Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Lucía Milpas Altas and Chimaltenango Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Lucía Milpas Altas and Chimaltenango

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $648 per month in Santa Lucía Milpas Altas vs $733 in Chimaltenango, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,084 per month in Santa Lucía Milpas Altas vs $1,236 in Chimaltenango, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,520 per month in Santa Lucía Milpas Altas vs $1,739 in Chimaltenango, rent included.

Santa Lucía Milpas Altas is about 12% cheaper than Chimaltenango, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Santa Lucía Milpas Altas and Chimaltenango are more affordable than the global median – Santa Lucía Milpas Altas 52% lower, Chimaltenango 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.59 Q 19.80

$5.28 Q 40.43

-50.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.92 Q 122

$50.5 Q 387

-68.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.28 Q 48.06

$6.19 Q 47.32

1.45%

Cappuccino

$3.33 Q 25.49

$3.39 Q 25.90

-1.77%

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

$1.21 Q 9.28

$1.19 Q 9.10

1.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 Q 7.59

$0.93 Q 7.11

6.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.34 Q 25.58

$3.30 Q 25.23

1.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Q 34.59

$4.48 Q 34.28

0.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 Q 7.82

$2.13 Q 16.27

-52.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 Q 12.21

$3.14 Q 24.05

-49.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.53 Q 4.08

$2.13 Q 16.30

-75.12%

Eggs

$1.61 Q 12.30

$2.65 Q 20.25

-39.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.69 Q 58.9

$8.09 Q 61.9

-4.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.33 Q 63.7

$8.38 Q 64.1

-0.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.70 Q 66.6

$11.93 Q 91.3

-27.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.48 Q 26.59

$3.53 Q 26.98

-1.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 Q 11.65

$1.52 Q 11.62

Oranges (1kg)

$3.18 Q 24.29

$3.06 Q 23.44

3.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 Q 8.92

$1.74 Q 13.29

-32.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 Q 11.27

$1.68 Q 12.88

-12.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 Q 8.58

$2.29 Q 17.48

-51.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 Q 4.16

$0.75 Q 5.71

-28.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 Q 5.79

$1.24 Q 9.45

-38.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.56 Q 27.21

$3.56 Q 27.24

Wine (Bottle)

$8.34 Q 63.8

$8.33 Q 63.7

0.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 Q 12.35

$1.60 Q 12.26

0.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 Q 18.34

$2.47 Q 18.93

-2.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.15 Q 39.42

$5.26 Q 40.25

-2.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.59 Q 4.53

$0.64 Q 4.87

-7.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.47 Q 118

$15.63 Q 120

-1.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 Q 8.14

$1.11 Q 8.50

-4.50%

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

$19.7K Q 150.4K

$19.9K Q 152.0K

-1.05%

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

$24.3K Q 185.8K

$24.4K Q 186.6K

-0.45%

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

$79.7 Q 610

$80.5 Q 616

-0.89%

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

$26.35 Q 202

$26.77 Q 205

-1.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.32 Q 201

$48.17 Q 368

-45.36%

Cinema Ticket

$7.00 Q 53.5

$7.36 Q 56.3

-4.89%

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

$106 Q 813

$248 Q 1,895

-57.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,881 Q 45.0K

$5,726 Q 43.8K

2.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 Q 386

$50.7 Q 388

-0.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.7 Q 411

$52.7 Q 403

1.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 Q 883

$116 Q 886

-0.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 Q 934

$123 Q 938

-0.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 Q 1,381

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.9

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

Last update for Santa Lucía Milpas Altas: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chimaltenango: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $16.00 in Santa Lucía Milpas Altas versus $51.0 in Chimaltenango. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $218 vs $279 – making Santa Lucía Milpas Altas 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

Santa Lucía Milpas Altas vs Chimaltenango: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chimaltenango costs about 13% more than Santa Lucía Milpas Altas, 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 $972 per month in Santa Lucía Milpas Altas and $1,099 in Chimaltenango. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $16.00 in Santa Lucía Milpas Altas and $51.0 in Chimaltenango. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% more in Chimaltenango, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $648 in Santa Lucía Milpas Altas and $733 in Chimaltenango, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Santa Lucía Milpas Altas – 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 Santa Lucía Milpas Altas. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chimaltenango makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.