A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Athens vs. Guatemala City for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Athens or Guatemala City?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Athens and Guatemala City. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Where Should I go: Athens or Guatemala City?

Athens

Athens is the capital city of Greece and is home to a population of over 3.7 million people. It's most famous as the birthplace of Classical Greece and the history in the city is incomparable to that found anywhere. It became the national capital of the modern Greek State in the 1830s, before which it was just a small village with a very impressive history. The city was redesigned by architects and city planners and incorporated large public squares, lots of green space, and wide avenues. The city has had its ups and downs both economically and politically, but it remains a beautiful and impressive place to explore.

Guatemala City

Referred to by the locals as "Guate," Guatemala City is the largest and most modern city in Guatemala, as well as its capital. While the atmosphere of the place is big, dirty, and dangerous with city fumes and skyscrapers, it is the hub of the country. It is the place where travelers first step foot into Guatemala and, though it is a place of modern chaos, it does have some of the best galleries and museums as well as a selection of bars, cafes, and restaurants.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 10-Day Tours in Greece, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Greece, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Guatemala City, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Guatemala.


Which place is cheaper, Guatemala City or Athens?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Athens is €154, while the average daily cost in Guatemala City is €48. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Athens and Guatemala City in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Athens 63
    Guatemala City 21
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Athens 126
    Guatemala City 42
Compare Hotels in Athens and Guatemala City

Looking for a hotel in Athens or Guatemala City? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.

Hotels in Athens


Hotels in Guatemala City


Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.


Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Athens Hotel Prices and Guatemala City Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Athens 27
    Guatemala City 5.30
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Athens

Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Athens:


  • Airport Bus for Two
    6.40
  • Metro
    1.50
  • Metro
    2.00
  • Metro from Airport to City Center
    8.00
  • Taxi from Airport
    35

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Athens

Also for Athens, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:

  • Piraeus Port to and from Athens Airport Private Transfer: $18
  • Mykonos Super Paradise Beach Transfers: $18
  • Santorini Airport Private Transfer: $25
  • Athens Airport (ATH) Private Transfer to Athens Hotels/Piraeus: $26
  • Santorini: Private Airport and Port Transfer Service: $27
  • Athens Airport Private Transfer to Piraeus Port with Meet & Greet: $28
  • Private Transfer from Piraeus Port to Athens City: $28
  • Private Transfer from Athens City Center to Piraeus Port: $29
  • Athens Airport to and from Rafina or Lavrio Port Private Transfer: $30
  • AIRPORT TRANSFER to/from hotel (up 14 in a luxurious Minibus ) : $33
  • Athens International Airport (ATH) to Athens hotels - Arrival Private Transfer: $35
  • Arrival/Departure & Point to Point Transfer Services in Mykonos: $36

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Guatemala City

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Guatemala City:

  • Private Transfer from Guatemala City to Panajachel or Atitlan: $254
  • Private Transfer from Guatemala City to Puerto Quetzal Port: $209
  • Private Transfer - Guatemala Airport (GUA) to Puerto Quetzal Port: $209
  • Private Transfers from Guatemala city to Panajachel: $200
  • Guatemala City Airport (GUA) to Quetzaltenango-Arrival Transfer: $167
  • Private Transfer from Guatemala City to Coban: $161
  • Private Transfer from La Aurora Airport to Antigua Guatemala: $120
  • Transfer from Airport to Antigua: $90
  • Private Ground Transfer Guatemala City To Panajachel, LakeAtitlan: $80
  • Private Transfer from Guatemala City to Antigua: $74
  • Private Transfer From La Aurora AirPort to Panajachel Atitlan : $67
  • Private transfer from Airport to Panajachel: $65

Is it cheaper to fly into Athens or Guatemala City?

Prices for flights to both Guatemala City and Athens change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Athens 64
    Guatemala City 23
Typical Food Prices in Athens

Here are some examples of typical meal expenses from previous travelers to Athens:


  • Ice cream
    3.00
  • Souvlaki
    2.20

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Athens

For Athens, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:

  • Hard Rock Cafe Athens with Set Lunch or Dinner: $30
  • Athens Greek Wedding Party Dinner Show with Acropolis Views: $42
  • Foodies’ Favorite Food tour: $51
  • Cooking Class at Diamond Roof Garden: $66
  • The Bizarre Food Tour of Athens: $78
  • Koukaki Food Tour with a Local Friend: $78
  • Traditional Greek Cooking Class and Organic Lunch on Poros: $81
  • Athens Walking Food Tour with Visit to Varvakios Central Market: $82
  • Eat like an Athenian food tour of Athens: $82
  • Traditional Cooking Classes incl. Drinks: $82
  • Taste of Athens Small-Group Food Tour: $84
  • Athens Evening Food Tour: $87

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Guatemala City

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Guatemala City.

  • PRIVATE MAYAN COOKING CLASS WITH CHEF EN Guatemala City: $65
  • Small-Group Cooking Class in Antigua from Guatemala City: $120
  • Pacaya Volcano Vistas + Enjoy Pizza Surrounded by The Volcano: $175
  • Antigua Market, Cooking Class and Choco Museum from Guatemala City: $188

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Athens 36
    Guatemala City 1.04

Tours and Activities in Athens

Also, here are some specific examples of entertainment, tickets, and activities for Athens.

  • A Neoclassical Capital: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $5.50
  • Self-Guided Greece Grand Tour with Audio Guide: $7.65
  • The Best of Piraeus: A Self-Guided Walking Tour: $7.99
  • Athens Interactive City Tour: $8.36
  • Private Self-Guided Audio City-Tour in Athens: $9.56
  • Traditional Greek Food: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of Athens: $9.99
  • Secret A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.99
  • Athens Olympic Museum ticket: $11
  • Ancient Agora of Audio Tour on Your Phone (no ticket): $14
  • Athens Museum of Cycladic Art | AdmissionTicket : $14
  • Athens Museum of Illusions Ticket: $15
  • Private Tour and Tasting at Zeginis Winery: $16

Tours and Activities in Guatemala City

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Guatemala City are as follows:

  • 2-Hour Culture and Historical Tour From Guatemala: $29
  • 2in1 Tour: Avocado Farm + Private Tour in Antigua Guatemala: $195
  • 3 Days Tour in Acatenango Volcano: $240
  • 3-Day Antigua Guatemala and Pacaya Volcano Adventure: $256
  • 3-Hour Bike Tour Guatemala City: $60
  • 4-Hour Bike Tour Guatemala City: $70
  • Antigua + Guatemala City Full Day Tour - History Lovers Favorite: $245
  • Antigua City Tour from Guatemala City: $78
  • Antigua Guatemala & Guatemala City Tour: $65
  • Antigua Guatemala , Full-Day Shared Tour from Guatemala City: $75
  • Antigua Guatemala Full Day Tour: $65
  • Antigua Guatemala Stopover Tour: $75

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Athens 23
    Guatemala City 5.88

Sample the Local Flavors in Athens

Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Athens:

  • Greek Honey Tasting Experience at our Old Distillery: $14
  • Polykala Distillery: 128 years of history & liqueur tasting.: $17
  • The NightCrawlers | Athens Bar Hopping | Pub Crawl: $19
  • Liquer tasting in Polykala's Distillery Show Room in Athens: $19
  • Saturday Night Pub Crawl for Professionals in Athens, Greece: $25
  • Experience Ouzo Tasting at Athens Oldest Distillery: $26
  • Athens Ultimate Bar Crawl: $48
  • 2 Hours Wine Tasting Odyssey in Athens: $59
  • Greek Wine Tasting with Acropolis view: $59
  • Best rated Acropolis Wine Tasting : $59
  • Acropolis Private Wine Tasting @ Finewine store : $67
  • Greek food and wine tasting: $71

Sample the Local Flavors in Guatemala City

Also in Guatemala City, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:

  • Guatemala City Legends Tour + Craft Beers at El Cadejo Brewery: $105


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Athens and Guatemala City, we can see that Athens is more expensive. And not only is Guatemala City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Athens is in Europe and Guatemala City is in Central America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Guatemala City would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Guatemala City and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Athens would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Athens than you might in Guatemala City.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Athens Expensive? and Is Guatemala City Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Athens or Guatemala City?

Guatemala City has a larger population, and is about 36% larger than the population of Athens. When comparing the sizes of Athens and Guatemala City, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.