Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Guatemala City Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Guatemala City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $1,361 in Guatemala City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $2,031 in Guatemala City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $2,702 in Guatemala City.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 22% more expensive than in Guatemala City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Guatemala City is 1% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$6.87 Q 52.3

73.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$49.44 Q 377

4.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$7.90 Q 60.2

44.43%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$3.37 Q 25.66

18.40%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$1.16 Q 8.84

43.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.85 Q 6.46

56.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$3.20 Q 24.37

8.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$4.84 Q 36.86

21.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$2.06 Q 15.74

-8.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$2.93 Q 22.33

10.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$2.08 Q 15.87

3.85%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$2.58 Q 19.66

12.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$6.38 Q 48.63

101.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$9.59 Q 73.1

4.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$13.47 Q 103

17.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$4.01 Q 30.56

-17.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.67 Q 12.70

20.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$2.81 Q 21.44

-21.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$1.63 Q 12.42

44.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$1.51 Q 11.51

35.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$2.08 Q 15.85

-8.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.68 Q 5.22

136.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$1.15 Q 8.73

21.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$4.01 Q 30.55

36.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$8.03 Q 61.2

119.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$1.73 Q 13.17

19.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$2.62 Q 19.97

78.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$1.30 Q 9.88

-73.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$14.15 Q 108

47.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$5.11 Q 38.97

-58.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$10.67 Q 81.3

-45.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.22 Q 9.31

31.97%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$27.6K Q 210.2K

-17.19%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$25.0K Q 190.2K

7.18%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$76.1 Q 580

-14.29%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$29.03 Q 221

3.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$45.87 Q 350

-18.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$39.45 Q 301

51.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$13.06 Q 99.6

103.29%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$6.38 Q 48.65

10.34%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$340 Q 2,591

36.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$6,730 Q 51.3K

97.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$46.11 Q 351

64.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$47.80 Q 364

17.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$109 Q 831

2.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$115 Q 875

4.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$836 Q 6,375

31.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$536 Q 4,082

34.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$1,540 Q 11.7K

64.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$819 Q 6,241

57.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$2,032 Q 15.5K

96.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$1,109 Q 8,453

88.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$844 Q 6,435

22.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

11.62

-2.75%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Guatemala City: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $836 in Guatemala City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 23% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $49.00 in Guatemala City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $281 per month, with Guatemala City cheaper across the board.

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

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

Guatemala City wins on cost – living expenses run 22% lower than in Mexico City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Guatemala City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 23% higher in Mexico City, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $836 in Guatemala City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Guatemala City – a meal for two runs $49.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,660 per month in Mexico City versus $1,361 in Guatemala City – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,361 in Guatemala City versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Guatemala City but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Guatemala City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Guatemala City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,361 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Guatemala City hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Guatemala City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.