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
$1070
$1324
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$2666
$3344
🏠 One person rent
$503
$606
🏘️ Family rent
$971
$1094
🍽️ Food expenses
$383
$499
🚐 Transport expenses
$67.1
$78
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$457
$990
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Excellent
✈️ Airport proximity
3 km
7 km
🎓 Higher education
55
60
😀 Quality of life
50
66
🏙️ Population
1.21M
342K

The cost of living in Guatemala City is 19% less expensive than in San Jose, Costa Rica. Cities ranked 5029th and 4143rd ($1070 vs $1324) 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 6217th and 4085th 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
$5.19
$11.2
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$50
$51.4
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$6.46
$9.6
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.9
$2.9
☕ Cappuccino
$3.35
$4.5
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$1.23
$1.97
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$610
$738
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$362
$444
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1350
$1315
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$730
$874
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$47.7
$53.7
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$73.2
$82.5
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$43.9
$49.2
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
9.34%
10.31%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1636
$2883
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1002
$1718
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$1.17
$0.98
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$13.6
$41.6
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$8.77
$16.2
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.08
$1.42
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$2.04
$2.07
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$3.29
$2.32
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.01
$1.94
🥚 Eggs, x12
$2.55
$3.34
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$7.63
$11.2
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$7.92
$8.97
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$10.9
$14.3
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.74
$3.92
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.76
$1.46
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.41
$3.91
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.96
$2.99
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.71
$2.99
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.54
$2.81
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.81
$1.85
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$2.54
$3.17
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$7.73
$18.6
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.85
$2.43
🚬 Cigarette pack
$3.62
$5.13
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$8.08
$8.09
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$5.97
$7.94
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$2.66
$3.22
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$2.93
$3.77
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$49.5
$65
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$7.73
$9.08
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$41.1
$72.3
💇 Haircut, simple
$20
$15.2
👖 Brand Jeans
$46.4
$68.8
👟 Brand Sneakers
$121
$125
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$214
$601
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$5937
$12527

Cost of living in other countries

Guatemala CitySan Jose

Cost of living

$349

$907

$6.64K

More cities to compare

Cost of Living in the nearest cities

Cities near Guatemala City

Distance City Cost of living
10 km or 6.2 mi Mixco
$653
13 km or 7.9 mi San Miguel Petapa
$941
58 km or 36 mi Jalapa
$936
69 km or 43 mi Panajachel
$819
99 km or 61 mi Coban
$916
105 km or 65 mi Mazatenango
$886
106 km or 66 mi Ahuachapan
$1449
107 km or 66 mi Momostenango
$881
109 km or 68 mi Quetzaltenango
$784
128 km or 79 mi Santa Ana
$698
132 km or 82 mi Sonsonate
$884
169 km or 105 mi Santa Tecla
$1194
170 km or 106 mi Apopa
$1160
171 km or 106 mi Mejicanos
$1175
175 km or 109 mi Soyapango
$1182
176 km or 109 mi San Salvador
$1204
190 km or 118 mi Tapachula
$632
264 km or 164 mi Usulutan
$1083
267 km or 166 mi Flores
$878
281 km or 174 mi Villanueva
$897
282 km or 175 mi San Miguel
$1088
285 km or 177 mi San Pedro Sula
$1047
294 km or 183 mi Choloma
$719
295 km or 183 mi La Lima
$897
306 km or 190 mi El Progreso
$903
310 km or 193 mi Comayagua
$753
310 km or 193 mi Puerto Cortes
$788
323 km or 201 mi San Ignacio
$1034
327 km or 203 mi San Cristobal de las Casas
$667
349 km or 217 mi Belmopan
$973
362 km or 225 mi Tegucigalpa
$863
366 km or 227 mi Tuxtla Gutierrez
$619
369 km or 229 mi Yoro
$755
371 km or 230 mi Balancan
$728
407 km or 253 mi Belize City
$883
422 km or 262 mi La Ceiba
$626
428 km or 266 mi Chinandega
$638
439 km or 273 mi Caye Caulker
$1581
454 km or 282 mi Villahermosa
$869
459 km or 285 mi San Pedro Town
$1358

Cities near San Jose, Costa Rica

Distance City Cost of living
7.9 km or 4.9 mi Heredia
$1296
17 km or 11 mi Alajuela
$1269
20 km or 12 mi Cartago
$1024
82 km or 51 mi Puntarenas
$801
115 km or 72 mi Limon
$1225
124 km or 77 mi Santa Teresa
$1213
167 km or 104 mi Liberia
$932
197 km or 122 mi Tamarindo
$1710
244 km or 151 mi San Juan del Sur
$839
246 km or 153 mi David
$890
279 km or 173 mi Juigalpa
$666
302 km or 188 mi Granada
$701
316 km or 196 mi Masaya
$710
343 km or 213 mi Managua
$738
387 km or 241 mi Matagalpa
$624
398 km or 247 mi Santiago de Veraguas
$1089
408 km or 253 mi Jinotega
$455
413 km or 257 mi Leon
$632
429 km or 266 mi Esteli
$598
438 km or 272 mi Penonome
$1116
447 km or 278 mi Chinandega
$638
457 km or 284 mi Chitre
$1117
463 km or 288 mi Colon
$1172
486 km or 302 mi La Chorrera
$957
508 km or 316 mi Balboa
$1328
513 km or 319 mi Panama City
$1479
524 km or 326 mi Tocumen
$1310
535 km or 333 mi Pacora
$1304
574 km or 357 mi Tegucigalpa
$863
596 km or 370 mi San Miguel
$1088
609 km or 378 mi Usulutan
$1083
635 km or 395 mi Comayagua
$753
666 km or 414 mi Yoro
$755
696 km or 432 mi San Salvador
$1204
697 km or 433 mi Soyapango
$1182
701 km or 435 mi Mejicanos
$1175
702 km or 436 mi Apopa
$1160
703 km or 437 mi Santa Tecla
$1194
713 km or 443 mi La Ceiba
$626
729 km or 453 mi El Progreso
$903