Understanding Guatemala’s Food Costs
The canasta basica alimentaria (CBA) is Guatemala’s official measure of minimum food costs, published monthly by the Instituto Nacional de Estadistica (INE). According to INE, the urban basket (CBAU) holds 66 products sized for a household of 4.16 people and 2,052 calories a day, and the rural basket (CBAR) 60 products for a household of 4.80 people and 2,172 calories. INE’s 2024 methodology document says the foods were classified into 13 of the 14 food groups set by CEPAL, leaving out alcoholic beverages.
CBA vs Canasta Ampliada
The CBA covers food only. INE publishes a broader canasta ampliada alongside it (its 1995-2017 series was called the canasta básica vital o ampliada). INE’s September 2026 figure for the urban canasta ampliada is Q2,340.49 per person, against Q966.74 for the urban food basket.
Calculator
Family Food Basket Cost Calculator
Estimate monthly + annual food basket cost by family size and basket type. Uses INE September 2026 figures (Q966.74 per capita urban, 4.16-member reference household).
INE September 2026 data: Q966.74/person urban, Q751.58/person rural, CBV Q2,340.49/person urban. USD converted at the Banguat reference rate, Q7.6254/$1, refreshed daily.
What This Means for Daily Life
For an urban reference family living on one 2026 non-agricultural minimum wage in the department of Guatemala (Q4,252.28/month including the Q250 bonificación, per MINTRAB), the food basket alone takes most of that income; the Minimum Wage vs. Food Basket widget above computes the exact share from the current month’s INE data. That leaves little of one minimum wage for rent, transport, healthcare or education. If family in the US sends money home, compare transfer costs on our remittances page.
Methodology Change in 2024
INE updated its CBA methodology in 2024, using its 2022-2023 household income and expenditure survey (ENIGH) and January 2024 prices. INE’s page describes the earlier basket (fixed in October 2017, with prices published through December 2023) as 34 products for a household of 4.77 members; the new urban basket has 66 products for 4.16 members. Pre-2024 and post-2024 figures are not directly comparable, which is why our chart separates the two periods.
Regional Price Differences
INE’s CBA page lists its indicators (the urban and rural food baskets, CBAU and CBAR, and the urban and rural canasta ampliada) in tables by year at national level and by region. Check our cost of living comparison for detailed city-by-city breakdowns, see current exchange rates to convert prices to USD, or browse 40+ individual food prices from Guatemala’s markets. Or see what $100 actually buys vs local wages. All the official numbers on one citable page: Guatemala statistics.
Official Source
All basket figures come from the Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), which processes the Canasta Básica Alimentaria and the Canasta Ampliada monthly. Sources: INE, Canasta Básica Alimentaria (read 5 October 2026) and the 2024 CBA methodology update (read 10 October 2026). Minimum wage: MINTRAB (read 9 October 2026).