Cost of Living Comparison Between Panajachel and Chiquimula Cost of Living Comparison Between Panajachel and Chiquimula

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $750 per month in Panajachel vs $823 in Chiquimula, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,251 per month in Panajachel vs $1,348 in Chiquimula, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,752 per month in Panajachel vs $1,872 in Chiquimula, rent included.

Panajachel is about 9% cheaper than Chiquimula, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Panajachel and Chiquimula are more affordable than the global median – Panajachel 45% lower, Chiquimula 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.91 Q 52.7

$9.02 Q 68.7

-23.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.50 Q 377

$53.0 Q 404

-6.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.01 Q 61.1

$9.16 Q 69.8

-12.55%

Cappuccino

$3.46 Q 26.34

$3.93 Q 29.96

-11.96%

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

$1.11 Q 8.45

$2.19 Q 16.69

-49.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 Q 6.31

$1.45 Q 11.05

-42.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 Q 25.35

$3.76 Q 28.67

-11.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.84 Q 36.89

$6.07 Q 46.27

-20.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 Q 15.77

$2.01 Q 15.29

2.99%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 Q 21.40

$3.61 Q 27.48

-22.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 Q 15.63

$2.01 Q 15.28

1.99%

Eggs

$2.50 Q 19.05

$2.33 Q 17.79

7.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.19 Q 47.17

$5.56 Q 42.36

11.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.19 Q 70.0

$14.12 Q 108

-34.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.42 Q 102

$10.26 Q 78.2

30.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.83 Q 29.17

$4.97 Q 37.88

-22.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 Q 13.05

$2.25 Q 17.15

-24.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.88 Q 21.98

$5.12 Q 39.03

-43.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 Q 12.47

$1.63 Q 12.43

0.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 Q 11.70

$1.94 Q 14.78

-21.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 Q 16.00

$1.80 Q 13.72

16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 Q 5.67

$1.34 Q 10.22

-44.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 Q 8.91

$1.36 Q 10.37

-13.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.04 Q 30.75

$3.96 Q 30.15

2.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.31 Q 63.3

$8.09 Q 61.7

2.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 Q 13.17

$2.95 Q 22.49

-41.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 Q 20.64

$3.61 Q 27.54

-24.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.10 Q 38.90

$4.59 Q 34.96

11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.63 Q 81.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 Q 9.71

$1.20 Q 9.12

5.83%

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

$27.9K Q 212.5K

$23.3K Q 177.8K

19.47%

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

$25.6K Q 195.3K

$22.0K Q 167.9K

16.30%

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

$77.1 Q 588

$58.4 Q 445

31.93%

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

$29.13 Q 222

$37.77 Q 288

-22.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.24 Q 352

$63.8 Q 486

-27.53%

Cinema Ticket

$6.35 Q 48.38

$8.11 Q 61.8

-21.70%

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

$343 Q 2,616

$547 Q 4,166

-37.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,662 Q 50.8K

$14.2K Q 108.2K

-53.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.27 Q 353

$44.90 Q 342

3.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.35 Q 361

$52.8 Q 402

-10.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 Q 843

$92.7 Q 707

19.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 Q 876

$77.7 Q 592

47.83%

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: September 15, 2026

Last update for Chiquimula: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Panajachel versus $53.0 in Chiquimula. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $328 – making Panajachel the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Chiquimula: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Chiquimula is pricier by about 10%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,125 per month in Panajachel and $1,235 in Chiquimula. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Panajachel and $53.0 in Chiquimula. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% more in Chiquimula, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $750 in Panajachel and $823 in Chiquimula, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Panajachel – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Panajachel. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chiquimula makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.