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)

AreaBudgetComfortableLuxury
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)

AreaBudgetComfortableLuxury
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)

ItemGTQUSD
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 TypeGTQUSD
Comida corrienteQ20-35$2.60-4.55
Street foodQ5-20$0.65-2.60
Inexpensive restaurantQ45$5.84
McMealQ49.75$6.46
Mid-range (2 people)Q384$49.87

Transport

ItemGTQUSD
Transmetro busQ2$0.26
Transurbano busQ1$0.13
Uber per kmQ2.90$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)