Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Toronto and Quetzaltenango

For one person, living is cheaper in Quetzaltenango: $1,148 a month against $2,561 in Toronto, rent and utilities included – about $17,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Toronto
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,561
/mo nomad
Quetzaltenango
🇬🇹 Guatemala
$1,148
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Toronto and in Quetzaltenango

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Toronto and in Quetzaltenango actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,561 per month in Toronto vs $1,148 in Quetzaltenango, rent included.

  • Toronto $2,561
  • Quetzaltenango $1,148

A couple spends around $3,694 per month in Toronto vs $1,444 in Quetzaltenango, rent included.

  • Toronto $3,694
  • Quetzaltenango $1,444

A family of three spends $4,826 per month in Toronto vs $1,741 in Quetzaltenango, rent included.

  • Toronto $4,826
  • Quetzaltenango $1,741

Toronto costs about 123% more than Quetzaltenango, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Toronto sits 90% above the global median, while Quetzaltenango is 15% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Toronto
Quetzaltenango
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.18 CA$24.29
$6.78 Q 51.9
153.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$76.0 CA$107
$49.64 Q 380
53.04%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.54 CA$14.89
$7.66 Q 58.6
37.60%
Cappuccino
$4.02 CA$5.68
$3.26 Q 24.91
23.31%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.12 CA$3.00
$1.15 Q 8.77
84.35%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 CA$2.48
$0.91 Q 6.97
92.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.24 CA$8.83
$3.35 Q 25.60
86.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.09 CA$10.02
$4.66 Q 35.65
52.15%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Toronto
Quetzaltenango
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.44 CA$3.45
$2.01 Q 15.36
21.39%
White Bread (500g)
$2.68 CA$3.78
$2.66 Q 20.33
0.75%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.24 CA$3.17
$2.13 Q 16.30
5.16%
Eggs
$3.56 CA$5.03
$2.51 Q 19.16
41.83%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.09 CA$12.85
$6.44 Q 49.23
41.15%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.33 CA$16.01
$7.96 Q 60.9
42.34%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.53 CA$20.55
$12.86 Q 98.3
12.99%
Apples (1kg)
$3.62 CA$5.12
$2.86 Q 21.90
26.57%
Banana (1kg)
$1.21 CA$1.72
$1.70 Q 13.02
-28.82%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.60 CA$5.09
$2.92 Q 22.30
23.29%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.21 CA$5.96
$1.64 Q 12.55
156.71%
Potato (1kg)
$1.79 CA$2.53
$1.55 Q 11.81
15.48%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 CA$2.25
$2.19 Q 16.71
-27.40%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.27 CA$3.21
$0.69 Q 5.31
228.99%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.25 CA$1.77
$1.19 Q 9.10
5.04%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.82 CA$19.53
$3.35 Q 25.64
312.54%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.27 CA$20.18
$8.09 Q 61.9
76.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.20 CA$3.10
$1.72 Q 13.18
27.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.43 CA$3.44
$2.71 Q 20.70
-10.33%
🚌 Getting Around
Toronto
Quetzaltenango
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.39 CA$3.38
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$111 CA$157
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.91 CA$4.12
$5.15 Q 39.38
-43.50%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.20 CA$1.69
$1.73 Q 13.22
-30.64%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$21.38 CA$30.23
$10.56 Q 80.8
102.46%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.21 CA$1.71
$1.38 Q 10.57
-12.32%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K CA$39.8K
$27.5K Q 210.6K
2.30%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.3K CA$28.6K
$25.3K Q 193.3K
-19.87%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Toronto
Quetzaltenango
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$120 CA$170
$72.7 Q 556
65.45%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$32.26 CA$45.60
$13.06 Q 99.9
147.01%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$47.93 CA$67.8
$46.29 Q 354
3.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Toronto
Quetzaltenango
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.48 CA$54.4
$32.89 Q 251
17.00%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.96 CA$32.46
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.38 CA$17.50
$6.35 Q 48.54
94.96%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Toronto
Quetzaltenango
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$830 CA$1,173
$342 Q 2,611
143.00%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.1K CA$32.6K
$6,757 Q 51.7K
241.73%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Toronto
Quetzaltenango
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.7 CA$71.7
$50.0 Q 382
1.38%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.02 CA$56.6
$46.61 Q 356
-14.14%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.0 CA$139
$110 Q 844
-11.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 CA$171
$112 Q 857
7.67%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Toronto
Quetzaltenango
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,592 CA$2,251
$397 Q 3,037
300.86%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,410 CA$1,994
$398 Q 3,046
254.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,670 CA$3,775
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,152 CA$3,042
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,945 CA$11.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,542 CA$9,249
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Toronto
Quetzaltenango
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,727 CA$5,269
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.47
11.62
-61.53%

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

Last update for Toronto: October 12, 2026

Last update for Quetzaltenango: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Toronto
$1.4K
Quetzaltenango
$398 71.8% $1K
Groceries & Markets
Toronto
$340
Quetzaltenango
$264 22.4% $76
Eating Out
Toronto
$278
Quetzaltenango
$151 45.8% $128
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Toronto
$201
Quetzaltenango
$132 34.1% $68
Clothing & Footwear
Toronto
$139
Quetzaltenango
$144 3.1% $4.4
Getting Around
Toronto
$129
Quetzaltenango
$14 * 89.3% $116
Sport & Entertainment
Toronto
$63
Quetzaltenango
$46 27.9% $18

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,592 in Toronto versus $397 in Quetzaltenango. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76.0 in Toronto versus $50.0 in Quetzaltenango. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $264 – making Quetzaltenango the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Toronto
🇬🇹 Quetzaltenango
🕒 Local time
07:03 7:03 AM
05:03 5:03 AM
2 h behind Toronto
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,731,571
500,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GTQ, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

Guatemalan Quetzal exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 7.65 GTQ (1 GTQ = 0.131 USD). 1 EUR = 8.6 GTQ (1 GTQ = 0.116 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Toronto Quetzaltenango 3,400 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Toronto
  • Quetzaltenango

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Toronto vs Quetzaltenango: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Toronto or Quetzaltenango?
Toronto costs about 123% more than Quetzaltenango, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Toronto and in Quetzaltenango?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,841 per month in Toronto and $1,722 in Quetzaltenango. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Toronto or Quetzaltenango?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Quetzaltenango, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Toronto compared to Quetzaltenango?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,561 in Toronto and $1,148 in Quetzaltenango. That's a gap of about 123%.
How do childcare costs compare in Toronto and in Quetzaltenango?
Kindergarten costs $830 per month in Toronto and $342 in Quetzaltenango. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Toronto or in Quetzaltenango?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Quetzaltenango, where all-in costs run around $1,148, than in Toronto at $2,561. In Quetzaltenango it covers expenses comfortably, while in Toronto it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Quetzaltenango – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Should I move to Toronto or to Quetzaltenango?
If budget matters most, go with Quetzaltenango. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Toronto makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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