Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Quetzaltenango and Toronto

For one person, living is cheaper in Quetzaltenango: $1,148 a month against $2,561 in Toronto, rent and utilities included – about $17,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Quetzaltenango
🇬🇹 Guatemala
$1,148
/mo nomad
Toronto
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,561
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Quetzaltenango and in Toronto

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

A single person spends $1,148 per month in Quetzaltenango vs $2,561 in Toronto, rent included.

  • Quetzaltenango $1,148
  • Toronto $2,561

A couple spends around $1,444 per month in Quetzaltenango vs $3,694 in Toronto, rent included.

  • Quetzaltenango $1,444
  • Toronto $3,694

A family of three spends $1,741 per month in Quetzaltenango vs $4,826 in Toronto, rent included.

  • Quetzaltenango $1,741
  • Toronto $4,826

Quetzaltenango is about 55% cheaper than Toronto, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Quetzaltenango sits 15% below the global median, while Toronto is 90% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Quetzaltenango
Toronto
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.78 Q 51.9
$17.18 CA$24.29
-60.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$49.64 Q 380
$76.0 CA$107
-34.66%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.66 Q 58.6
$10.54 CA$14.89
-27.32%
Cappuccino
$3.26 Q 24.91
$4.02 CA$5.68
-18.91%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.15 Q 8.77
$2.12 CA$3.00
-45.75%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91 Q 6.97
$1.75 CA$2.48
-48.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.35 Q 25.60
$6.24 CA$8.83
-46.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.66 Q 35.65
$7.09 CA$10.02
-34.27%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Quetzaltenango
Toronto
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.01 Q 15.36
$2.44 CA$3.45
-17.62%
White Bread (500g)
$2.66 Q 20.33
$2.68 CA$3.78
-0.75%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.13 Q 16.30
$2.24 CA$3.17
-4.91%
Eggs
$2.51 Q 19.16
$3.56 CA$5.03
-29.49%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.44 Q 49.23
$9.09 CA$12.85
-29.15%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.96 Q 60.9
$11.33 CA$16.01
-29.74%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.86 Q 98.3
$14.53 CA$20.55
-11.49%
Apples (1kg)
$2.86 Q 21.90
$3.62 CA$5.12
-20.99%
Banana (1kg)
$1.70 Q 13.02
$1.21 CA$1.72
40.50%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.92 Q 22.30
$3.60 CA$5.09
-18.89%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.64 Q 12.55
$4.21 CA$5.96
-61.05%
Potato (1kg)
$1.55 Q 11.81
$1.79 CA$2.53
-13.41%
Onion (1kg)
$2.19 Q 16.71
$1.59 CA$2.25
37.74%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.69 Q 5.31
$2.27 CA$3.21
-69.60%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.19 Q 9.10
$1.25 CA$1.77
-4.80%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.35 Q 25.64
$13.82 CA$19.53
-75.76%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.09 Q 61.9
$14.27 CA$20.18
-43.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72 Q 13.18
$2.20 CA$3.10
-21.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 Q 20.70
$2.43 CA$3.44
11.52%
🚌 Getting Around
Quetzaltenango
Toronto
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$2.39 CA$3.38
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$111 CA$157
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.15 Q 39.38
$2.91 CA$4.12
76.98%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.73 Q 13.22
$1.20 CA$1.69
44.17%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.56 Q 80.8
$21.38 CA$30.23
-50.61%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.38 Q 10.57
$1.21 CA$1.71
14.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.5K Q 210.6K
$28.2K CA$39.8K
-2.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.3K Q 193.3K
$20.3K CA$28.6K
24.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Quetzaltenango
Toronto
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$72.7 Q 556
$120 CA$170
-39.56%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.06 Q 99.9
$32.26 CA$45.60
-59.52%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$46.29 Q 354
$47.93 CA$67.8
-3.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Quetzaltenango
Toronto
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$32.89 Q 251
$38.48 CA$54.4
-14.53%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$22.96 CA$32.46
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.35 Q 48.54
$12.38 CA$17.50
-48.71%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Quetzaltenango
Toronto
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$342 Q 2,611
$830 CA$1,173
-58.85%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,757 Q 51.7K
$23.1K CA$32.6K
-70.74%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Quetzaltenango
Toronto
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.0 Q 382
$50.7 CA$71.7
-1.36%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.61 Q 356
$40.02 CA$56.6
16.47%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$110 Q 844
$98.0 CA$139
12.65%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$112 Q 857
$121 CA$171
-7.12%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Quetzaltenango
Toronto
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$397 Q 3,037
$1,592 CA$2,251
-75.05%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$398 Q 3,046
$1,410 CA$1,994
-71.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$2,670 CA$3,775
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$2,152 CA$3,042
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$7,945 CA$11.2K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$6,542 CA$9,249
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Quetzaltenango
Toronto
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$3,727 CA$5,269
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.62
4.47
159.96%

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

Last update for Quetzaltenango: October 11, 2026

Last update for Toronto: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Quetzaltenango
$398
Toronto
$1.4K 254% $1K
Groceries & Markets
Quetzaltenango
$264
Toronto
$340 28.9% $76
Eating Out
Quetzaltenango
$151
Toronto
$278 84.7% $128
Clothing & Footwear
Quetzaltenango
$144
Toronto
$139 3% $4.4
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Quetzaltenango
$132
Toronto
$201 51.8% $68
Sport & Entertainment
Quetzaltenango
$46
Toronto
$63 38.7% $18
Getting Around
Quetzaltenango
$14 *
Toronto
$129 838% $116

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $397 in Quetzaltenango versus $1,592 in Toronto. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Quetzaltenango versus $76.0 in Toronto. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $264 vs $340 – making Quetzaltenango the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇬🇹 Quetzaltenango
🇨🇦 Toronto
🕒 Local time
01:52 1:52 AM
03:52 3:52 AM
2 h ahead of Quetzaltenango
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
500,000
2,731,571
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to GTQ – Guatemalan Quetzal Converter

Guatemalan Quetzal exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 7.65 GTQ (1 GTQ = 0.131 USD). 1 EUR = 8.6 GTQ (1 GTQ = 0.116 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Quetzaltenango Toronto 3,400 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Quetzaltenango
  • Toronto

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 Toronto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Quetzaltenango or Toronto?
Toronto costs about 123% more than Quetzaltenango, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Quetzaltenango and in Toronto?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,722 per month in Quetzaltenango and $3,841 in Toronto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Quetzaltenango or Toronto?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Quetzaltenango, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Quetzaltenango compared to Toronto?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,148 in Quetzaltenango and $2,561 in Toronto. That's a gap of about 123%.
How do childcare costs compare in Quetzaltenango and in Toronto?
Kindergarten costs $342 per month in Quetzaltenango and $830 in Toronto. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Quetzaltenango or in Toronto?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Quetzaltenango, where all-in costs run around $1,148, than in Toronto at $2,561. In Quetzaltenango it covers expenses comfortably, while in Toronto it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Quetzaltenango – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Should I move to Quetzaltenango or to Toronto?
If budget matters most, go with Quetzaltenango. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Toronto makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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