Cost of Living Comparison Between Quetzaltenango and Antigua Guatemala Cost of Living Comparison Between Quetzaltenango and Antigua Guatemala

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,143 in Quetzaltenango versus $1,239 in Antigua Guatemala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,441 in Quetzaltenango versus $2,103 in Antigua Guatemala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,740 in Quetzaltenango versus $2,967 in Antigua Guatemala.

Living in Quetzaltenango costs roughly 8% less than in Antigua Guatemala, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Quetzaltenango 16% lower, Antigua Guatemala 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.65 Q 50.7

$6.82 Q 52.0

-2.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.45 Q 377

$52.6 Q 401

-5.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.97 Q 60.7

$7.72 Q 58.9

3.24%

Cappuccino

$3.44 Q 26.19

$3.30 Q 25.14

4.24%

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

$1.12 Q 8.53

$1.16 Q 8.82

-3.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 Q 6.31

$0.89 Q 6.75

-6.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.22 Q 24.57

$3.20 Q 24.38

0.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 Q 36.96

$4.83 Q 36.78

0.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 Q 15.53

$1.99 Q 15.17

2.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.63 Q 20.07

$2.84 Q 21.63

-7.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 Q 15.89

$1.98 Q 15.07

5.05%

Eggs

$2.53 Q 19.27

$2.42 Q 18.45

4.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.15 Q 46.91

$5.34 Q 40.69

15.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.03 Q 61.2

$9.18 Q 70.0

-12.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.98 Q 98.9

$10.53 Q 80.2

23.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 Q 22.61

$3.80 Q 28.98

-21.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 Q 13.01

$1.72 Q 13.10

-0.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 Q 21.89

$2.87 Q 21.88

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 Q 12.44

$1.58 Q 12.05

3.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 Q 11.37

$1.56 Q 11.85

-4.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 Q 16.53

$1.72 Q 13.07

26.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 Q 5.52

$0.68 Q 5.20

5.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 Q 9.10

$1.19 Q 9.08

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.24 Q 24.66

$4.04 Q 30.82

-19.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.01 Q 61.0

$7.94 Q 60.5

0.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 Q 13.51

$1.79 Q 13.64

-1.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 Q 19.74

$2.64 Q 20.14

-1.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 Q 19.43

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.19 Q 39.58

$4.71 Q 35.89

10.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 Q 13.34

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.50 Q 80.0

$10.44 Q 79.6

0.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 Q 9.37

$1.18 Q 8.99

4.24%

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

$27.1K Q 206.4K

$22.8K Q 173.9K

18.71%

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

$25.7K Q 195.8K

$21.5K Q 164.1K

19.35%

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

$76.9 Q 586

$58.6 Q 447

31.17%

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

$13.02 Q 99.2

$28.97 Q 221

-55.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.27 Q 345

$44.93 Q 342

0.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.28 Q 246

$41.21 Q 314

-21.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.35 Q 208

Cinema Ticket

$6.53 Q 49.79

$6.56 Q 49.98

-0.46%

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

$335 Q 2,556

$340 Q 2,589

-1.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,666 Q 50.8K

$6,608 Q 50.4K

0.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.89 Q 365

$43.74 Q 333

9.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.79 Q 357

$47.86 Q 365

-2.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 Q 822

$92.5 Q 705

16.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 Q 851

$77.6 Q 591

43.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$396 Q 3,021

$884 Q 6,736

-55.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 Q 3,024

$529 Q 4,030

-24.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,933 Q 14.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,197 Q 9,125

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,003 Q 22.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,203 Q 9,167

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$630 Q 4,798

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 Quetzaltenango: September 13, 2026

Last update for Antigua Guatemala: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $396 in Quetzaltenango and $884 in Antigua Guatemala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $49.00 in Quetzaltenango vs $53.0 in Antigua Guatemala. Groceries flip the comparison at $264 vs $263, with Antigua Guatemala cheaper for home cooking.

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

Quetzaltenango vs Antigua Guatemala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Quetzaltenango and Antigua Guatemala differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($1,143 vs $1,239 including rent). Quetzaltenango is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,714 in Quetzaltenango and $1,859 in Antigua Guatemala to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $396 in Quetzaltenango versus $884 in Antigua Guatemala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $335 in Quetzaltenango versus $340 in Antigua Guatemala. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Quetzaltenango – a meal for two runs $49.00 versus $53.0 in Antigua Guatemala. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,143 in Quetzaltenango versus $1,239 in Antigua Guatemala, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Quetzaltenango but tight or insufficient in Antigua Guatemala. The gap between the two cities makes Quetzaltenango the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Quetzaltenango and Antigua Guatemala are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Quetzaltenango gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Antigua Guatemala. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.