Cost of Living Comparison Between Babahoyo and Cuenca Cost of Living Comparison Between Babahoyo and Cuenca

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $734 in Babahoyo versus $975 in Cuenca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,214 in Babahoyo versus $1,432 in Cuenca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,694 in Babahoyo versus $1,890 in Cuenca.

Living in Babahoyo costs roughly 25% less than in Cuenca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Babahoyo 47% lower, Cuenca 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.55 $3.55

$3.45 $3.45

2.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.50 $29.50

$30.29 $30.29

-2.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.35 $6.35

$8.12 $8.12

-21.80%

Cappuccino

$2.65 $2.65

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 $0.76

$0.78 $0.78

-2.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 $0.66

$0.63 $0.63

4.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.05 $2.05

-1.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$3.05 $3.05

-3.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.07 $1.07

-4.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.76 $1.76

-11.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.86 $1.86

-15.59%

Eggs

$2.03 $2.03

$2.26 $2.26

-10.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.59 $5.59

$5.82 $5.82

-3.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.26 $5.26

$6.06 $6.06

-13.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.38 $7.38

$7.49 $7.49

-1.47%

Apples (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.83 $1.83

-9.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.09 $1.09

-1.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 $1.19

$1.65 $1.65

-27.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.29 $1.29

-17.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.59 $1.59

-22.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.08 $1.08

-5.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 $0.69

$0.75 $0.75

-8.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.26 $1.26

-15.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.12 $5.12

$5.40 $5.40

-5.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.50 $8.50

$9.83 $9.83

-13.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.48 $1.48

2.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.11 $3.11

-0.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 $0.34

$0.31 $0.31

9.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.23 $20.23

$16.03 $16.03

26.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.39 $1.39

-12.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.13 $1.13

-1.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.95 $9.95

$11.08 $11.08

-10.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$0.87 $0.87

-6.90%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.0K $21.0K

$25.0K $25.0K

-15.71%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$28.9K $28.9K

$29.3K $29.3K

-1.53%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$35.50 $35.50

$37.77 $37.77

-6.01%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$12.05 $12.05

$12.49 $12.49

-3.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.12 $26.12

$26.44 $26.44

-1.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.07 $30.07

$29.73 $29.73

1.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.13 $16.13

$5.18 $5.18

211.39%

Cinema Ticket

$6.93 $6.93

$7.20 $7.20

-3.75%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$220 $220

$218 $218

0.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,946 $5,946

$6,857 $6,857

-13.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.6 $55.6

$65.8 $65.8

-15.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.31 $43.31

$46.95 $46.95

-7.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.8 $99.8

$114 $114

-12.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.7 $75.7

$71.7 $71.7

5.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$305 $305

$494 $494

-38.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$189 $189

$385 $385

-50.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$684 $684

$679 $679

0.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 $405

$591 $591

-31.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,202 $1,202

$1,213 $1,213

-0.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$766 $766

$849 $849

-9.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$559 $559

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.05

11.16

-9.95%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Babahoyo: September 5, 2026

Last update for Cuenca: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $305 in Babahoyo and $494 in Cuenca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $30.00 in Babahoyo vs $30.00 in Cuenca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $182 vs $202 per month, with Babahoyo cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Babahoyo vs Cuenca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Babahoyo wins on cost – living expenses run 33% lower than in Cuenca. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Babahoyo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,101 in Babahoyo and $1,462 in Cuenca to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $305 in Babahoyo versus $494 in Cuenca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $220 in Babahoyo versus $218 in Cuenca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Cuenca. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $734 in Babahoyo versus $975 in Cuenca, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Babahoyo but tight or insufficient in Cuenca. The gap between the two cities makes Babahoyo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Babahoyo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $734 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Babahoyo hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Babahoyo and Cuenca are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Babahoyo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Cuenca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.