There is no single national average rent in Guatemala. Rent ranges from about Q500 ($65) for a basic room in Huehuetenango up to a $2,600 median for a USD-priced apartment in Zone 10, Guatemala City. A typical one-bedroom runs roughly $120–$260 (Q900–Q2,000) in highland cities, $235–$390 in Xela, $150–$550 around Lake Atitlán, $300–$800 in Antigua, and $310–$1,175 across Guatemala City zones. What you pay depends on the city, the zone, the listing currency (USD vs quetzales), and whether the unit is furnished.
How much is rent in Guatemala?
Guatemala does not have one headline rent figure — the spread between the cheapest highland room and a furnished Zone 10 tower in the capital is roughly 40×. The honest answer is a range that depends on four things: which city, which zone, whether the listing is priced in dollars or quetzales, and whether it comes furnished.
Two datasets sit behind the numbers on this page. Guatemala City zone medians come from a scrape of active Encuentra24 listings (the 2026-05-04 scrape credited above, ~399 active listings across six zones). The by-city ranges are advertised-listing ranges compiled across each city page as of March 2026. We date both honestly: the zone medians are about two months old, the city ranges about three and a half. Neither is a this-week quote — treat them as recent baselines, not live prices.
Throughout, sourced USD medians are shown as listed. Where we convert a quetzal figure to dollars (or vice-versa), the result is marked “computed at Q7.62” — that is the rate used for this page, not the slightly different rates used inside the underlying city pages.
Guatemala City rent by zone (median data)
This is the strongest dataset on the page: real median rent from active Encuentra24 listings, split by listing currency because each zone runs two distinct sub-markets. Click any zone for the full neighborhood-level breakdown.
| Zone | USD median | GTQ median | Sample (n) | Currency skew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 10 — Zona Viva / Oakland | $2,600 | Q11,550 (≈$1,516*) | 81 | USD-dominant, ~8:1 (55 USD : 7 GTQ) |
| Zone 11 — Mariscal | $2,800 (n=12) | Q6,200 (≈$814*) | 53 | GTQ-dominant, ~3:1 (12 USD : 34 GTQ) |
| Zone 13 — Aurora / airport | $1,500 | Q8,500 (≈$1,115*) | 71 | USD-leaning (44 USD : 13 GTQ) |
| Zone 14 — Las Américas | $2,300 | — (n=1, too few to median) | 50 | Almost all USD (39 USD : 1 GTQ) |
| Zone 15 — Vista Hermosa | $1,650 | Q9,600 (≈$1,260*) | 80 | USD-leaning (54 USD : 9 GTQ) |
| Mixco | — (n=7, not representative) | Q4,500 (≈$591*) | 64 | GTQ-dominant, ~80% GTQ (7 USD : 51 GTQ) |
*Quetzal-to-USD equivalents computed at Q7.62. Source: Encuentra24, scraped 2026-05-04. Zone 14’s quetzal “median” rests on a single listing and Mixco’s USD “median” on only 7 — neither is statistically meaningful, so we report only each zone’s dominant-currency median. Misclassified outliers (a $400,000 Zone 10 listing and a Q50,000 Zone 13 listing — almost certainly sale or commercial postings) are excluded.
Currency is the real story. Zone 10 prices in dollars and is rented by foreigners and executives; Zone 11 and Mixco price in quetzales and are rented by locals; the airport-adjacent Zone 13 splits the difference. On reliable samples, USD medians range from $1,500 (Zone 13) to $2,800 (Zone 11) — but Zone 11’s figure rests on just 12 USD listings, so Zone 10’s $2,600 (55 listings) is the more representative top-end median. On the quetzal side, Mixco is the cheapest metro market at Q4,500.
Rent by city across Guatemala
Outside the capital, markets are smaller and quote in whichever currency dominates locally. The table below shows typical one- and two-bedroom advertised ranges (March 2026). Antigua, Lake Atitlán, Flores/Petén and Guatemala City quote mostly in USD; Xela, Cobán and Huehuetenango quote in quetzales.
| City / region | 1BR (typical range) | 2BR (typical range) | Priced in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Antigua Guatemala | $300–$800 (≈Q2,290–Q6,100*) | $500–$1,200 (≈Q3,810–Q9,140*) | USD |
| Guatemala City (see zone table above) | $310–$1,175 (≈Q2,360–Q8,950*) | $470–$2,000 (≈Q3,580–Q15,240*) | USD |
| Quetzaltenango (Xela) | Q1,800–Q3,000 ($235–$390) | Q2,500–Q4,000 ($325–$520) | GTQ |
| Lake Atitlán | $150–$550 (≈Q1,140–Q4,190*) | $250–$880 (≈Q1,910–Q6,710*) | USD |
| Flores / Petén | $120–$400 (≈Q910–Q3,050*) | $200–$600 (≈Q1,520–Q4,570*) | USD |
| Cobán | Q1,200–Q2,500 ($155–$325) | Q2,000–Q3,500 ($260–$455) | GTQ |
| Huehuetenango | Q900–Q2,000 ($120–$260) | Q1,500–Q2,500 ($195–$325) | GTQ |
*Quetzal equivalents for USD-priced cities computed at Q7.62. For the quetzal-priced cities (Xela, Cobán, Huehuetenango), the USD figures shown are as published on each city page. Guatemala City 1BR span is the cross-zone comfortable-1BR range; the 2BR span is the minimum-to-maximum across zone ranges. City ranges reflect advertised listings as of March 2026.
Lake Atitlán’s floor is San Pedro La Laguna (rooms from ~$150) and its ceiling is lakefront Panajachel; Huehuetenango is the cheapest highland city overall, with basic rooms from Q500. Most Lake Atitlán rentals come furnished or semi-furnished, while highland-city listings are nearly all unfurnished.
Furnished vs unfurnished
Furnished units cost roughly 30–50% more than unfurnished ones. Within Guatemala City the zone-level premium runs a little tighter — about 20–40% depending on the zone (highest in Zone 10, lower in Zones 11 and 13, where furnished supply is limited). A month-to-month lease adds a further 15–25% on top.
If you rent unfurnished and furnish it yourself, budget a one-time $700–$2,000 for a basic apartment’s worth of furniture and appliances — often worth it on a 12-month-plus lease.
Deposits, utilities, and leasing without local credit
Deposit
Plan on about two months’ cash upfront: one month as a security deposit plus the first month’s rent in advance. Premium or furnished units can ask for two months’ security, which works out to roughly three months upfront in total. Leases are typically 12 months with 30 days’ notice; asking rent is usually negotiable 10–20% below the listed price.
Utilities (Guatemala City, typical monthly ranges)
| Utility | Typical monthly range |
|---|---|
| Electricity (EEGSA) | Q200–Q600 ($26–$78) |
| Water | Q50–Q200 ($7–$26) |
| Internet | Q200–Q500 ($26–$65) |
| Gas (propane) | Q75–Q150 ($10–$20) |
| HOA / maintenance | Q500–Q2,500 ($65–$326) |
| Parking (if not included) | Q0–Q1,500 ($0–$196) |
Typical ranges, not provider tariffs — these are editorial estimates from our Guatemala City data, not published EEGSA / EMPAGUA / Tigo rate cards. Bills run lower outside the capital and in cool highland cities (no air-conditioning load).
Renting with no local credit history
There is no credit-check system in Guatemala, so landlords manage risk in other ways. Foreigners and anyone without a local track record are typically asked for one of:
- a fiador — a guarantor who owns property registered with the RGP (Registro General de la Propiedad) and can show DPI, NIT, the property certification and proof of income;
- a póliza de fianza — an insurance bond from an insurer such as Aseguradora General or MAPFRE, paid as an annual premium. For newly-arrived foreigners this is usually the most practical path;
- or an extra deposit of 3–4 months in place of a guarantor.
A passport stands in for a DPI on the paperwork, and you should always sign a written contrato de arrendamiento — verbal-only agreements carry no legal protection, even though WhatsApp messages are legally admissible in Guatemala.
Renting from abroad (diaspora)
If you are organizing a move from the United States or elsewhere, you can usually secure a unit before you land. Landlords who serve the foreigner market will reserve a property once you pay the security deposit and first month, typically arranged over WhatsApp. Two things to plan for:
- Exchange-rate cost on the deposit. Any deposit you wire from abroad converts at the day’s rate — a meaningful line item on two or three months of rent. Move the money through a low-margin transfer rather than a default bank wire.
- No local credit history. Line up a fiador or, more realistically as a newcomer, a póliza de fianza before you arrive so the lease can close without delay.
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Explore rent on the map
Want to compare zones and cities visually? Open the interactive map and filter by cost to see how rent, safety, and internet scores line up across the country.
Explore Guatemala on the map (cost filter) →
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Guatemala in 2026?
There is no single national average — the market splits sharply by city, zone, listing currency, and whether the unit is furnished. Rent runs from about Q500 ($65) for a basic room in Huehuetenango up to a $2,600 median for a USD-priced apartment in Zone 10, Guatemala City. A typical one-bedroom is roughly $120–$260 in highland cities, $235–$390 in Xela, $150–$550 around Lake Atitlán, $300–$800 in Antigua, and $310–$1,175 across Guatemala City zones.
Where is rent cheapest and most expensive in Guatemala?
Huehuetenango is the cheapest highland city — a basic room runs Q500–Q900 ($65–$120). In the capital, Zone 13 has the lowest reliable USD median at $1,500 and Mixco the lowest quetzal median at Q4,500 (≈$591, computed at Q7.62). The highest USD medians sit in Zone 11 ($2,800, on a thin 12-listing sub-sample) and Zone 10 ($2,600, on 55 listings — the more representative top-end median).
Why are some rents listed in dollars and others in quetzales?
Zone 10 in Guatemala City is overwhelmingly USD-priced (about 8 USD listings for every 1 in quetzales) because it targets diplomats, executives and remote workers who earn dollars. Zone 11 and Mixco are mostly quetzal-priced and rented to locals. USD listings skew furnished, modern and expat-targeted; quetzal listings skew unfurnished, older and locally rented.
How much deposit do I need to rent in Guatemala?
Plan on about two months’ cash upfront: one month as a security deposit plus the first month’s rent in advance. Premium or furnished units can ask for two months’ security, so roughly three months upfront in total. There is no credit-check system in Guatemala.
Can I rent without a local credit history or as a foreigner?
Yes. Because Guatemala has no credit-check system, landlords ask for a fiador (a guarantor who owns RGP-registered property), a póliza de fianza (an insurance bond, often the most practical route for newcomers), or an extra deposit of 3–4 months. A passport substitutes for a DPI on the paperwork.
How much more does a furnished apartment cost?
Furnished units cost roughly 30–50% more than unfurnished. Within Guatemala City the zone-level premium runs about 20–40% depending on the zone. Month-to-month leases add another 15–25%, and furnishing a bare apartment yourself is a one-time $700–$2,000.
Related Resources
- Renting Guide for Guatemala — leases, deposits, and foreigner-tax mitigation in depth
- Cost of Living in Guatemala — full monthly budget framework
- Zone 10 (Zona Viva) Rental Costs — the capital’s priciest USD market
- Zone 11 (Mariscal) Rental Costs — GTQ-skewed, more local
- Zone 13 (Aurora / Airport) Rental Costs — lowest reliable USD median
- Mixco Rental Costs — cheapest metro market
- Antigua Guatemala Rentals · Quetzaltenango (Xela) · Lake Atitlán · Flores / Petén
- All Real Estate guides
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