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: $1,110 in Quetzaltenango versus $912 in Colima.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,453 in Quetzaltenango versus $1,467 in Colima.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,797 in Quetzaltenango versus $2,022 in Colima.

Living in Quetzaltenango is roughly 22% more expensive than in Colima, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Quetzaltenango 17% lower, Colima 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.95 Q 30.12

$6.38 MX$112

-38.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.24 Q 261

$31.42 MX$549

8.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.02 Q 45.92

$7.83 MX$137

-23.12%

Cappuccino

$2.48 Q 18.88

$2.09 MX$36.53

18.66%

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

$0.49 Q 3.70

$0.77 MX$13.51

-36.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 Q 3.63

$0.51 MX$8.91

-5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 Q 10.43

$1.75 MX$30.54

-21.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 Q 15.67

$2.72 MX$47.54

-24.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 Q 13.93

$1.34 MX$23.40

36.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.63 Q 20.03

$2.60 MX$45.44

1.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 Q 15.59

$1.38 MX$24.10

47.83%

Eggs

$2.20 Q 16.75

$2.25 MX$39.27

-2.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.96 Q 60.7

$5.93 MX$104

34.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.36 Q 48.45

$7.72 MX$135

-17.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.23 Q 70.3

$9.59 MX$168

-3.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 Q 18.07

$2.75 MX$48.09

-13.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 Q 11.47

$1.29 MX$22.55

16.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 Q 22.95

$1.51 MX$26.48

99.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 Q 7.79

$2.18 MX$38.20

-53.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 Q 12.91

$1.79 MX$31.21

-5.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 Q 15.02

$2.31 MX$40.37

-14.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 Q 5.40

$1.33 MX$23.31

-46.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 Q 9.08

$1.08 MX$18.95

10.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.24 Q 24.70

$3.61 MX$63.1

-10.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.26 Q 63.0

$6.73 MX$118

22.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 Q 12.83

$1.56 MX$27.36

7.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 Q 18.41

$1.88 MX$32.79

28.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Q 2.07

$0.60 MX$10.52

-55.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.07 MX$334

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 Q 28.16

$2.32 MX$40.61

59.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 Q 4.88

$1.53 MX$26.79

-58.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.48 Q 49.39

$8.51 MX$149

-23.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 Q 7.21

$1.28 MX$22.46

-25.78%

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

$15.6K Q 119.3K

$21.9K MX$382.4K

-28.47%

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

$22.1K Q 168.5K

$21.3K MX$372.0K

3.90%

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

$81.3 Q 620

$62.5 MX$1,093

30.03%

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

$12.93 Q 98.6

$19.09 MX$334

-32.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.81 Q 364

$30.93 MX$541

54.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.68 Q 249

$34.04 MX$595

-4.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.89 MX$365

Cinema Ticket

$7.30 Q 55.7

$4.48 MX$78.3

62.95%

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

$242 Q 1,846

$141 MX$2,460

72.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,794 Q 44.2K

$2,406 MX$42.1K

140.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 Q 389

$46.85 MX$819

8.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.8 Q 402

$27.87 MX$487

89.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 Q 841

$86.9 MX$1,520

26.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 Q 926

$98.1 MX$1,715

23.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$217 Q 1,653

$511 MX$8,929

-57.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$407 Q 3,101

$255 MX$4,459

59.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$379 Q 2,887

$326 MX$5,699

16.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$252 Q 1,919

$551 MX$9,626

-54.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$298 MX$5,217

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Colima: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $217 in Quetzaltenango and $511 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 $231 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 22% in total monthly costs ($1,110 vs $912 including rent). Colima is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,665 in Quetzaltenango and $1,368 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: $217 in Quetzaltenango versus $511 in Colima. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $242 in Quetzaltenango versus $141 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 $912 in Colima versus $1,110 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 22% less than in Quetzaltenango. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.