Cost of Living Research — Guatemala by Area
Research date: February 22, 2026
Exchange rate: 1 USD = ~7.7 GTQ
Summary: Monthly Budget (Single Person, All-In USD)
| Area | Budget | Comfortable | Luxury |
|---|
| Guatemala City (Z10/Z14/Z15/Z16) | $1,200-1,550 | $2,350-3,250 | $3,650-5,200+ |
| Guatemala City (Z1-Z7/outer) | $800-1,000 | $1,400-1,800 | $2,500-3,000 |
| Antigua Guatemala | $800-1,200 | $1,500-2,000 | $2,500-3,500 |
| Lake Atitlan | $420-600 | $800-1,200 | $1,500-2,500 |
| Quetzaltenango (Xela) | $600-800 | $1,000-1,400 | $1,800-2,500 |
| Coban | $650-800 | $900-1,200 | $1,500-2,000 |
| Flores/Peten | $600-800 | $842-1,200 | $1,500-2,000 |
Rent Comparison (1BR Apartment, USD/month)
| Area | Budget | Comfortable | Luxury |
|---|
| GC expensive zones (Z10/Z14/Z15/Z16) | $420-520 | $750-1,035 | $1,500-2,500 |
| GC cheaper zones (Z1-Z7/Mixco) | $310-420 | $520-680 | $800-1,200 |
| Antigua | $300-400 | $500-700 | $1,000-1,800 |
| Lake Atitlan | $75-200 | $300-500 | $700-1,000 |
| Xela | $300-390 | $400-425 | $500-700 |
| Coban | $316 | $418 | $635 (3BR) |
| Flores | $300-400 | $408-590 | $700-1,000 |
Guatemala City — Detailed
Numbeo Averages (Feb 2026)
- 1BR city center: Q5,821 ($756)
- 1BR outside center: Q3,999 ($519)
- 3BR city center: Q11,032 ($1,433)
- 3BR outside center: Q6,105 ($793)
Grocery Prices (Numbeo GC)
| Item | GTQ | USD |
|---|
| Milk (1L) | Q16.07 | $2.09 |
| Rice (1kg) | Q15.84 | $2.06 |
| Eggs (dozen) | Q19.11 | $2.48 |
| Chicken breast (1kg) | Q72.31 | $9.39 |
| Beef (1kg) | Q101.47 | $13.18 |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | Q13.28 | $1.72 |
| Potatoes (1kg) | Q14.33 | $1.86 |
| Bananas (1kg) | Q13.53 | $1.76 |
Eating Out
| Meal Type | GTQ | USD |
|---|
| Comida corriente | Q20-35 | $2.60-4.55 |
| Street food | Q5-20 | $0.65-2.60 |
| Inexpensive restaurant | Q45 | $5.84 |
| McMeal | Q49.75 | $6.46 |
| Mid-range (2 people) | Q384 | $49.87 |
Transport
| Item | GTQ | USD |
|---|
| Transmetro bus | Q2 | $0.26 |
| Transurbano bus | Q1 | $0.13 |
| Uber per km | Q2.90 | $0.38 |
| Gasoline (1L) | Q8.40 | $1.09 |
Utilities
- Basic (85m2): Q586 (~$76) — Numbeo
- Electricity: Q2.243/kWh
- Water: Q42.56/mo base — EMPAGUA
- Propane (25lb): Q98-120
Antigua Guatemala — Detailed
Rent
- Basic 1BR outside center: $300-400
- Furnished 1BR in town: $500-700
- Colonial 3BR restored: $1,000-1,800+
Eating Out
- Menu del dia: Q20-35 ($2.60-4.55)
- Casual restaurant: Q60-80 ($7.80-10.40)
- High-end dinner: Q150-250 ($19-32)
Transport
- Tuk-tuk within Antigua: Q5-15
- Chicken bus to GC: Q10
Lake Atitlan — Detailed
Rent by Town
San Pedro (budget hub): $75-200 budget, $300-500 comfortable
San Marcos (wellness): $300-600 budget, $700-750 with utilities
Panajachel (infrastructure): $300-400 budget, $400-600 comfortable
Food
- Coffee: Q8 ($1.04)
- 3 tacos: Q15 ($1.95)
- Whole roasted chicken: Q50 ($6.49)
- Pizza: Q75 ($9.74)
- Monthly groceries single: $150-200
Transport
- Tuk-tuk: Q5-10
- Pickup truck (local): Q2
- Lancha (boat): Q20-25
- Doctor visit (Pana): Q100 ($13)
Quetzaltenango (Xela) — Detailed
- 1BR rent: Q3,000 (~$390)
- Similar food prices to GC
- Monthly budget: $600-800 budget, $1,000-1,400 comfortable
Coban — Detailed
- 1BR rent: $316-418
- Limited expat infrastructure
- Lower internet reliability
- Monthly: $650-800 budget, $900-1,200 comfortable
Flores/Peten — Detailed
- 1BR rent (Flores island): $408-590
- Cheaper in Santa Elena/San Benito
- Limited healthcare — serious cases go to GC
- Monthly: $600-800 budget, $842-1,200 comfortable
Nationwide Prices
Internet
- Tigo fiber 150 Mbps: ~Q235/mo ($30) — GC/Antigua only
- Claro fiber 120 Mbps: ~Q229/mo ($30) — GC expanding
- Starlink Mini: $35/mo + $200 hardware — everywhere
- Starlink Standard: Q510/mo ($66) — everywhere
Phone (Prepaid)
- Tigo 10GB/30 days: Q99 ($13)
- Claro 10GB/30 days: Q100 ($13)
Healthcare
- Doctor consultation: $20-78
- Private insurance: $50-300/mo
- Dental cleaning: $55
- Crown: $350-375
- Root canal: $180
- Implant (complete): $1,200
Sources
- Numbeo Guatemala City/Xela (Feb 2026)
- Expatistan Guatemala City/Antigua/Xela (2025)
- TheLatinvestor — Average Rent in Guatemala (Sep 2025)
- Atitlan Living — Cost of Living Lake Atitlan
- Never Ending Voyage — San Marcos Cost of Living
- Food Travel Explore — Guatemala Cost of Living Guide
- TravelSafe-Abroad — Cheapest Places to Live Guatemala 2025
- LivingCost.org — Coban
- International Living — Rent in Antigua
- Dental Experts Guatemala — Pricing
- GlobalPetrolPrices — Guatemala (Feb 2026)
- EMPAGUA — Water Tariffs (Dec 2025)
- PhoneTravelWiz — Guatemala SIM Cards (2025)
