Cost of Living Comparison Between Quetzaltenango and Chimaltenango Cost of Living Comparison Between Quetzaltenango and Chimaltenango

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,110 per month in Quetzaltenango vs $741 in Chimaltenango, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,453 per month in Quetzaltenango vs $1,217 in Chimaltenango, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,797 per month in Quetzaltenango vs $1,693 in Chimaltenango, rent included.

Quetzaltenango costs about 50% more than Chimaltenango, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Quetzaltenango and Chimaltenango are more affordable than the global median – Quetzaltenango 17% lower, Chimaltenango 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.95 Q 30.12

$5.35 Q 40.77

-26.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.24 Q 261

$49.23 Q 375

-30.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.02 Q 45.92

$6.50 Q 49.57

-7.38%

Cappuccino

$2.48 Q 18.88

$3.27 Q 24.91

-24.16%

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

$0.49 Q 3.70

$1.18 Q 8.96

-58.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 Q 3.63

$0.97 Q 7.42

-50.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 Q 10.43

$3.29 Q 25.09

-58.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 Q 15.67

$4.54 Q 34.64

-54.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 Q 13.93

$2.05 Q 15.66

-10.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.63 Q 20.03

$3.13 Q 23.90

-15.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 Q 15.59

$2.11 Q 16.07

-3.32%

Eggs

$2.20 Q 16.75

$2.57 Q 19.56

-14.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.96 Q 60.7

$7.65 Q 58.3

4.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.36 Q 48.45

$8.62 Q 65.7

-26.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.23 Q 70.3

$11.71 Q 89.3

-21.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 Q 18.07

$3.50 Q 26.71

-32.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 Q 11.47

$1.53 Q 11.67

-1.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 Q 22.95

$3.06 Q 23.30

-1.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 Q 7.79

$1.83 Q 13.97

-44.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 Q 12.91

$1.78 Q 13.55

-5.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 Q 15.02

$2.31 Q 17.65

-14.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 Q 5.40

$0.73 Q 5.60

-2.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 Q 9.08

$1.18 Q 8.98

0.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.24 Q 24.70

$3.74 Q 28.52

-13.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.26 Q 63.0

$8.19 Q 62.5

0.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 Q 12.83

$1.61 Q 12.27

4.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 Q 18.41

$2.50 Q 19.03

-3.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Q 2.07

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 Q 28.16

$5.35 Q 40.80

-31.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 Q 4.88

$0.61 Q 4.64

4.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.48 Q 49.39

$15.93 Q 121

-59.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 Q 7.21

$1.08 Q 8.20

-12.04%

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

$15.6K Q 119.3K

$19.5K Q 148.8K

-19.83%

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

$22.1K Q 168.5K

$24.7K Q 188.6K

-10.63%

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

$81.3 Q 620

$80.0 Q 610

1.64%

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

$12.93 Q 98.6

$26.77 Q 204

-51.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.81 Q 364

$49.01 Q 374

-2.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.68 Q 249

Cinema Ticket

$7.30 Q 55.7

$7.04 Q 53.7

3.69%

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

$242 Q 1,846

$245 Q 1,870

-1.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,794 Q 44.2K

$5,694 Q 43.4K

1.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 Q 389

$50.5 Q 385

1.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.8 Q 402

$52.9 Q 403

-0.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 Q 841

$115 Q 875

-3.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 Q 926

$122 Q 926

-0.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$217 Q 1,653

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$407 Q 3,101

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$379 Q 2,887

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$252 Q 1,919

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.69

8.9

-13.60%

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

Last update for Quetzaltenango: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chimaltenango: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Quetzaltenango versus $49.00 in Chimaltenango. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $239 vs $276 – making Quetzaltenango 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

Quetzaltenango vs Chimaltenango: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Quetzaltenango costs about 50% more than Chimaltenango, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,665 per month in Quetzaltenango and $1,112 in Chimaltenango. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Quetzaltenango and $49.00 in Chimaltenango. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 16% 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 $1,110 in Quetzaltenango and $741 in Chimaltenango, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Chimaltenango – 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 Chimaltenango. 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.