Cost of Living Comparison Between Quetzaltenango and Chiquimula Cost of Living Comparison Between Quetzaltenango and Chiquimula

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,156 per month in Quetzaltenango vs $833 in Chiquimula, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,448 per month in Quetzaltenango vs $1,360 in Chiquimula, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,741 per month in Quetzaltenango vs $1,887 in Chiquimula, rent included.

Quetzaltenango costs about 39% more than Chiquimula, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Quetzaltenango and Chiquimula are more affordable than the global median – Quetzaltenango 14% lower, Chiquimula 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.91 Q 52.8

$8.82 Q 67.3

-21.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.68 Q 379

$52.9 Q 404

-6.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 Q 59.8

$9.22 Q 70.4

-15.08%

Cappuccino

$3.42 Q 26.12

$3.94 Q 30.12

-13.20%

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

$1.16 Q 8.84

$2.15 Q 16.43

-46.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 Q 6.78

$1.46 Q 11.15

-39.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.32 Q 25.37

$3.82 Q 29.15

-13.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 Q 35.79

$5.94 Q 45.35

-21.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 Q 15.55

$2.10 Q 16.05

-2.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 Q 20.39

$3.65 Q 27.86

-26.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 Q 15.55

$1.91 Q 14.55

6.81%

Eggs

$2.44 Q 18.65

$2.40 Q 18.30

1.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.43 Q 49.08

$5.34 Q 40.79

20.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.00 Q 61.1

$13.80 Q 105

-42.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 Q 99.6

$10.22 Q 78.0

27.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 Q 21.74

$4.96 Q 37.85

-42.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 Q 13.11

$2.28 Q 17.42

-24.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 Q 21.88

$5.30 Q 40.47

-45.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 Q 12.12

$1.66 Q 12.71

-4.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 Q 11.81

$1.85 Q 14.14

-16.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.08 Q 15.90

$1.70 Q 12.97

22.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 Q 5.65

$1.34 Q 10.20

-44.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 Q 8.85

$1.31 Q 10.03

-11.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.33 Q 25.44

$3.89 Q 29.72

-14.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.37 Q 63.9

$8.01 Q 61.2

4.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 Q 13.60

$2.96 Q 22.60

-39.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 Q 20.58

$3.79 Q 28.94

-28.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.17 Q 39.49

$4.74 Q 36.22

9.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 Q 13.33

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.39 Q 79.4

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 Q 9.79

$1.23 Q 9.35

4.07%

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

$28.0K Q 214.2K

$22.6K Q 172.5K

24.12%

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

$25.1K Q 191.9K

$21.9K Q 166.9K

14.99%

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

$76.7 Q 586

$56.7 Q 433

35.28%

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

$13.16 Q 100

$37.69 Q 288

-65.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.92 Q 343

$61.8 Q 472

-27.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.21 Q 246

Cinema Ticket

$6.33 Q 48.32

$8.35 Q 63.8

-24.19%

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

$341 Q 2,602

$549 Q 4,194

-37.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,719 Q 51.3K

$13.8K Q 105.7K

-51.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.69 Q 357

$44.08 Q 337

5.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.75 Q 357

$52.9 Q 404

-11.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 Q 840

$92.2 Q 704

19.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 Q 857

$79.3 Q 605

41.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 Q 2,992

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 Q 2,985

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 20, 2026

Last update for Chiquimula: September 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Quetzaltenango versus $53.0 in Chiquimula. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $264 vs $327 – 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 Chiquimula: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Quetzaltenango is pricier by about 39%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,733 per month in Quetzaltenango and $1,250 in Chiquimula. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Quetzaltenango and $53.0 in Chiquimula. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 24% cheaper in Quetzaltenango – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Chiquimula, where all-in costs run around $833, than in Quetzaltenango at $1,156. In Chiquimula it covers expenses comfortably, while in Quetzaltenango it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chiquimula – 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 Chiquimula. 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.