Cost of Living Comparison Between Quetzaltenango and Villarrica Cost of Living Comparison Between Quetzaltenango and Villarrica

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,098 per month in Quetzaltenango vs $681 in Villarrica, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,435 per month in Quetzaltenango vs $855 in Villarrica, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,772 per month in Quetzaltenango vs $1,030 in Villarrica, rent included.

Quetzaltenango costs about 61% more than Villarrica, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Quetzaltenango and Villarrica are more affordable than the global median – Quetzaltenango 18% lower, Villarrica 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.11 Q 31.29

$3.79 ₲23.1K

8.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.08 Q 260

$15.04 ₲91.6K

126.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 Q 44.56

$4.53 ₲27.6K

29.14%

Cappuccino

$2.55 Q 19.43

$1.23 ₲7,523

107.32%

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

$0.48 Q 3.66

$0.61 ₲3,695

-21.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 Q 3.71

$0.40 ₲2,431

22.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.39 Q 10.56

$1.05 ₲6,372

32.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 Q 14.85

$0.93 ₲5,663

109.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 Q 13.86

$0.91 ₲5,550

100.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 Q 19.98

$0.81 ₲4,953

223.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 Q 15.45

$0.91 ₲5,528

123.08%

Eggs

$2.22 Q 16.95

$1.65 ₲10.0K

34.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.98 Q 60.8

$5.55 ₲33.8K

43.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.27 Q 47.77

$2.97 ₲18.1K

111.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.23 Q 70.3

$6.35 ₲38.7K

45.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 Q 18.39

$1.96 ₲12.0K

22.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 Q 11.66

$0.78 ₲4,764

96.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.12 Q 23.77

$0.64 ₲3,902

387.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 Q 7.80

$1.65 ₲10.1K

-38.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 Q 13.31

$1.02 ₲6,227

71.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 Q 14.43

$0.62 ₲3,793

204.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 Q 5.74

$0.55 ₲3,357

36.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 Q 9.30

$0.53 ₲3,226

130.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.31 Q 25.25

$0.84 ₲5,109

294.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.94 Q 60.5

$8.48 ₲51.7K

-6.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 Q 12.66

$0.50 ₲3,068

232.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 Q 18.61

$1.35 ₲8,206

80.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Q 2.07

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.67 Q 27.94

$0.60 ₲3,672

511.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 Q 4.60

$0.79 ₲4,809

-24.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.61 Q 50.3

$3.79 ₲23.1K

74.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 Q 7.24

$0.89 ₲5,404

6.74%

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

$15.6K Q 119.0K

$14.8K ₲90.4M

5.24%

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

$22.7K Q 173.2K

$24.1K ₲147.0M

-5.82%

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

$79.4 Q 605

$22.93 ₲139.8K

246.18%

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

$13.27 Q 101

$13.68 ₲83.4K

-3.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.94 Q 365

$14.91 ₲90.9K

221.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.69 Q 249

$24.92 ₲151.9K

31.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.54 ₲15.5K

Cinema Ticket

$7.39 Q 56.3

$4.93 ₲30.1K

49.90%

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

$244 Q 1,859

$31.72 ₲193.3K

669.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,720 Q 43.6K

$3,230 ₲19.7M

77.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.21 Q 375

$49.25 ₲300.1K

-0.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 Q 412

$30.91 ₲188.4K

74.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 Q 850

$73.4 ₲447.5K

51.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 Q 946

$51.3 ₲312.4K

142.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$211 Q 1,606

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 Q 3,056

$287 ₲1.8M

39.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$376 Q 2,868

$187 ₲1.1M

101.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$260 Q 1,981

$149 ₲910.8K

73.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 ₲3.3M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.69

10.17

-24.39%

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

Last update for Quetzaltenango: June 2, 2026

Last update for Villarrica: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Quetzaltenango versus $15.00 in Villarrica. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $239 vs $138 – making Villarrica 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 Villarrica: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Quetzaltenango costs about 61% more than Villarrica, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,647 per month in Quetzaltenango and $1,022 in Villarrica. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,098 in Quetzaltenango and $681 in Villarrica. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $244 per month in Quetzaltenango and $31.72 in Villarrica. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,098 in Quetzaltenango and $681 in Villarrica, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Villarrica – 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 Villarrica. 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.