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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,110 per month in Quetzaltenango vs $691 in Villarrica, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,453 per month in Quetzaltenango vs $866 in Villarrica, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,797 per month in Quetzaltenango vs $1,040 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 17% lower, Villarrica 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.95 Q 30.12

$3.68 ₲22.2K

7.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.24 Q 261

$15.01 ₲90.5K

128.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.02 Q 45.92

$4.62 ₲27.9K

30.30%

Cappuccino

$2.48 Q 18.88

$1.24 ₲7,480

100.00%

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

$0.49 Q 3.70

$0.61 ₲3,696

-19.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 Q 3.63

$0.40 ₲2,389

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 Q 10.43

$1.05 ₲6,331

30.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 Q 15.67

$0.97 ₲5,876

112.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 Q 13.93

$0.86 ₲5,176

112.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.63 Q 20.03

$0.80 ₲4,851

228.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 Q 15.59

$0.91 ₲5,473

124.18%

Eggs

$2.20 Q 16.75

$1.65 ₲9,959

33.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.96 Q 60.7

$5.59 ₲33.7K

42.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.36 Q 48.45

$2.93 ₲17.7K

117.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.23 Q 70.3

$6.35 ₲38.3K

45.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 Q 18.07

$2.02 ₲12.2K

17.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 Q 11.47

$0.74 ₲4,460

102.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 Q 22.95

$0.65 ₲3,915

363.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 Q 7.79

$1.71 ₲10.3K

-40.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 Q 12.91

$1.01 ₲6,106

67.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 Q 15.02

$0.63 ₲3,791

212.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 Q 5.40

$0.60 ₲3,603

18.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 Q 9.08

$0.53 ₲3,188

124.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.24 Q 24.70

$0.90 ₲5,448

260.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.26 Q 63.0

$8.47 ₲51.1K

-2.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 Q 12.83

$0.47 ₲2,825

257.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 Q 18.41

$1.40 ₲8,460

72.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Q 2.07

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 Q 28.16

$0.65 ₲3,926

467.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 Q 4.88

$0.74 ₲4,485

-13.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.48 Q 49.39

$3.87 ₲23.4K

67.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 Q 7.21

$0.83 ₲5,031

14.46%

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

$15.6K Q 119.3K

$14.5K ₲87.8M

7.55%

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

$22.1K Q 168.5K

$24.0K ₲144.8M

-7.91%

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

$81.3 Q 620

$23.05 ₲139.0K

252.62%

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

$12.93 Q 98.6

$13.92 ₲84.0K

-7.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.81 Q 364

$14.90 ₲89.9K

220.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.68 Q 249

$24.39 ₲147.1K

33.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.46 ₲14.9K

Cinema Ticket

$7.30 Q 55.7

$5.09 ₲30.7K

43.42%

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

$242 Q 1,846

$31.36 ₲189.2K

672.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,794 Q 44.2K

$3,312 ₲20.0M

74.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 Q 389

$49.74 ₲300.0K

2.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.8 Q 402

$30.73 ₲185.4K

71.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 Q 841

$72.7 ₲438.7K

51.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 Q 926

$52.9 ₲318.9K

129.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$217 Q 1,653

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$407 Q 3,101

$284 ₲1.7M

43.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$379 Q 2,887

$187 ₲1.1M

101.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$252 Q 1,919

$150 ₲907.0K

67.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$535 ₲3.2M

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Villarrica: July 12, 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 $1,665 per month in Quetzaltenango and $1,036 in Villarrica. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,110 in Quetzaltenango and $691 in Villarrica. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $242 per month in Quetzaltenango and $31.36 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 $1,110 in Quetzaltenango and $691 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.