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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,110 per month in Quetzaltenango vs $808 in Chiquimula, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,453 per month in Quetzaltenango vs $1,324 in Chiquimula, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,797 per month in Quetzaltenango vs $1,841 in Chiquimula, rent included.

Quetzaltenango costs about 37% more than Chiquimula, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Quetzaltenango and Chiquimula are more affordable than the global median – Quetzaltenango 17% lower, Chiquimula 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.95 Q 30.12

$8.36 Q 63.7

-52.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.24 Q 261

$52.7 Q 402

-35.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.02 Q 45.92

$9.24 Q 70.4

-34.85%

Cappuccino

$2.48 Q 18.88

$4.00 Q 30.49

-38.00%

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

$0.49 Q 3.70

$1.99 Q 15.21

-75.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 Q 3.63

$1.25 Q 9.55

-61.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 Q 10.43

$3.95 Q 30.14

-65.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 Q 15.67

$5.80 Q 44.20

-64.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 Q 13.93

$1.94 Q 14.81

-5.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.63 Q 20.03

$3.68 Q 28.07

-28.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 Q 15.59

$1.59 Q 12.12

28.30%

Eggs

$2.20 Q 16.75

$2.58 Q 19.68

-14.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.96 Q 60.7

$7.62 Q 58.1

4.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.36 Q 48.45

$9.28 Q 70.8

-31.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.23 Q 70.3

$10.17 Q 77.5

-9.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 Q 18.07

$4.55 Q 34.68

-47.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 Q 11.47

$2.16 Q 16.43

-30.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 Q 22.95

$5.03 Q 38.37

-40.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 Q 7.79

$1.66 Q 12.64

-38.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 Q 12.91

$1.89 Q 14.40

-10.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 Q 15.02

$1.76 Q 13.44

11.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 Q 5.40

$1.29 Q 9.83

-44.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 Q 9.08

$1.33 Q 10.16

-10.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.24 Q 24.70

$3.86 Q 29.42

-16.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.26 Q 63.0

$8.71 Q 66.4

-5.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 Q 12.83

$2.91 Q 22.18

-42.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 Q 18.41

$3.72 Q 28.35

-34.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Q 2.07

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 Q 28.16

$4.59 Q 35.00

-19.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 Q 4.88

$0.64 Q 4.87

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.48 Q 49.39

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 Q 7.21

$1.12 Q 8.56

-15.18%

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

$15.6K Q 119.3K

$19.9K Q 152.0K

-21.55%

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

$22.1K Q 168.5K

$22.1K Q 168.1K

0.25%

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

$81.3 Q 620

$49.39 Q 377

64.57%

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

$12.93 Q 98.6

$40.01 Q 305

-67.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.81 Q 364

$67.3 Q 513

-28.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.68 Q 249

Cinema Ticket

$7.30 Q 55.7

$8.29 Q 63.2

-11.94%

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

$242 Q 1,846

$521 Q 3,974

-53.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,794 Q 44.2K

$12.4K Q 94.6K

-53.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 Q 389

$45.87 Q 350

11.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.8 Q 402

$53.7 Q 409

-1.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 Q 841

$102 Q 779

7.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 Q 926

$85.8 Q 654

41.54%

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

8.5

-9.53%

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

Last update for Quetzaltenango: July 13, 2026

Last update for Chiquimula: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Quetzaltenango versus $53.0 in Chiquimula. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $239 vs $307 – 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 37%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,665 per month in Quetzaltenango and $1,212 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 $34.00 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 28% cheaper in Quetzaltenango – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,110 in Quetzaltenango and $808 in Chiquimula, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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.