Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Quetzaltenango and Chimaltenango

For one person, living is cheaper in Chimaltenango: $750 a month against $1,138 in Quetzaltenango, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Quetzaltenango outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Quetzaltenango
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Quetzaltenango Living Index

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Quetzaltenango

🇬🇹 Guatemala

$1,138

/mo nomad

Chimaltenango

🇬🇹 Guatemala

$750

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Quetzaltenango and in Chimaltenango

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 Chimaltenango actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,138 per month in Quetzaltenango vs $750 in Chimaltenango, rent included.

Quetzaltenango $1,138
Chimaltenango $750

A couple spends around $1,443 per month in Quetzaltenango vs $1,252 in Chimaltenango, rent included.

Quetzaltenango $1,443
Chimaltenango $1,252

A family of three spends $1,747 per month in Quetzaltenango vs $1,753 in Chimaltenango, rent included.

Quetzaltenango $1,747
Chimaltenango $1,753

Quetzaltenango costs about 52% more than Chimaltenango, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Quetzaltenango and Chimaltenango are more affordable than the global median – Quetzaltenango 16% lower, Chimaltenango 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.77 Q 51.7

$6.93 Q 52.9

-2.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.9 Q 389

$49.84 Q 381

2.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.68 Q 58.7

$7.86 Q 60.1

-2.29%

Cappuccino

$3.36 Q 25.69

$3.30 Q 25.23

1.82%

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

$1.10 Q 8.40

$1.11 Q 8.49

-0.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 Q 7.44

$0.92 Q 7.01

5.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 Q 25.45

$3.34 Q 25.52

-0.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 Q 35.27

$4.65 Q 35.56

-0.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 Q 16.01

$1.99 Q 15.20

5.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.57 Q 19.64

$3.11 Q 23.75

-17.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 Q 15.69

$2.05 Q 15.66

Eggs

$2.36 Q 18.05

$2.41 Q 18.45

-2.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.37 Q 48.69

$6.23 Q 47.63

2.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.92 Q 60.5

$9.68 Q 74.0

-18.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.09 Q 100

$13.41 Q 102

-2.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 Q 22.58

$3.96 Q 30.23

-25.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 Q 13.14

$1.73 Q 13.22

-0.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.92 Q 22.34

$2.91 Q 22.21

0.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 Q 12.20

$1.64 Q 12.52

-2.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 Q 11.73

$1.49 Q 11.41

3.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Q 16.79

$2.09 Q 16.01

5.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 Q 5.65

$0.70 Q 5.32

5.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 Q 8.90

$1.19 Q 9.12

-2.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 Q 25.61

$4.16 Q 31.76

-19.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.04 Q 61.5

$8.23 Q 62.9

-2.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 Q 13.57

$1.75 Q 13.36

1.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 Q 19.84

$2.59 Q 19.76

0.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.12 Q 39.12

$5.32 Q 40.62

-3.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 Q 13.16

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.34 Q 79.0

$10.37 Q 79.2

-0.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 Q 10.14

$1.32 Q 10.10

0.76%

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

$27.6K Q 210.6K

$27.3K Q 208.7K

0.91%

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

$25.8K Q 197.5K

$25.3K Q 193.1K

2.26%

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

$72.2 Q 551

$72.4 Q 554

-0.39%

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

$12.97 Q 99.1

$28.72 Q 219

-54.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.36 Q 354

$46.00 Q 351

0.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.27 Q 254

Cinema Ticket

$6.34 Q 48.46

$6.67 Q 51.0

-4.95%

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

$342 Q 2,613

$333 Q 2,548

2.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,808 Q 52.0K

$6,742 Q 51.5K

0.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.78 Q 373

$50.3 Q 384

-2.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.81 Q 365

$47.48 Q 363

0.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 Q 839

$120 Q 916

-8.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 Q 853

$114 Q 874

-2.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$399 Q 3,052

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 Q 2,971

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: October 26, 2026

Last update for Chimaltenango: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Quetzaltenango

$389 34.2%

Chimaltenango

–

Groceries & Markets

Quetzaltenango

$263 23.1%

Chimaltenango

–

Eating Out

Quetzaltenango

$152 13.3%

Chimaltenango

–

Clothing & Footwear

Quetzaltenango

$143 12.6%

Chimaltenango

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Quetzaltenango

$131 11.6%

Chimaltenango

–

Sport & Entertainment

Quetzaltenango

$46 4%

Chimaltenango

–

Getting Around

Quetzaltenango

$14 * 1.2%

Chimaltenango

–

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

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51 in Quetzaltenango versus $50 in Chimaltenango. Groceries tell a different story – $263 in Quetzaltenango vs $282 in Chimaltenango – so Quetzaltenango wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇬🇹 Quetzaltenango

🇬🇹 Chimaltenango

🕒 Local time

05:19 5:19 AM

Same time as Quetzaltenango

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

500,000

43,900

💱 Currency

Guatemalan Quetzal GTQ Q

📈 Exchange rate

1 GTQ = 0.131 USD

1 GTQ = 0.117 EUR

1 GTQ = 0.131 USD

1 GTQ = 0.117 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Quetzaltenango Chimaltenango 78 km

From you

Quetzaltenango
Chimaltenango

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 Chimaltenango: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Quetzaltenango costs about 52% more than Chimaltenango, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from leisure. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,707 per month in Quetzaltenango and $1,125 in Chimaltenango. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,138 in Quetzaltenango and $750 in Chimaltenango. That makes Chimaltenango about 34% cheaper.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Quetzaltenango – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

It depends on your priorities. Chimaltenango has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $750 in Chimaltenango to $1,138 in Quetzaltenango. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.