Guatemala City vs San Jose, Costa Rica - Cost of Living Comparison

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Livingcost

Guatemala City San Jose
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1005
$1239
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$2573
$3174
🏠 One person rent
$454
$555
🏘️ Family rent
$939
$1038
🍽️ Food expenses
$373
$479
🚐 Transport expenses
$66
$75
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$452
$923
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Excellent
✈️ Airport proximity
3 km
7 km
🎓 Higher education
55
60
😀 Quality of life
50
65
🏙️ Population
1.21M
342K

The cost of living in Guatemala City is 19% less expensive than in San Jose, Costa Rica. Cities ranked 5655th and 4497th ($1005 vs $1239) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 1st and 5th in Guatemala and Costa Rica, respectively. Check Guatemala vs Costa Rica comparison.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 0.5 months in Guatemala City compared to 0.7 months in San Jose, Costa Rica. Guatemala City ranked 1st best city to live in Guatemala vs San Jose, Costa Rica ranked 1st in Costa Rica, while ranked 6198th and 4226th among best cities to live in the world.

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Cost of living in Guatemala City vs San Jose, Costa Rica infographic

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Prices in Guatemala City vs San Jose, Costa Rica

Prices for goods and services in Guatemala City and San Jose are partly crowdsourced by our visitors, just like yourself. Please consider telling us about your city.

Guatemala City San Jose
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$5.78
$10.6
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$51.3
$49.2
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$6.38
$9.49
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.93
$3.03
☕ Cappuccino
$3.29
$4.75
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$1.34
$1.91
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$564
$645
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$310
$417
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1342
$1229
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$688
$842
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$50.4
$47.5
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$77.1
$73.6
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$43.3
$44.7
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
8.88%
11.24%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1411
$1929
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$991
$1540
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.84
$0.94
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$13.6
$40.8
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$8.84
$15.2
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.1
$1.41
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.98
$1.93
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$3.23
$2.27
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.52
$1.93
🥚 Eggs, x12
$2.41
$3.34
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$5.94
$10.2
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$7.57
$9.11
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$8.68
$14
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.51
$3.89
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.59
$1.37
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.46
$3.47
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.06
$2.75
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.86
$2.6
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.46
$2.6
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.79
$1.68
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$2.79
$3.05
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$8.72
$16.5
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.75
$2.28
🚬 Cigarette pack
$3.61
$4.96
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$4.89
$8.1
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$5.8
$6.99
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$2.64
$2.75
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$2.56
$3.91
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$59.1
$55.9
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$7.84
$8.01
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$40
$66.7
💇 Haircut, simple
$15.2
$12.8
👖 Brand Jeans
$51.1
$70.6
👟 Brand Sneakers
$114
$119
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$219
$501
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$5642
$12846

Cost of living in other countries

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Cost of Living in the nearest cities

Cities near Guatemala City

Distance City Cost of living
10 km or 6.2 mi Mixco
$639
13 km or 7.9 mi San Miguel Petapa
$900
58 km or 36 mi Jalapa
$904
69 km or 43 mi Panajachel
$791
99 km or 61 mi Coban
$912
105 km or 65 mi Mazatenango
$870
106 km or 66 mi Ahuachapan
$1455
107 km or 66 mi Momostenango
$872
109 km or 68 mi Quetzaltenango
$777
128 km or 79 mi Santa Ana
$709
132 km or 82 mi Sonsonate
$882
169 km or 105 mi Santa Tecla
$1202
170 km or 106 mi Apopa
$1145
171 km or 106 mi Mejicanos
$1161
175 km or 109 mi Soyapango
$1173
176 km or 109 mi San Salvador
$1192
190 km or 118 mi Tapachula
$646
264 km or 164 mi Usulutan
$1088
267 km or 166 mi Flores
$859
281 km or 174 mi Villanueva
$866
282 km or 175 mi San Miguel
$1081
285 km or 177 mi San Pedro Sula
$1038
294 km or 183 mi Choloma
$599
295 km or 183 mi La Lima
$870
306 km or 190 mi El Progreso
$883
310 km or 193 mi Comayagua
$715
310 km or 193 mi Puerto Cortes
$720
323 km or 201 mi San Ignacio
$1090
327 km or 203 mi San Cristobal de las Casas
$666
349 km or 217 mi Belmopan
$729
362 km or 225 mi Tegucigalpa
$829
366 km or 227 mi Tuxtla Gutierrez
$642
369 km or 229 mi Yoro
$734
371 km or 230 mi Balancan
$737
407 km or 253 mi Belize City
$877
422 km or 262 mi La Ceiba
$650
428 km or 266 mi Chinandega
$638
439 km or 273 mi Caye Caulker
$1573
454 km or 282 mi Villahermosa
$865
459 km or 285 mi San Pedro Town
$1333

Cities near San Jose, Costa Rica

Distance City Cost of living
7.9 km or 4.9 mi Heredia
$1246
17 km or 11 mi Alajuela
$1233
20 km or 12 mi Cartago
$961
82 km or 51 mi Puntarenas
$1277
115 km or 72 mi Limon
$1201
124 km or 77 mi Santa Teresa
$1310
167 km or 104 mi Liberia
$898
197 km or 122 mi Tamarindo
$1687
244 km or 151 mi San Juan del Sur
$890
246 km or 153 mi David
$833
279 km or 173 mi Juigalpa
$664
302 km or 188 mi Granada
$697
316 km or 196 mi Masaya
$712
343 km or 213 mi Managua
$774
387 km or 241 mi Matagalpa
$550
398 km or 247 mi Santiago de Veraguas
$1056
408 km or 253 mi Jinotega
$457
413 km or 257 mi Leon
$639
429 km or 266 mi Esteli
$593
438 km or 272 mi Penonome
$1098
447 km or 278 mi Chinandega
$638
457 km or 284 mi Chitre
$1091
463 km or 288 mi Colon
$1182
486 km or 302 mi La Chorrera
$953
508 km or 316 mi Balboa
$1249
513 km or 319 mi Panama City
$1384
524 km or 326 mi Tocumen
$1231
535 km or 333 mi Pacora
$1249
574 km or 357 mi Tegucigalpa
$829
596 km or 370 mi San Miguel
$1081
609 km or 378 mi Usulutan
$1088
635 km or 395 mi Comayagua
$715
666 km or 414 mi Yoro
$734
696 km or 432 mi San Salvador
$1192
697 km or 433 mi Soyapango
$1173
701 km or 435 mi Mejicanos
$1161
702 km or 436 mi Apopa
$1145
703 km or 437 mi Santa Tecla
$1202
713 km or 443 mi La Ceiba
$650
729 km or 453 mi El Progreso
$883