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: $895 in Babahoyo versus $886 in Cuenca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,320 in Babahoyo versus $1,347 in Cuenca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,746 in Babahoyo versus $1,809 in Cuenca.

Living in Babahoyo is roughly 1% more expensive than Cuenca, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Babahoyo 33% lower, Cuenca 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.42 $3.42

$3.43 $3.43

-0.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.26 $25.26

$25.20 $25.20

0.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.05 $7.05

$7.18 $7.18

-1.81%

Cappuccino

$2.50 $2.50

$2.51 $2.51

-0.40%

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

$0.92 $0.92

$0.82 $0.82

12.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 $0.65

$0.64 $0.64

1.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.96 $1.96

-0.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$3.55 $3.55

-3.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.12 $1.12

-1.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.68 $1.68

-1.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.53 $1.53

2.61%

Eggs

$2.17 $2.17

$2.10 $2.10

3.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.07 $6.07

$5.36 $5.36

13.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.59 $5.59

$5.63 $5.63

-0.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.09 $6.09

$6.36 $6.36

-4.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.42 $1.42

45.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.09 $1.09

-4.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.18 $1.18

-6.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.03 $1.03

3.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.52 $1.52

-5.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.07 $1.07

0.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 $0.68

$0.49 $0.49

38.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.03 $1.03

2.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.66 $5.66

$5.60 $5.60

1.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.67 $8.67

$9.92 $9.92

-12.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.43 $1.43

11.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$3.18 $3.18

-12.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 $0.37

$0.33 $0.33

12.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.38 $24.38

$26.64 $26.64

-8.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 $1.23

$0.64 $0.64

92.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 $1.01

$0.97 $0.97

4.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.98 $9.98

$13.28 $13.28

-24.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.69 $0.69

$0.64 $0.64

7.81%

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

$19.8K $19.8K

$30.5K $30.5K

-35.07%

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

$28.9K $28.9K

-0.12%

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

$36.79 $36.79

$39.96 $39.96

-7.93%

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

$13.88 $13.88

$13.69 $13.69

1.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.30 $30.30

$30.74 $30.74

-1.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.61 $29.61

$29.12 $29.12

1.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.88 $14.88

$5.14 $5.14

189.49%

Cinema Ticket

$7.32 $7.32

$7.43 $7.43

-1.48%

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

$259 $259

$252 $252

2.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,688 $5,688

$5,751 $5,751

-1.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 $55.3

$54.9 $54.9

0.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.44 $43.44

$55.1 $55.1

-21.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.8 $95.8

$101 $101

-4.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.8 $65.8

$65.4 $65.4

0.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$345 $345

$372 $372

-7.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$314 $314

$324 $324

-2.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$620 $620

$679 $679

-8.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$492 $492

$512 $512

-3.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,087 $1,087

$1,233 $1,233

-11.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$736 $736

$851 $851

-13.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$536 $536

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.6

11.48

-7.67%

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

Last update for Babahoyo: April 26, 2026

Last update for Cuenca: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $345 in Babahoyo and $372 in Cuenca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $25.00 in Babahoyo vs $25.00 in Cuenca. Groceries flip the comparison at $186 vs $184, with Cuenca cheaper for home cooking.

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

Cuenca wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Babahoyo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cuenca the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,342 in Babahoyo and $1,329 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: $345 in Babahoyo versus $372 in Cuenca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $259 in Babahoyo versus $252 in Cuenca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Babahoyo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Cuenca gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Cuenca delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $886 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cuenca 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 Cuenca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Babahoyo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.