😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,642 in Spain versus $791 in Guatemala.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,399 in Spain versus $1,255 in Guatemala.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,155 in Spain versus $1,719 in Guatemala.
😐Living in Spain is roughly 108% more expensive than Guatemala on average.
📊Spain (22% above) and Guatemala (41% below) straddle the global median.
📏Internal cost variation is higher in Spain: monthly costs span $1,127 to $3,255, compared to $112–$1,271 in Guatemala. City choice carries more weight in Spain.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Spain
Guatemala
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.98€13.77
$5.81Q 44.24
175.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$57.6€49.63
$50.2Q 382
14.72%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.27€8.85
$6.60Q 50.2
55.61%
Cappuccino
$2.38€2.05
$3.38Q 25.77
-29.59%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.58€2.22
$1.32Q 10.09
95.45%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83€1.58
$1.05Q 7.99
74.29%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.54€3.05
$3.18Q 24.19
11.32%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.09€3.52
$5.27Q 40.13
-22.39%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Spain
Guatemala
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.22€1.05
$1.96Q 14.92
-37.76%
White Bread(500g)
$1.53€1.31
$2.65Q 20.20
-42.26%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.60€1.38
$1.78Q 13.53
-10.11%
Eggs
$2.93€2.53
$2.26Q 17.23
29.65%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$14.33€12.34
$7.58Q 57.7
89.05%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.31€7.16
$8.17Q 62.2
1.71%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.62€13.46
$9.98Q 76.0
56.51%
Apples(1kg)
$2.53€2.18
$3.74Q 28.51
-32.35%
Banana(1kg)
$1.99€1.72
$1.69Q 12.87
17.75%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.11€1.82
$3.15Q 24.01
-33.02%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.54€2.19
$1.46Q 11.11
73.97%
Potato(1kg)
$1.77€1.52
$1.51Q 11.50
17.22%
Onion(1kg)
$1.98€1.70
$1.83Q 13.95
8.20%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.30€1.12
$0.80Q 6.07
62.50%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.74€0.64
$1.11Q 8.45
-33.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.19€5.33
$3.80Q 28.93
62.89%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.93€5.11
$7.95Q 60.5
-25.41%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.25€1.07
$1.98Q 15.08
-36.87%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07€1.78
$2.83Q 21.56
-26.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Spain
Guatemala
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.78€1.53
$1.05Q 8.00
69.52%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$34.91€30.08
$13.11Q 99.8
166.29%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.48€3.86
$3.50Q 26.64
28.00%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.34€1.15
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$26.24€22.61
$9.98Q 76.0
162.93%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.76€1.51
$1.11Q 8.45
58.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.2K€32.9K
$18.0KQ 136.9K
112.54%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.6K€27.3K
$23.2KQ 176.7K
36.28%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Spain
Guatemala
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$149€128
$58.1Q 442
155.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.16€17.37
$28.71Q 219
-29.78%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.11€29.39
$52.4Q 399
-34.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Spain
Guatemala
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$47.12€40.60
$44.99Q 343
4.73%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.83€13.64
$25.47Q 194
-37.85%
Cinema Ticket
$9.47€8.16
$6.37Q 48.53
48.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Spain
Guatemala
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$517€445
$257Q 1,960
100.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.2K€8,752
$8,145Q 62.0K
24.71%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Spain
Guatemala
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.2€75.1
$50.2Q 383
73.52%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.36€32.19
$51.9Q 395
-28.06%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$91.3€78.7
$101Q 768
-9.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106€91.0
$101Q 771
4.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Spain
Guatemala
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,074€925
$676Q 5,150
58.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$815€702
$437Q 3,326
86.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,691€1,457
$1,334Q 10.2K
26.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,228€1,058
$701Q 5,339
75.11%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,338€3,738
$2,327Q 17.7K
86.42%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,744€2,364
$1,137Q 8,654
141.44%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Spain
Guatemala
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,031€1,750
$594Q 4,521
242.04%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.51
8.71
-59.70%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Spain: June 9, 2026
Last update for Guatemala: June 8, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $898 in Spain, $221 in Guatemala. Capital cities: $1,609 in Madrid vs $733 in Guatemala City.
💰National salary averages: $2,011 in Spain, $708 in Guatemala. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 306% higher in Spain.
⭐Dining out costs 56% more in Spain.
⭐Public transport is 3200% more expensive in Spain.
⭐Salaries are 184% higher in Spain, giving Spain stronger purchasing power.
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
Spain vs Guatemala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Guatemala or Spain?
At $692 per month in Guatemala and $2,191 in Spain, there's a 217% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Guatemala or Spain?
Guatemala is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
How do rents compare between Guatemala and Spain?
Rent in Spain beats Guatemala across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
How far does $2,000 go in Guatemala vs Spain?
In Guatemala, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In Spain, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in Guatemala and Spain?
It depends on what you're after. Guatemala wins on affordability; Spain may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.