Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Panajachel and Chimaltenango

For one person, living costs are similar in Panajachel and in Chimaltenango: $745 and $746 a month, rent and utilities included.

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Panajachel

🇬🇹 Guatemala

$745

/mo nomad

Chimaltenango

🇬🇹 Guatemala

$746

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Panajachel and in Chimaltenango

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

A single person spends $745 per month in Panajachel vs $746 in Chimaltenango, rent included.

Panajachel $745
Chimaltenango $746

A couple spends around $1,242 per month in Panajachel vs $1,246 in Chimaltenango, rent included.

Panajachel $1,242
Chimaltenango $1,246

A family of three spends $1,739 per month in Panajachel vs $1,747 in Chimaltenango, rent included.

Panajachel $1,739
Chimaltenango $1,747

Panajachel and Chimaltenango have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Panajachel and Chimaltenango are more affordable than the global median – Panajachel 45% lower, Chimaltenango 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.89 Q 52.6

$6.73 Q 51.4

2.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.46 Q 378

$51.0 Q 390

-2.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.91 Q 60.4

$8.02 Q 61.3

-1.37%

Cappuccino

$3.42 Q 26.13

$3.31 Q 25.29

3.32%

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

$1.16 Q 8.84

$1.15 Q 8.79

0.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 Q 7.09

$0.91 Q 6.93

2.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 Q 24.30

$3.25 Q 24.86

-2.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.72 Q 36.03

$4.83 Q 36.94

-2.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 Q 16.01

$2.09 Q 15.98

0.48%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 Q 23.56

$3.08 Q 23.51

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 Q 16.28

$2.13 Q 16.27

Eggs

$2.35 Q 17.94

$2.34 Q 17.91

0.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.33 Q 48.35

$6.34 Q 48.47

-0.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.54 Q 72.9

$9.38 Q 71.7

1.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.46 Q 103

$13.39 Q 102

0.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.78 Q 28.92

$3.86 Q 29.51

-2.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 Q 12.64

$1.70 Q 12.96

-2.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.84 Q 21.68

$2.90 Q 22.13

-2.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 Q 12.46

$1.64 Q 12.57

-0.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 Q 11.70

$1.48 Q 11.31

3.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.08 Q 15.90

$2.09 Q 15.95

-0.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 Q 5.19

$0.74 Q 5.65

-8.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 Q 8.91

$1.19 Q 9.11

-1.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.02 Q 30.75

$3.97 Q 30.33

1.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.24 Q 63.0

$8.31 Q 63.5

-0.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 Q 13.07

$1.79 Q 13.72

-4.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 Q 20.80

$2.63 Q 20.06

3.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.18 Q 39.60

$5.18 Q 39.59

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.60 Q 81.0

$10.54 Q 80.5

0.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 Q 10.25

$1.33 Q 10.16

0.75%

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

$27.1K Q 206.7K

$27.1K Q 206.9K

-0.11%

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

$25.2K Q 192.9K

$25.0K Q 190.8K

1.05%

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

$72.7 Q 555

$73.1 Q 559

-0.62%

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

$29.08 Q 222

$29.14 Q 223

-0.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.40 Q 347

$45.75 Q 350

-0.77%

Cinema Ticket

$6.40 Q 48.88

$6.66 Q 50.9

-3.90%

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

$338 Q 2,584

$340 Q 2,595

-0.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,571 Q 50.2K

$6,732 Q 51.4K

-2.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.15 Q 376

$50.4 Q 385

-2.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.06 Q 360

$46.71 Q 357

0.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 Q 881

$116 Q 883

-0.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 Q 846

$111 Q 848

-0.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.62

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

Last update for Panajachel: November 2, 2026

Last update for Chimaltenango: November 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49 in Panajachel versus $51 in Chimaltenango. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $281 vs $282 – making Panajachel the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇬🇹 Panajachel

🇬🇹 Chimaltenango

🕒 Local time

11:00 11:00 AM

Same time as Panajachel

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

11,142

43,900

💱 Currency

Guatemalan Quetzal GTQ Q

📈 Exchange rate

1 GTQ = 0.131 USD

1 GTQ = 0.117 EUR

1 GTQ = 0.131 USD

1 GTQ = 0.117 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Panajachel Chimaltenango 37 km

From you

Panajachel
Chimaltenango

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

Panajachel vs Chimaltenango: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,117 per month in Panajachel and $1,118 in Chimaltenango. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49 in Panajachel and $51 in Chimaltenango. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Kindergarten costs $338 per month in Panajachel and $340 in Chimaltenango. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

It depends on your priorities. Panajachel has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $745 in Panajachel to $746 in Chimaltenango. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.