Cost of Living Comparison Between Quetzaltenango and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Quetzaltenango and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,098 per month in Quetzaltenango vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,435 per month in Quetzaltenango vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,772 per month in Quetzaltenango vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Quetzaltenango costs about 27% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Quetzaltenango and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Quetzaltenango 18% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.11 Q 31.29

$1.94 ฿63.5

111.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.08 Q 260

$18.64 ฿609

82.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 Q 44.56

$7.82 ฿255

-25.19%

Cappuccino

$2.55 Q 19.43

$1.95 ฿63.8

30.77%

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

$0.48 Q 3.66

$0.85 ฿27.77

-43.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 Q 3.71

$0.35 ฿11.58

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.39 Q 10.56

$2.13 ฿69.6

-34.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 Q 14.85

$3.73 ฿122

-47.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 Q 13.86

$1.71 ฿56.0

6.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 Q 19.98

$1.63 ฿53.2

60.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 Q 15.45

$1.14 ฿37.15

78.07%

Eggs

$2.22 Q 16.95

$1.93 ฿63.1

15.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.98 Q 60.8

$16.21 ฿530

-50.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.27 Q 47.77

$3.12 ฿102

100.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.23 Q 70.3

$10.90 ฿356

-15.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 Q 18.39

$2.75 ฿90.0

-12.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 Q 11.66

$1.21 ฿39.52

26.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 Q 23.77

$1.62 ฿53.0

92.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 Q 7.80

$1.59 ฿51.8

-35.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 Q 13.31

$1.40 ฿45.70

25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 Q 14.43

$1.17 ฿38.17

61.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 Q 5.74

$0.66 ฿21.60

13.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 Q 9.30

$0.53 ฿17.22

130.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.31 Q 25.25

$4.69 ฿153

-29.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.94 Q 60.5

$18.66 ฿609

-57.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 Q 12.66

$1.80 ฿58.8

-7.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 Q 18.61

$3.23 ฿106

-24.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Q 2.07

$0.90 ฿29.26

-70.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.67 Q 27.94

$1.41 ฿45.91

160.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 Q 4.60

$1.29 ฿42.12

-53.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.61 Q 50.3

$7.84 ฿256

-15.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 Q 7.24

$1.27 ฿41.58

-25.20%

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

$15.6K Q 119.0K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

-26.62%

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

$22.7K Q 173.2K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

2.30%

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

$79.4 Q 605

$69.1 ฿2,256

14.93%

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

$13.27 Q 101

$14.08 ฿460

-5.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.94 Q 365

$18.00 ฿588

166.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.69 Q 249

$41.06 ฿1,341

-20.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.96 ฿227

Cinema Ticket

$7.39 Q 56.3

$5.92 ฿193

24.83%

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

$244 Q 1,859

$299 ฿9,766

-18.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,720 Q 43.6K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-61.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.21 Q 375

$54.7 ฿1,787

-10.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 Q 412

$26.77 ฿874

101.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 Q 850

$85.0 ฿2,776

31.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 Q 946

$70.6 ฿2,306

75.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$211 Q 1,606

$428 ฿14.0K

-50.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 Q 3,056

$237 ฿7,752

68.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$376 Q 2,868

$801 ฿26.2K

-53.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$260 Q 1,981

$515 ฿16.8K

-49.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,975 ฿64.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 ฿48.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 ฿20.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.69

53.80%

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

Last update for Quetzaltenango: June 2, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $211 in Quetzaltenango versus $428 in Chiang Mai. 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 $34.00 in Quetzaltenango versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Groceries tell a different story – $239 in Quetzaltenango vs $246 in Chiang Mai – so Quetzaltenango wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Quetzaltenango costs about 27% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,647 per month in Quetzaltenango and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Quetzaltenango and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Quetzaltenango – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,098 in Quetzaltenango and $866 in Chiang Mai, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,098 in Quetzaltenango. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Quetzaltenango makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.