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
$1129
$1398
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$2676
$3421
🏠 One person rent
$537
$662
🏘️ Family rent
$912
$1102
🍽️ Food expenses
$390
$509
🚐 Transport expenses
$88.4
$78.6
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$460
$981
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Excellent
✈️ Airport proximity
3 km
7 km
🎓 Higher education
55
60
😀 Quality of life
56
74
🏙️ Population
1.21M
342K

The cost of living in Guatemala City is 19% less expensive than in San Jose, Costa Rica. Cities ranked 4878th and 4260th ($1129 vs $1398) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 1st and 2nd in Guatemala and Costa Rica, respectively. Check Guatemala vs Costa Rica comparison.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 0.4 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 6209th and 2458th 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
$5.55
$10.2
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$50.4
$51.6
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$6.45
$9.89
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$3.27
$2.74
 Cappuccino
$3.38
$4.55
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$1.17
$2.09
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$666
$804
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$385
$492
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1209
$1349
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$685
$868
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$49.5
$54.8
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$76
$84.9
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$46.6
$52.5
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
8.87%
10.54%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1643
$2935
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$992
$1711
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$1.3
$1
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$13.6
$42.2
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$14
$16.2
 Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.08
$1.43
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$2.09
$2.08
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$3.1
$2.38
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.49
$2.16
🥚 Eggs, x12
$2.57
$3.11
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$7.96
$11.8
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$8.48
$8.68
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$11.9
$13.6
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.91
$4.14
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.69
$1.51
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.1
$4.29
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.92
$3.33
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.73
$3.53
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.68
$3.36
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.84
$1.94
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$2.51
$3.14
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$8.18
$19.2
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.66
$2.44
🚬 Cigarette pack
$4.1
$5.28
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$6.01
$8.15
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$8.05
$8.94
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$3.09
$3.05
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$2.48
$3.79
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$48.9
$56.8
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$7.19
$8.97
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$42.4
$94.6
💇 Haircut, simple
$16.1
$16.8
👖 Brand Jeans
$51.7
$60
👟 Brand Sneakers
$123
$126
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$231
$609
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$5911
$12743

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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
$665
13 km or 7.9 mi San Miguel Petapa
$1018
58 km or 36 mi Jalapa
$1009
69 km or 43 mi Panajachel
$842
99 km or 61 mi Coban
$931
105 km or 65 mi Mazatenango
$912
106 km or 66 mi Ahuachapan
$1436
107 km or 66 mi Momostenango
$911
109 km or 68 mi Quetzaltenango
$847
128 km or 79 mi Santa Ana
$695
132 km or 82 mi Sonsonate
$883
169 km or 105 mi Santa Tecla
$1182
170 km or 106 mi Apopa
$1238
171 km or 106 mi Mejicanos
$1262
175 km or 109 mi Soyapango
$1273
176 km or 109 mi San Salvador
$1362
190 km or 118 mi Tapachula
$710
264 km or 164 mi Usulutan
$1090
267 km or 166 mi Flores
$915
281 km or 174 mi Villanueva
$801
282 km or 175 mi San Miguel
$1097
285 km or 177 mi San Pedro Sula
$989
294 km or 183 mi Choloma
$661
295 km or 183 mi La Lima
$791
306 km or 190 mi El Progreso
$780
310 km or 193 mi Comayagua
$739
310 km or 193 mi Puerto Cortes
$719
323 km or 201 mi San Ignacio
$1053
327 km or 203 mi San Cristobal de las Casas
$745
349 km or 217 mi Belmopan
$1007
362 km or 225 mi Tegucigalpa
$836
366 km or 227 mi Tuxtla Gutierrez
$715
369 km or 229 mi Yoro
$729
371 km or 230 mi Balancan
$852
407 km or 253 mi Belize City
$936
422 km or 262 mi La Ceiba
$627
428 km or 266 mi Chinandega
$770
439 km or 273 mi Caye Caulker
$1569
454 km or 282 mi Villahermosa
$975
459 km or 285 mi San Pedro Town
$1366

Cities near San Jose, Costa Rica

Distance City Cost of living
7.9 km or 4.9 mi Heredia
$1335
17 km or 11 mi Alajuela
$1303
20 km or 12 mi Cartago
$1241
82 km or 51 mi Puntarenas
$821
115 km or 72 mi Limon
$1288
124 km or 77 mi Santa Teresa
$1236
167 km or 104 mi Liberia
$953
197 km or 122 mi Tamarindo
$1714
244 km or 151 mi San Juan del Sur
$864
246 km or 153 mi David
$925
279 km or 173 mi Juigalpa
$768
302 km or 188 mi Granada
$698
316 km or 196 mi Masaya
$790
343 km or 213 mi Managua
$760
387 km or 241 mi Matagalpa
$673
398 km or 247 mi Santiago de Veraguas
$1122
408 km or 253 mi Jinotega
$467
413 km or 257 mi Leon
$735
429 km or 266 mi Esteli
$682
438 km or 272 mi Penonome
$1150
447 km or 278 mi Chinandega
$770
457 km or 284 mi Chitre
$1150
463 km or 288 mi Colon
$1188
486 km or 302 mi La Chorrera
$981
508 km or 316 mi Balboa
$1400
513 km or 319 mi Panama City
$1560
524 km or 326 mi Tocumen
$1377
535 km or 333 mi Pacora
$1371
574 km or 357 mi Tegucigalpa
$836
596 km or 370 mi San Miguel
$1097
609 km or 378 mi Usulutan
$1090
635 km or 395 mi Comayagua
$739
666 km or 414 mi Yoro
$729
696 km or 432 mi San Salvador
$1362
697 km or 433 mi Soyapango
$1273
701 km or 435 mi Mejicanos
$1262
702 km or 436 mi Apopa
$1238
703 km or 437 mi Santa Tecla
$1182
713 km or 443 mi La Ceiba
$627
729 km or 453 mi El Progreso
$780