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

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Should you visit Belize City or Guatemala City?

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

Should I visit Belize 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: Belize City or Guatemala City?

Belize City

Belize City is the largest city in Belize. It was once the capital of the country, but due to massive hurricane damage in 1961, the country decided to relocate it capital. With a population of 57,000 people, Belize City is located right at the mouth of the Haulover Creek.

This gorgeous tropical city experiences a monsoon climate – meaning there are warm and humid conditions throughout the course of the year. There is a wet season from May to January, so plan for a little bit of rain in that time.

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.

Which place is cheaper, Guatemala City or Belize City?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.

The average daily cost (per person) in Belize City is $88, while the average daily cost in Guatemala City is $44. 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 Belize City and Guatemala City in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Belize City $49
    Guatemala City $24
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Belize City $98
    Guatemala City $48
Compare Hotels in Belize City and Guatemala City

Looking for a hotel in Belize 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.

Hotels in Belize City


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: Belize City Hotel Prices and Guatemala City Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Belize City $5.81
    Guatemala City $6.09

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Belize City

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

  • Belize City to Philip S.W. Belize Airport (BZE) - Departure Private Transfer: $23
  • Philip Goldson Airport BZE to Belize City Arrival Transfer: $23
  • Belize City to Philip Goldson Airport BZE Departure Transfer: $23
  • Belize Travelcation Airport Shuttle & Transfers: $28
  • Philip Goldson Airport BZE to Belize hotels Round Trip Transfer: $45
  • Private Airport Transfer Service to San Ignacio: $48
  • We do transfers from airport to any where in Belize.: $49
  • Private Transfer from Belize City Port to Belize Airport (BZE): $60
  • Private Transfer from Belize Airport (BZE) to Belize City Port: $60
  • Private Transfer from Belize City Port to Belize City Hotels: $60
  • Private Transfer from Belize city hotels to Belize City Port: $60
  • Belize: Belize City to/from San Ignacio Shuttle Transfer: $68

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Guatemala City

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Guatemala City:

  • Transfer from La Antigua Guatemala to Monterrico (One Way): $260
  • Transfer from Antigua to the Airport: $80
  • Transfer from Airport to Antigua: $80
  • Transfer Private Vehicle from Guatemala City Airport (GUA) -Guatemala City : $33
  • Transfer Private Vehicle from Guatemala City - Guatemala Airport (GUA): $33
  • Shared Arrival Transfer: Guatemala City Airport to Hotels: $43
  • Shared Arrival Transfer: Guatemala City Airport to Antigua: $16
  • Roundtrip transfer in Private Vehicle Guatemala Airport (GUA) -Guatemala City: $67
  • Private Transfer from La Aurora Airport to Puerto Quetzal Port: $45
  • Private Transfer from Guatemala La Aurora Airport (GUA) to Antigua: $102
  • Private Transfer from Guatemala City to Lake Atitlán : $125
  • Private Transfer from Guatemala City to Coban: $161

Is it cheaper to fly into Belize City or Guatemala City?

Prices for flights to both Guatemala City and Belize 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
  • Food Meals for one day
    Belize City $27
    Guatemala City $15

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Belize City

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

  • Private Mayan Cooking and Tasting Experience in Cayo: $70

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Guatemala City

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

  • Cooking class/Pepian Workshop: $35
  • Taste of Guatemala,Walking Food Tour in Antigua Guatemala : $50
  • Private Street Food Tour in Antigua Guatemala: $65
  • Make your own Mayan Pepian - Cooking class: $69
  • Taste Antigua Guatemala Walking Food Tour : $75
  • Market food tour and tortilla workshop: $79
  • Market and Mayan Cooking Class: $80
  • Foodie & street food tour: $85
  • Authentic Guatemalan Cooking Class in Antigua: $90
  • Guatemalan Cooking Class and Market Tour: $98
  • Small-Group Cooking Class in Antigua from Guatemala City: $120
  • Antigua Market, Cooking Class and Choco Museum from Guatemala City: $178

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Belize City $29
    Guatemala City $1.19

Tours and Activities in Belize City

For Belize City, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:

  • Historical Tour: $27
  • Belize City Tour: $40
  • Kukumba Beach and Belize City Tour : $49
  • Belizean Bits & Bites Food Tastings and City Tour in Belize: $50
  • Belize City Tour Shore Excursion: $50
  • Hassle free Cave Tubing Adventure from Belize City with Lunch: $55
  • Cave -Kayaking Cruise Special: $59
  • Cruiseship : Caves Branch River Tubing Day Tour: $59
  • Half-Day Altun Ha Maya Ruin Tour: $60
  • Charlie's Cave Tubing Tours: $65
  • 5-Hour Cave Kayaking Tour: $65
  • Private Half-Day Tour in Altun-Ha : $70

Tours and Activities in Guatemala City

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

  • ¡Pacaya Volcano Tour from Antigua!: $84
  • 11-Day Mayan Ruins Tour: Guatemala and Copán: $1,995
  • 14 Days Private Sightseeing Tour in Guatemala: $3,236
  • 2 Day Tour: Chichicastenango Market and Lake Atitlan from Antigua: $150
  • 2 Day Tour: Chichicastenango Market and Lake Atitlan from Guatemala City: $150
  • 2 Days Chichicastenango and Panajachel Shared Tour: $175
  • 2 days / 1 night Tour Magical Lake Atitlan Tour: $421
  • 2 days Private Tour to Copan and Quirigua: $600
  • 2- Day Tour: Yaxha Sunset & Tikal from Antigua Guatemala: $566
  • 2-Day Chichicastenango and Lake Atitlan Tour from Guatemala City or Antigua: $265
  • 2-Day Kayak and Hike Adventure Package from Antigua: $219
  • 2-Day Shared Hiking Tour to Acatenango Volcano from Antigua: $105

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Belize City $12
    Guatemala City $6.76

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:

  • Antigua Bar Crawl: $26

How are these travel costs calculated?

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Belize City and Guatemala City, we can see that Belize City is more expensive. And not only is Guatemala City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. 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 Belize City would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Belize City than you might in Guatemala City.

Which is Bigger, Belize City or Guatemala City?

Guatemala City is bigger, and its population is about 16.2 times larger than the population of Belize City. When comparing the population of Belize City vs. 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 and the activities 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.
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Belize City vs. Guatemala City Travel Comparison

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