Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Quetzaltenango and Bogota

For one person, living is cheaper in Quetzaltenango: $1,148 a month against $1,323 in Bogota, rent and utilities included – about $2,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Quetzaltenango
🇬🇹 Guatemala
$1,148
/mo nomad
Bogota
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,323
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Quetzaltenango and in Bogota

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

A single person spends $1,148 per month in Quetzaltenango vs $1,323 in Bogota, rent included.

  • Quetzaltenango $1,148
  • Bogota $1,323

A couple spends around $1,444 per month in Quetzaltenango vs $2,110 in Bogota, rent included.

  • Quetzaltenango $1,444
  • Bogota $2,110

A family of three spends $1,741 per month in Quetzaltenango vs $2,897 in Bogota, rent included.

  • Quetzaltenango $1,741
  • Bogota $2,897

Quetzaltenango is about 13% cheaper than Bogota, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Quetzaltenango and Bogota are more affordable than the global median – Quetzaltenango 15% lower, Bogota 2% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Quetzaltenango
Bogota
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.78 Q 51.9
$7.65 COP 24.3K
-11.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$49.64 Q 380
$41.44 COP 131.4K
19.79%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.66 Q 58.6
$10.38 COP 32.9K
-26.20%
Cappuccino
$3.26 Q 24.91
$2.53 COP 8,011
28.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.15 Q 8.77
$1.35 COP 4,277
-14.81%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91 Q 6.97
$0.87 COP 2,752
4.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.35 Q 25.60
$2.06 COP 6,542
62.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.66 Q 35.65
$3.98 COP 12.6K
17.09%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Quetzaltenango
Bogota
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.01 Q 15.36
$1.65 COP 5,240
21.82%
White Bread (500g)
$2.66 Q 20.33
$2.40 COP 7,618
10.83%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.13 Q 16.30
$1.69 COP 5,345
26.04%
Eggs
$2.51 Q 19.16
$3.54 COP 11.2K
-29.10%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.44 Q 49.23
$7.89 COP 25.0K
-18.38%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.96 Q 60.9
$7.30 COP 23.1K
9.04%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.86 Q 98.3
$9.87 COP 31.3K
30.29%
Apples (1kg)
$2.86 Q 21.90
$3.58 COP 11.4K
-20.11%
Banana (1kg)
$1.70 Q 13.02
$1.84 COP 5,822
-7.61%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.92 Q 22.30
$1.90 COP 6,012
53.68%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.64 Q 12.55
$1.74 COP 5,517
-5.75%
Potato (1kg)
$1.55 Q 11.81
$1.41 COP 4,484
9.93%
Onion (1kg)
$2.19 Q 16.71
$1.37 COP 4,332
59.85%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.69 Q 5.31
$1.30 COP 4,131
-46.92%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.19 Q 9.10
$1.15 COP 3,643
3.48%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.35 Q 25.64
$4.32 COP 13.7K
-22.45%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.09 Q 61.9
$12.76 COP 40.5K
-36.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72 Q 13.18
$1.43 COP 4,542
20.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 Q 20.70
$2.83 COP 8,986
-4.24%
🚌 Getting Around
Quetzaltenango
Bogota
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.08 COP 3,434
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$50.8 COP 161.1K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.15 Q 39.38
$2.38 COP 7,550
116.39%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.73 Q 13.22
$2.34 COP 7,411
-26.07%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.56 Q 80.8
$9.20 COP 29.2K
14.78%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.38 Q 10.57
$1.33 COP 4,213
3.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.5K Q 210.6K
$23.5K COP 74.4M
17.32%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.3K Q 193.3K
$35.6K COP 113.0M
-29.08%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Quetzaltenango
Bogota
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$72.7 Q 556
$125 COP 397.8K
-42.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.06 Q 99.9
$16.29 COP 51.6K
-19.83%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$46.29 Q 354
$30.21 COP 95.8K
53.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Quetzaltenango
Bogota
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.89 Q 251
$34.11 COP 108.2K
-3.58%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$15.37 COP 48.7K
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.35 Q 48.54
$7.84 COP 24.8K
-19.01%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Quetzaltenango
Bogota
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$342 Q 2,611
$501 COP 1.6M
-31.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,757 Q 51.7K
$7,450 COP 23.6M
-9.31%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Quetzaltenango
Bogota
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.0 Q 382
$82.8 COP 262.6K
-39.60%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.61 Q 356
$47.40 COP 150.3K
-1.67%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$110 Q 844
$142 COP 449.4K
-22.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$112 Q 857
$106 COP 337.4K
5.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Quetzaltenango
Bogota
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$397 Q 3,037
$803 COP 2.5M
-50.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$398 Q 3,046
$452 COP 1.4M
-11.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,244 COP 3.9M
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$974 COP 3.1M
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,816 COP 8.9M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$2,354 COP 7.5M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Quetzaltenango
Bogota
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$813 COP 2.6M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.62
12.81
-9.29%

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

Last update for Quetzaltenango: October 11, 2026

Last update for Bogota: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Quetzaltenango
$398
Bogota
$452 13.4% $53
Groceries & Markets
Quetzaltenango
$264
Bogota
$261 1.1% $2.9
Eating Out
Quetzaltenango
$151
Bogota
$150 0.6% $0.8
Clothing & Footwear
Quetzaltenango
$144
Bogota
$170 18.6% $27
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Quetzaltenango
$132
Bogota
$172 30.2% $40
Sport & Entertainment
Quetzaltenango
$46
Bogota
$50 9.2% $4.2
Getting Around
Quetzaltenango
$14 *
Bogota
$69 401% $55

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $397 in Quetzaltenango versus $803 in Bogota. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Quetzaltenango versus $41.00 in Bogota. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $264 vs $261 – making Bogota the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇹 Quetzaltenango
🇨🇴 Bogota
🕒 Local time
04:19 4:19 AM
05:19 5:19 AM
1 h ahead of Quetzaltenango
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
500,000
8,181,047 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to GTQ – Guatemalan Quetzal Converter

Guatemalan Quetzal exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 7.65 GTQ (1 GTQ = 0.131 USD). 1 EUR = 8.6 GTQ (1 GTQ = 0.116 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Quetzaltenango Bogota 2,220 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Quetzaltenango
  • Bogota

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
Quetzaltenango vs Bogota: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bogota cheaper than Quetzaltenango?
Yes – Bogota is pricier by about 15%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,722 per month in Quetzaltenango and $1,985 in Bogota. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Quetzaltenango, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Quetzaltenango or in Bogota?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Quetzaltenango and $41.00 in Bogota. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Quetzaltenango and in Bogota?
Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Bogota – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Quetzaltenango or in Bogota?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Quetzaltenango, where all-in costs run around $1,148, than in Bogota at $1,323. In Quetzaltenango it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bogota it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Quetzaltenango or Bogota more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Quetzaltenango – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Quetzaltenango. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bogota makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Quetzaltenango vs other spots: cost of living compared

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