😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,782 in Italy versus $824 in Guatemala.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,722 in Italy versus $1,316 in Guatemala.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,662 in Italy versus $1,807 in Guatemala.
🌍Living in Italy is roughly 116% more expensive than in Guatemala on average.
📊Italy (30% above) and Guatemala (40% below) straddle the global median.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
Guatemala
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.07€18.26
$8.02Q 61.1
162.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$81.0€70.2
$49.31Q 376
64.35%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.50€9.96
$7.72Q 58.9
48.96%
Cappuccino
$2.10€1.82
$3.52Q 26.84
-40.34%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07€2.66
$1.43Q 10.91
114.69%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.44€1.25
$1.07Q 8.13
34.58%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.86€5.08
$3.30Q 25.15
77.58%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.72€4.96
$5.29Q 40.35
8.13%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
Guatemala
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.59€1.38
$2.12Q 16.20
-25.00%
White Bread(500g)
$2.41€2.09
$3.22Q 24.52
-25.16%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.99€2.60
$2.07Q 15.78
44.44%
Eggs
$4.34€3.76
$2.51Q 19.12
72.91%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$17.62€15.27
$6.10Q 46.50
188.85%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.69€10.99
$9.99Q 76.1
27.03%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$20.80€18.02
$12.20Q 93.0
70.49%
Apples(1kg)
$2.61€2.26
$3.94Q 30.03
-33.76%
Banana(1kg)
$2.14€1.86
$1.97Q 15.01
8.63%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.79€2.42
$4.32Q 32.91
-35.42%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.37€2.92
$1.65Q 12.56
104.24%
Potato(1kg)
$2.04€1.77
$1.90Q 14.48
7.37%
Onion(1kg)
$1.96€1.70
$2.24Q 17.06
-12.50%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.56€1.35
$0.82Q 6.22
90.24%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53€0.46
$1.21Q 9.21
-56.20%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.84€5.93
$3.83Q 29.19
78.59%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.71€6.68
$8.40Q 64.0
-8.21%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86€1.61
$2.25Q 17.18
-17.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49€2.16
$3.25Q 24.74
-23.38%
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
Guatemala
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.91€1.66
$2.01Q 15.31
-4.98%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$44.16€38.27
$14.08Q 107
213.64%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.87€5.09
$5.15Q 39.22
13.98%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.70€1.48
$1.67Q 12.73
1.80%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$35.16€30.47
$10.30Q 78.5
241.36%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.11€1.83
$1.26Q 9.61
67.46%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.9K€32.0K
$21.5KQ 163.7K
72.01%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.5K€31.6K
$24.4KQ 186.3K
49.18%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Guatemala
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$229€199
$69.4Q 529
230.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.09€10.48
$33.74Q 257
-64.17%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.57€27.36
$52.4Q 399
-39.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Guatemala
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$54.1€46.90
$41.74Q 318
29.66%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.51€21.24
$15.56Q 119
57.52%
Cinema Ticket
$10.78€9.34
$6.64Q 50.6
62.35%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
Guatemala
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$562€487
$357Q 2,720
57.60%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$12.2K€10.6K
$7,374Q 56.2K
65.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Guatemala
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$94.3€81.7
$43.94Q 335
114.52%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.72€35.29
$49.83Q 380
-18.28%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$104€90.2
$100Q 764
3.75%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$136€118
$107Q 819
26.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
Guatemala
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$832€721
$816Q 6,220
1.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$646€560
$508Q 3,876
27.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,450€1,256
$1,615Q 12.3K
-10.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,081€937
$912Q 6,953
18.54%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,816€3,307
$2,255Q 17.2K
69.20%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,312€2,003
$1,147Q 8,746
101.47%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
Guatemala
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,954€1,693
$649Q 4,950
200.83%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.57
11.62
-69.28%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Italy: September 13, 2026
Last update for Guatemala: September 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $748 in Italy, $176 in Guatemala. Capital cities: $1,238 in Rome vs $836 in Guatemala City.
💰National salary averages: $1,958 in Italy, $737 in Guatemala. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 325% higher in Italy.
⭐Dining out costs 63% more in Italy.
⭐Public transport is 4100% more expensive in Italy.
⭐Salaries are 166% 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 $681 per month in Guatemala and $1,913 in Italy, there's a 181% 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.