Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Panajachel and New York, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Panajachel: $745 a month against $4,906 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $49,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Panajachel, Guatemala
New York, NY, United States
Panajachel
🇬🇹 Guatemala
$745
/mo nomad
New York, NY
🇺🇸 United States
$4,906
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Panajachel and in New York, NY

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 New York, NY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $745 per month in Panajachel vs $4,906 in New York, NY, rent included.

  • Panajachel $745
  • New York, NY $4,906

A couple spends around $1,242 per month in Panajachel vs $7,273 in New York, NY, rent included.

  • Panajachel $1,242
  • New York, NY $7,273

A family of three spends $1,739 per month in Panajachel vs $9,641 in New York, NY, rent included.

  • Panajachel $1,739
  • New York, NY $9,641

Panajachel is about 85% cheaper than New York, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Panajachel sits 45% below the global median, while New York, NY is 263% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Panajachel
New York, NY
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.89 Q 52.7
$26.93 $26.93
-74.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$49.46 Q 378
$117 $117
-57.65%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.91 Q 60.4
$14.60 $14.60
-45.82%
Cappuccino
$3.42 Q 26.13
$6.54 $6.54
-47.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.16 Q 8.84
$3.86 $3.86
-69.95%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93 Q 7.09
$2.95 $2.95
-68.47%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 Q 24.31
$8.08 $8.08
-60.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.72 Q 36.04
$9.85 $9.85
-52.08%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Panajachel
New York, NY
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.10 Q 16.01
$1.31 $1.31
60.31%
White Bread (500g)
$3.08 Q 23.56
$4.97 $4.97
-38.03%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.13 Q 16.28
$7.70 $7.70
-72.34%
Eggs
$2.35 Q 17.94
$6.09 $6.09
-61.41%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.33 Q 48.35
$19.55 $19.55
-67.62%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.54 Q 72.9
$17.59 $17.59
-45.76%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.46 Q 103
$20.26 $20.26
-33.56%
Apples (1kg)
$3.78 Q 28.92
$6.99 $6.99
-45.92%
Banana (1kg)
$1.65 Q 12.64
$2.21 $2.21
-25.34%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.84 Q 21.68
$6.72 $6.72
-57.74%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.63 Q 12.46
$7.12 $7.12
-77.11%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 Q 11.71
$4.61 $4.61
-66.81%
Onion (1kg)
$2.08 Q 15.90
$4.78 $4.78
-56.49%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.68 Q 5.19
$2.87 $2.87
-76.31%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.17 Q 8.91
$2.69 $2.69
-56.51%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.02 Q 30.75
$19.14 $19.14
-79.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.24 Q 63.0
$19.63 $19.63
-58.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71 Q 13.07
$3.32 $3.32
-48.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.72 Q 20.80
$4.19 $4.19
-35.08%
🚌 Getting Around
Panajachel
New York, NY
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$3.02 $3.02
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$139 $139
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.18 Q 39.60
$3.04 $3.04
70.39%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$2.20 $2.20
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.60 Q 81.0
$41.33 $41.33
-74.35%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.34 Q 10.25
$1.13 $1.13
18.58%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.1K Q 206.7K
$34.5K $34.5K
-21.48%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.2K Q 192.9K
$25.8K $25.8K
-2.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Panajachel
New York, NY
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$72.7 Q 555
$232 $232
-68.73%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.08 Q 222
$71.0 $71.0
-59.06%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$45.40 Q 347
$67.7 $67.7
-32.89%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Panajachel
New York, NY
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$115 $115
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$76.8 $76.8
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.40 Q 48.88
$22.41 $22.41
-71.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Panajachel
New York, NY
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$338 Q 2,584
$3,606 $3,606
-90.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,571 Q 50.2K
$68.7K $68.7K
-90.43%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Panajachel
New York, NY
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.15 Q 376
$79.3 $79.3
-37.98%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.06 Q 360
$51.4 $51.4
-8.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 Q 881
$121 $121
-4.81%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$111 Q 846
$140 $140
-21.20%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Panajachel
New York, NY
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$4,555 $4,555
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$3,040 $3,040
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$9,742 $9,742
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$5,331 $5,331
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$18.2K $18.2K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$6,685 $6,685
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Panajachel
New York, NY
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$5,096 $5,096
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.62
6.89
68.65%

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

Last update for Panajachel: November 2, 2026

Last update for New York, NY: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Panajachel
–
New York, NY
$3K
Groceries & Markets
Panajachel
–
New York, NY
$567
Eating Out
Panajachel
–
New York, NY
$425
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Panajachel
–
New York, NY
$371
Clothing & Footwear
Panajachel
–
New York, NY
$176
Getting Around
Panajachel
–
New York, NY
$165
Sport & Entertainment
Panajachel
–
New York, NY
$160

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49 in Panajachel versus $117 in New York, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $281 vs $567 – making Panajachel the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇹 Panajachel
🇺🇸 New York, NY
🕒 Local time
16:28 4:28 PM
17:28 5:28 PM
1 h ahead of Panajachel
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
11,142
8,804,190
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to GTQ – Guatemalan Quetzal Converter

Guatemalan Quetzal exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 7.64 GTQ (1 GTQ = 0.131 USD). 1 EUR = 8.54 GTQ (1 GTQ = 0.117 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.895 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Panajachel New York, NY 3,320 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Panajachel
  • New York, NY

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 New York, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Panajachel or New York, NY?
New York, NY costs about 559% more than Panajachel, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Panajachel and in New York, NY?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,117 per month in Panajachel and $7,358 in New York, NY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How much does it cost to live in Panajachel compared to New York, NY?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $745 in Panajachel and $4,906 in New York, NY. That makes Panajachel about 85% cheaper.
How do childcare costs compare in Panajachel and in New York, NY?
Kindergarten costs $338 per month in Panajachel and $3,606 in New York, NY. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Panajachel or New York, NY?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Panajachel costs $745 versus $4,906 in New York, NY. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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