Cost of Living Comparison Between Spain and Guatemala Cost of Living Comparison Between Spain and Guatemala

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,686 in Spain versus $824 in Guatemala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,489 in Spain versus $1,316 in Guatemala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,291 in Spain versus $1,807 in Guatemala.

Living in Spain is roughly 105% more expensive than in Guatemala on average.

Spain (23% above) and Guatemala (40% below) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Spain
Guatemala
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.13 €14.85
$8.02 Q 61.1
113.59%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$57.2 €49.59
$49.31 Q 376
16.06%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.60 €10.06
$7.72 Q 58.9
50.26%
Cappuccino
$2.40 €2.08
$3.52 Q 26.84
-31.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73 €2.36
$1.43 Q 10.91
90.91%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.89 €1.64
$1.07 Q 8.13
76.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.57 €3.10
$3.30 Q 25.15
8.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.96 €3.43
$5.29 Q 40.35
-25.14%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Spain
Guatemala
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.26 €1.09
$2.12 Q 16.20
-40.57%
White Bread (500g)
$1.54 €1.33
$3.22 Q 24.52
-52.17%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.63 €1.41
$2.07 Q 15.78
-21.26%
Eggs
$3.44 €2.98
$2.51 Q 19.12
37.05%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.42 €12.50
$6.10 Q 46.50
136.39%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.89 €7.71
$9.99 Q 76.1
-11.01%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.49 €14.29
$12.20 Q 93.0
35.16%
Apples (1kg)
$2.49 €2.16
$3.94 Q 30.03
-36.80%
Banana (1kg)
$2.13 €1.85
$1.97 Q 15.01
8.12%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 €1.93
$4.32 Q 32.91
-48.61%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.54 €2.20
$1.65 Q 12.56
53.94%
Potato (1kg)
$1.81 €1.57
$1.90 Q 14.48
-4.74%
Onion (1kg)
$2.00 €1.73
$2.24 Q 17.06
-10.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.35 €1.17
$0.82 Q 6.22
64.63%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.76 €0.66
$1.21 Q 9.21
-37.19%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.91 €5.98
$3.83 Q 29.19
80.42%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.72 €4.95
$8.40 Q 64.0
-31.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.32 €1.15
$2.25 Q 17.18
-41.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.13 €1.85
$3.25 Q 24.74
-34.46%
🚌 Getting Around
Spain
Guatemala
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.71 €1.49
$2.01 Q 15.31
-14.93%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$35.14 €30.45
$14.08 Q 107
149.57%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.66 €4.04
$5.15 Q 39.22
-9.51%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.54 €1.34
$1.67 Q 12.73
-7.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$25.59 €22.17
$10.30 Q 78.5
148.45%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.76 €1.53
$1.26 Q 9.61
39.68%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.2K €31.4K
$21.5K Q 163.7K
68.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.2K €26.2K
$24.4K Q 186.3K
23.57%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Spain
Guatemala
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$155 €134
$69.4 Q 529
122.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.12 €15.70
$33.74 Q 257
-46.30%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.66 €28.30
$52.4 Q 399
-37.67%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Spain
Guatemala
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.15 €39.99
$41.74 Q 318
10.57%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.65 €13.56
$15.56 Q 119
0.58%
Cinema Ticket
$10.01 €8.67
$6.64 Q 50.6
50.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Spain
Guatemala
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$560 €486
$357 Q 2,720
57.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.7K €9,299
$7,374 Q 56.2K
45.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Spain
Guatemala
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.1 €75.5
$43.94 Q 335
98.25%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.45 €33.32
$49.83 Q 380
-22.84%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.9 €79.6
$100 Q 764
-8.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 €93.8
$107 Q 819
0.78%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Spain
Guatemala
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,042 €903
$816 Q 6,220
27.69%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$814 €705
$508 Q 3,876
60.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,627 €1,410
$1,615 Q 12.3K
0.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,246 €1,080
$912 Q 6,953
36.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,266 €3,697
$2,255 Q 17.2K
89.14%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,607 €2,259
$1,147 Q 8,746
127.20%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Spain
Guatemala
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,046 €1,773
$649 Q 4,950
215.03%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.29
11.62
-71.69%

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

Last update for Spain: September 14, 2026

Last update for Guatemala: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $932 in Spain, $176 in Guatemala. Capital cities: $1,567 in Madrid vs $836 in Guatemala City.

National salary averages: $2,029 in Spain, $737 in Guatemala. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 430% higher in Spain.

Dining out costs 28% more in Spain.

Public transport is 3000% more expensive in Spain.

Salaries are 175% higher in Spain, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Spain.

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 $681 per month in Guatemala and $1,821 in Spain, there's a 168% 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?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Guatemala: 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 is consistently higher than in 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 compared to Spain?
In Guatemala, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in Spain it stretches only to regional areas and 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 in 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.

Spain vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar countries