This is a question I get asked all the time. Saying “whatever you want to pay” doesn’t help most people so let me offer a guestimate at a low-end option in a safe neighborhood. If you want to spend 10 or even 100 times as much, you can.
Here are some basic assumptions:
- I will put all the prices in Quetzales. The exchange rate is about 7.7 Quetzales to the US dollar and that rate has been stable for many years.
- You are one person. For two, the price of food and transportation will double but housing should remain about the same.
- The numbers are for Guatemala City. Living in rural areas will be much cheaper.
Now, let’s start doing the numbers.
- One of your biggest expenses will be rent. You should be able to find a basic apartment for Q1000/month or a room in a house for less. If you rent an apartment you will also have an electric bill. Q100/month should cover that. You can get fairly fast unlimited Internet for Q200/month.
- The next big expense is food. Much like a place to stay, this can vary all over the map. Let’s assume you are eating out all the time and two meals plus a snack works for you. Expect to pay Q15-Q25 for each breakfast and maybe Q40-Q50 for a second meal plus your snack. That means from Q1650 to Q2250/month for meals, all prepared for you.
- Transportation is inexpensive and buses are free if you are over 60. A taxi all the way across town might cost Q100. Bus trips out of town from Q30 to Q100. With good weather most of the time I generally walk. I also have an electric bike. My cost is about Q0 but let’s toss in Q200 for you.
- Eventually you may need to buy some clothing. There are “pacas” (used clothing stores where most product comes from the US) and people who have bought clothing in bulk. I have paid from Q2 to Q25 for a T-shirt. New jeans for Q100. With the good weather you don’t really need much more. My exception, because I walk a lot, has been shoes which I have bought on-line for way too much money. That said, you can find new shoes for Q100 a pair and up.
- Medical care is, of course, a huge variable depending on your health. Free care is available both in government-run clinics and hospitals. On the other end of the spectrum you can find medical plans similar to a typical US-based HMO for around Q1000/month. My approach is “take a chance” and in my over 20 years in Central America I have spent maybe Q3000 in medical costs, most of that being dental.
Adding all that up and including such options as Internet I get a total around Q4250 including a health care plan. In US dollars, that’s $550/month. A realistic low-end (with some fun thrown in) is probably $1000/month but if that is beyond your means there are lots of ways to make some money locally — anything from teaching English to doing minor home repairs.
I hope that information helps.