Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima and Guatemala City

For one person, living is cheaper in Lima: $996 a month against $1,334 in Guatemala City, rent and utilities included – about $4,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

49

Cost of Living Index in Lima
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Lima Living Index
65

Cost of Living Index in Guatemala City
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Guatemala City Living Index

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Lima

🇵🇪 Peru

$996

/mo nomad

Guatemala City

🇬🇹 Guatemala

$1,334

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lima and in Guatemala City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lima and in Guatemala City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $996 in Lima versus $1,334 in Guatemala City.

Lima $996
Guatemala City $1,334

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,594 in Lima versus $2,040 in Guatemala City.

Lima $1,594
Guatemala City $2,040

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,191 in Lima versus $2,746 in Guatemala City.

Lima $2,191
Guatemala City $2,746

Living in Lima costs roughly 25% less than in Guatemala City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lima is 26% below, Guatemala City is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.42 PEN 15.16

$6.84 Q 52.2

-35.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.04 PEN 120

$49.83 Q 381

-29.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 PEN 23.44

$7.72 Q 59.0

-11.40%

Cappuccino

$3.27 PEN 11.22

$3.24 Q 24.80

0.93%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 PEN 3.78

$1.11 Q 8.46

-0.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 PEN 2.22

$0.98 Q 7.49

-33.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.58 PEN 8.85

$3.22 Q 24.59

-19.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 PEN 15.34

$4.88 Q 37.29

-8.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 PEN 5.46

$2.11 Q 16.11

-24.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 PEN 8.86

$3.04 Q 23.22

-15.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 PEN 4.65

$2.09 Q 15.96

-34.93%

Eggs

$2.95 PEN 10.11

$2.51 Q 19.15

17.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.10 PEN 31.19

$6.16 Q 47.09

47.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.81 PEN 19.91

$9.55 Q 73.0

-39.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.83 PEN 33.68

$13.51 Q 103

-27.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 PEN 6.89

$4.00 Q 30.54

-49.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 PEN 3.69

$1.71 Q 13.05

-36.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 PEN 4.70

$2.83 Q 21.63

-51.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 PEN 5.06

$1.65 Q 12.61

-10.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 PEN 3.30

$1.49 Q 11.37

-35.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 PEN 2.92

$2.12 Q 16.21

-59.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 PEN 3.02

$0.68 Q 5.20

29.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 PEN 2.97

$1.20 Q 9.16

-27.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.90 PEN 20.24

$4.11 Q 31.39

43.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.81 PEN 30.21

$8.11 Q 61.9

8.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 PEN 6.57

$1.74 Q 13.30

10.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 PEN 10.98

$2.73 Q 20.83

17.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 PEN 2.33

$1.29 Q 9.88

-47.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.74 PEN 91.7

$14.31 Q 109

86.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.81 PEN 13.06

$5.16 Q 39.46

-26.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 PEN 7.00

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.14 PEN 24.49

$10.46 Q 79.9

-31.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 PEN 5.65

$1.33 Q 10.17

24.06%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$22.2K PEN 76.0K

$27.3K Q 208.8K

-18.85%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.7K PEN 88.0K

$25.3K Q 193.6K

1.34%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$73.0 PEN 250

$73.2 Q 559

-0.19%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$16.26 PEN 55.7

$28.62 Q 219

-43.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.60 PEN 94.6

$45.27 Q 346

-39.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.07 PEN 113

$40.18 Q 307

-17.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.49 PEN 66.8

$13.22 Q 101

47.43%

Cinema Ticket

$7.39 PEN 25.33

$6.60 Q 50.5

11.97%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$182 PEN 624

$334 Q 2,554

-45.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K PEN 45.7K

$6,809 Q 52.0K

95.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 PEN 180

$49.72 Q 380

5.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.23 PEN 117

$48.13 Q 368

-28.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.8 PEN 287

$120 Q 916

-30.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.0 PEN 271

$112 Q 857

-29.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$723 PEN 2,479

$837 Q 6,396

-13.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 PEN 1,166

$534 Q 4,082

-36.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,184 PEN 4,060

$1,537 Q 11.7K

-22.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$635 PEN 2,176

$803 Q 6,139

-20.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,449 PEN 8,394

$2,071 Q 15.8K

18.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 PEN 4,702

$1,092 Q 8,343

25.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$653 PEN 2,237

$841 Q 6,425

-22.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.94

11.62

-23.06%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Lima: October 4, 2026

Last update for Guatemala City: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Lima

$340 33.6%

Guatemala City

$534 39.8% 57.1% $194

Groceries & Markets

Lima

$226 22.4%

Guatemala City

$283 21.1% 24.9% $56

Eating Out

Lima

$124 12.3%

Guatemala City

$151 11.3% 21.7% $27

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lima

$117 11.6%

Guatemala City

$147 11% 25.8% $30

Clothing & Footwear

Lima

$112 11.1%

Guatemala City

$148 11.1% 32.2% $36

Sport & Entertainment

Lima

$48 4.7%

Guatemala City

$53 4% 11.6% $5.5

Getting Around

Lima

$43 4.3%

Guatemala City

$25 * 1.8% 43.3% $19

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $723 in Lima and $837 in Guatemala City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Guatemala City pays 29% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $35.00 in Lima vs $50.0 in Guatemala City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $226 vs $283 per month, with Lima cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇪 Lima

🇬🇹 Guatemala City

🕒 Local time

03:35 3:35 AM

02:35 2:35 AM

1 h behind Lima

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,989,369 Capital

2,450,212 Capital

💱 Currency

Peruvian Sol PEN S/

Guatemalan Quetzal GTQ Q

📈 Exchange rate

1 PEN = 0.292 USD

1 PEN = 0.26 EUR

1 GTQ = 0.131 USD

1 GTQ = 0.117 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

GTQ, USD, EUR to PEN – Peruvian Sol Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇪 Peruvian Sol (S/)

Peruvian Sol exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3.43 PEN (1 PEN = 0.292 USD). 1 EUR = 3.84 PEN (1 PEN = 0.26 EUR).

Guatemalan Quetzal exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 7.64 GTQ (1 GTQ = 0.131 USD). 1 EUR = 8.57 GTQ (1 GTQ = 0.117 EUR).

USD to PEN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Lima Guatemala City 3,320 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Lima
Guatemala City

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Lima vs Guatemala City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lima wins on cost – living expenses run 34% lower than in Guatemala City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lima the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 29% lower in Guatemala City. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $723 in Lima versus $837 in Guatemala City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Lima – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $50.0 in Guatemala City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $996 per month in Lima versus $1,334 in Guatemala City – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $996 in Lima versus $1,334 in Guatemala City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lima but tight or insufficient in Guatemala City. The gap between the two cities makes Lima the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Lima delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $996 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lima hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Lima gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Guatemala City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.