
-43.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 €2.58
$1.31 Q 10.01
129.01%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 €1.16
$1.00 Q 7.63
35.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.94 €5.11
$3.27 Q 24.95
81.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.36 €4.61
$5.25 Q 40.02
2.10%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
Guatemala
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 €1.41
$2.03 Q 15.44
-19.21%
White Bread (500g)
$2.41 €2.07
$2.68 Q 20.43
-10.07%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.99 €2.58
$1.83 Q 13.92
63.39%
Eggs
$3.96 €3.41
$2.26 Q 17.22
75.22%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.84 €14.49
$7.39 Q 56.3
127.88%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.43 €10.69
$8.12 Q 61.9
53.08%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.29 €17.46
$9.60 Q 73.2
111.35%
Apples (1kg)
$2.47 €2.13
$3.56 Q 27.12
-30.62%
Banana (1kg)
$2.15 €1.85
$1.62 Q 12.33
32.72%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.65 €2.28
$3.27 Q 24.89
-18.96%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.40 €2.92
$1.52 Q 11.57
123.68%
Potato (1kg)
$1.92 €1.65
$1.50 Q 11.40
28.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.81 €1.56
$1.85 Q 14.09
-2.16%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.55 €1.33
$0.79 Q 6.00
96.20%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54 €0.46
$1.11 Q 8.43
-51.35%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.79 €5.84
$3.86 Q 29.40
75.91%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.18 €6.18
$8.30 Q 63.2
-13.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 €1.55
$1.88 Q 14.32
-4.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.42 €2.08
$2.88 Q 21.92
-15.97%
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
Guatemala
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.00 €1.72
$1.02 Q 7.77
96.08%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$42.35 €36.43
$12.81 Q 97.6
230.60%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.94 €5.11
$3.54 Q 26.99
67.80%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.51 €1.30
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$34.04 €29.28
$10.15 Q 77.4
235.37%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.05 €1.76
$1.07 Q 8.15
91.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.8K €28.2K
$18.1K Q 137.8K
81.64%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.7K €29.0K
$22.4K Q 170.8K
50.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Guatemala
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$225 €194
$58.7 Q 447
284.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.25 €11.40
$28.61 Q 218
-53.69%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.95 €26.62
$52.4 Q 400
-40.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Guatemala
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.7 €47.95
$44.54 Q 339
25.15%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.15 €21.63
$26.03 Q 198
-3.38%
Cinema Ticket
$10.25 €8.82
$6.33 Q 48.26
61.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
Guatemala
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$576 €495
$262 Q 1,995
119.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.5K €8,998
$7,973 Q 60.8K
31.20%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Guatemala
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.8 €79.0
$51.8 Q 395
77.12%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.72 €35.03
$51.1 Q 390
-20.38%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.0 €84.3
$97.3 Q 741
0.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131 €112
$103 Q 788
26.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
Guatemala
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$860 €740
$665 Q 5,071
29.20%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$667 €573
$436 Q 3,321
52.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,475 €1,269
$1,318 Q 10.0K
11.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,087 €935
$695 Q 5,293
56.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,850 €3,312
$2,252 Q 17.2K
70.98%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,359 €2,029
$1,126 Q 8,582
109.44%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
Guatemala
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,933 €1,663
$582 Q 4,438
232.00%
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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Guatemala: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $743 in Italy, $218 in Guatemala. Capital cities: $1,325 in Rome vs $716 in Guatemala City.

National salary averages: $1,949 in Italy, $698 in Guatemala. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 241% higher in Italy.

Dining out costs 118% more in Italy.

Public transport is 4300% more expensive in Italy.

Salaries are 179% higher in Italy, giving Italy 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
Italy vs Guatemala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Guatemala or Italy?
At $690 per month in Guatemala and $1,839 in Italy, there's a 167% 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?
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 Italy?
Rent in Italy 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 Italy?
In Guatemala, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In Italy, 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 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.

Italy vs other spots: cost of living compared

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