Cost of Living Comparison Between Quetzaltenango and Colima Cost of Living Comparison Between Quetzaltenango and Colima

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,098 in Quetzaltenango versus $914 in Colima.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,435 in Quetzaltenango versus $1,488 in Colima.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,772 in Quetzaltenango versus $2,062 in Colima.

Living in Quetzaltenango is roughly 20% more expensive than Colima, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Quetzaltenango 18% lower, Colima 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.11 Q 31.29

$6.24 MX$108

-34.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.08 Q 260

$31.19 MX$540

9.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 Q 44.56

$8.01 MX$139

-26.97%

Cappuccino

$2.55 Q 19.43

$2.14 MX$36.95

19.16%

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

$0.48 Q 3.66

$0.81 MX$14.04

-40.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 Q 3.71

$0.54 MX$9.39

-9.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.39 Q 10.56

$1.70 MX$29.47

-18.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 Q 14.85

$2.84 MX$49.18

-31.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 Q 13.86

$1.32 MX$22.90

37.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 Q 19.98

$2.52 MX$43.58

3.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 Q 15.45

$1.32 MX$22.87

53.79%

Eggs

$2.22 Q 16.95

$2.29 MX$39.57

-3.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.98 Q 60.8

$5.91 MX$102

35.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.27 Q 47.77

$7.87 MX$136

-20.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.23 Q 70.3

$9.72 MX$168

-5.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 Q 18.39

$2.86 MX$49.39

-15.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 Q 11.66

$1.35 MX$23.35

13.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 Q 23.77

$1.49 MX$25.72

109.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 Q 7.80

$2.22 MX$38.41

-54.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 Q 13.31

$1.76 MX$30.52

-0.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 Q 14.43

$2.32 MX$40.13

-18.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 Q 5.74

$1.33 MX$23.01

-43.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 Q 9.30

$1.09 MX$18.83

11.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.31 Q 25.25

$3.51 MX$60.8

-5.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.94 Q 60.5

$6.78 MX$117

17.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 Q 12.66

$1.63 MX$28.13

1.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 Q 18.61

$1.94 MX$33.52

25.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Q 2.07

$0.65 MX$11.32

-58.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.15 MX$331

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.67 Q 27.94

$2.36 MX$40.90

55.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 Q 4.60

$1.53 MX$26.55

-60.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.61 Q 50.3

$8.43 MX$146

-21.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 Q 7.24

$1.33 MX$22.98

-28.57%

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

$15.6K Q 119.0K

$22.4K MX$387.3K

-30.27%

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

$22.7K Q 173.2K

$21.6K MX$372.9K

5.40%

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

$79.4 Q 605

$62.6 MX$1,082

26.89%

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

$13.27 Q 101

$19.75 MX$342

-32.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.94 Q 365

$30.68 MX$531

56.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.69 Q 249

$34.00 MX$588

-3.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.99 MX$363

Cinema Ticket

$7.39 Q 56.3

$4.58 MX$79.3

61.35%

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

$244 Q 1,859

$142 MX$2,449

72.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,720 Q 43.6K

$2,404 MX$41.6K

137.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.21 Q 375

$46.41 MX$803

6.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 Q 412

$28.23 MX$488

91.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 Q 850

$84.6 MX$1,464

31.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 Q 946

$99.2 MX$1,715

25.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$211 Q 1,606

$509 MX$8,798

-58.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 Q 3,056

$247 MX$4,274

62.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$376 Q 2,868

$333 MX$5,759

13.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$260 Q 1,981

$536 MX$9,265

-51.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$300 MX$5,186

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.69

11.07

-30.53%

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

Last update for Quetzaltenango: June 2, 2026

Last update for Colima: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $211 in Quetzaltenango and $509 in Colima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $34.00 in Quetzaltenango vs $31.00 in Colima for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $239 vs $232 per month, with Colima cheaper across the board.

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 Colima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Quetzaltenango and Colima differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($1,098 vs $914 including rent). Colima is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,647 in Quetzaltenango and $1,371 in Colima to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $211 in Quetzaltenango versus $509 in Colima. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $244 in Quetzaltenango versus $142 in Colima. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Colima – a meal for two runs $31.00 versus $34.00 in Quetzaltenango. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $914 in Colima versus $1,098 in Quetzaltenango, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Colima but tight or insufficient in Quetzaltenango. The gap between the two cities makes Colima the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Quetzaltenango and Colima are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Colima gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Quetzaltenango. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.