Which place is cheaper, Guatemala City or Mexico City?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Mexico City or Guatemala City?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Mexico City or Guatemala City? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Mexico City or Guatemala City?
Mexico City
Mexico City is one of the largest and most populated cities in the world. There are an estimated 26 million people living in the greater Mexico City metropolitan area. The area is about 60 kilometers by 40 kilometers and is surrounded by tall mountains and volcanoes on three sides. Mexico City proper has about 8.8 million people and is the capital of the country. More than a third of the country's economy is based here, making it the wealthiest city in all of Latin America.
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 2-Week Tours in Mexico, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mexico, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Guatemala City, and The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Guatemala.
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Mexico City Prices
Mexico PricesGuatemala City Prices
Guatemala Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMexico City $212Guatemala City $56
The average daily cost (per person) in Mexico City is $212, while the average daily cost in Guatemala City is $56. 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 Mexico City and Guatemala City in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMexico City $38Guatemala City $24
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMexico City $76Guatemala City $48
Compare Hotels in Mexico City and Guatemala City
Looking for a hotel in Mexico City 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.
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: Mexico City Hotel Prices and Guatemala City Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Mexico City $12Guatemala City $6.25
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Mexico City
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Mexico City:
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Metro$1.09
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Uber Ride$3.80
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mexico City
Also for Mexico City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Inbursa Aquarium optional Round trip transfer: $20
- Private Transfer from Airport to Hotel in Mexico City: $27
- Mexico City Private Airport Transfer : $29
- Mexico to Mexico City Airport (MEX) Departure Arrival Transfer: $31
- Mexico City International Airport (MEX) to Mexico City- Private Arrival Transfer: $31
- Roundtrip Private Transfer from Mexico City Airport (MEX): $32
- Transfer & assistance one-way from/to Mexico City Airport/hotel : $34
- Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Mexico City Airport: $34
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Mexico APT-HTL (MEX) : $36
- Private Transfer From Mexico City Airport to Downtown: $40
- Toluca Airport (TLC) to Toluca - Arrival Private Transfer: $49
- Private Transfers from Airport to Hotel: $55
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Guatemala City
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Guatemala City:
- Transfer from Airport to Antigua: $90
- Shared Arrival Transfer: Guatemala City Airport to Antigua: $16
- Private transfer from Airport to Panajachel: $65
- Private transfer Guatemala airport to Antigua.: $60
- Private Transfers from Guatemala city to Panajachel: $200
- Private Transfer from La Aurora International Airport to Antigua: $28
- Private Transfer from La Aurora Airport to Antigua Guatemala: $120
- Private Transfer from Guatemala City to Puerto Quetzal Port: $209
- Private Transfer from Guatemala City to Panajachel or Atitlan: $254
- Private Transfer from Guatemala City to Coban: $161
- Private Transfer from Guatemala City to Antigua: $74
- Private Transfer From La Aurora AirPort to Panajachel Atitlan : $67
Is it cheaper to fly into Mexico City or Guatemala City?
Prices for flights to both Guatemala City and Mexico City 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
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Food Meals for one dayMexico City $43Guatemala City $27
Typical Food Prices in Mexico City
For Mexico City, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lunch for Two$12
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Coffee and Snacks$4.24
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Dinner for 2$25
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Mexico City
For Mexico City, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Private Street Food Tour Mexico City - Best rated : $35
- Virtual Mexican Cooking Class (private and personalized): $50
- San Juan Market Food Tour Exotic Bites & Flavors: $52
- Coyoacán Market Food Tour Urban Eats & Local Legends: $52
- Local Markets & Food Tour in Mexico City: $53
- Art and Food Tour with Lunch: $54
- Tortilla Crawl: Food Tour in Mexico City: $55
- Mexico City Vegan & Veggie Market Explorer plus Cooking Lesson: $55
- Private Half-Day Traditional Markets Street Food Tour in Mexico City: $57
- 3 Hours Food Tour Best Vegan Tacos in Mexico City: $61
- Old Town Food Tour of 7 Tastings & Secret Dish: $66
- Frida Kahlo Museum & Coyoacan Tacos & Food Tour: $69
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
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Mexico City $14Guatemala City $1.22
Tours and Activities in Mexico City
For Mexico City, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- CDMX: Museum of Memory and Tolerance - Children in Silence (Admission ticket): $1.36
- Museum Memory and Tolerance-Children in Silence ticket entry: $1.45
- MUCHO Museum of Chocolate Entrance Ticket: $4.36
- Mexico City (Historic Centre) Scavenger Hunt and Self-Guided Tour: $5.13
- Mexico City (Coyoacan) Scavenger Hunt and Sights Self-Guided Tour: $5.16
- Flavors of the past: A Pre-Hispanic drink tour in Mexico city. : $5.59
- Free Mexico City Centre Tour: $5.59
- CDMX: Museum of Memory and Tolerance - Anne Frank (Entrance ticket): $6.81
- Hidden Gems of Exploration Game and Tour: $7.51
- La Roma's Famous Sights and Local Lore: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $7.99
- Double Decker Bus Night Tour: $8.17
- Guided tour POR the Basilica DE Guadalupe with architect: $8.34
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
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayMexico City $19Guatemala City $6.93
Sample the Local Flavors in Mexico City
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Mexico City:
- Guided Pub Crawl with Party Games: $23
- Mexico City Pub Crawl: $23
- Zona Rosa Pub Crawl Experience: $94
- Teotihuacan´s Best Balloon Flight: Pyramids and Brewery tours : $120
- Cavas Freixenet Wine Tour from Mexico City: $222
- Private Cheese and Wine Tour to Queretaro: $479
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 Mexico City and Guatemala City, we can see that Mexico City is more expensive. And not only is Guatemala City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Mexico City is in North America 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 Mexico City would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Mexico City 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 Mexico City Expensive? and Is Guatemala City Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Mexico City or Guatemala City?
Mexico City has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Guatemala City. When comparing the sizes of Mexico City 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.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.