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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $900 in Cuenca versus $862 in Babahoyo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,333 in Cuenca versus $1,305 in Babahoyo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,766 in Cuenca versus $1,749 in Babahoyo.

Living in Cuenca is roughly 4% more expensive than Babahoyo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cuenca 33% lower, Babahoyo 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.46 $3.46

$3.54 $3.54

-2.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.85 $24.85

$25.06 $25.06

-0.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.85 $6.85

$6.84 $6.84

0.15%

Cappuccino

$2.41 $2.41

$2.52 $2.52

-4.37%

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

$0.79 $0.79

$0.91 $0.91

-13.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 $0.66

$0.68 $0.68

-2.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.02 $2.02

-2.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 $3.40

$3.41 $3.41

-0.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.11 $1.11

0.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.61 $1.61

1.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.57 $1.57

-3.18%

Eggs

$2.16 $2.16

$2.25 $2.25

-4.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.50 $5.50

$5.91 $5.91

-6.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.46 $5.46

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.28 $6.28

$6.42 $6.42

-2.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.48 $1.48

$2.08 $2.08

-28.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.05 $1.05

0.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 $1.19

$1.06 $1.06

12.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.08 $1.08

-5.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.37 $1.37

10.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.04 $1.04

-1.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.50 $0.50

$0.73 $0.73

-31.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.05 $1.05

1.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.80 $5.80

$5.62 $5.62

3.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.22 $10.22

$7.76 $7.76

31.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.54 $1.54

-5.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 $3.30

$2.75 $2.75

20.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 $0.36

$0.33 $0.33

9.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 $26.46

$24.03 $24.03

10.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 $0.64

$1.28 $1.28

-50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 $1.02

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.41 $13.41

$9.91 $9.91

35.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.68 $0.68

$0.69 $0.69

-1.45%

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

$30.4K $30.4K

$20.0K $20.0K

52.32%

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

$28.7K $28.7K

$28.4K $28.4K

1.33%

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

$39.32 $39.32

$37.82 $37.82

3.97%

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

$13.67 $13.67

$13.93 $13.93

-1.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.32 $31.32

$31.38 $31.38

-0.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.67 $28.67

$30.56 $30.56

-6.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.25 $5.25

$14.42 $14.42

-63.59%

Cinema Ticket

$7.27 $7.27

$7.26 $7.26

0.14%

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

$253 $253

0.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,584 $5,584

$5,655 $5,655

-1.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.1 $57.1

$56.7 $56.7

0.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.4 $54.4

$42.94 $42.94

26.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 $99.9

$96.6 $96.6

3.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.0 $65.0

$66.9 $66.9

-2.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$377 $377

$338 $338

11.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$323 $323

-0.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$678 $678

$628 $628

7.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$513 $513

$488 $488

5.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,216 $1,216

$1,077 $1,077

12.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$854 $854

$724 $724

17.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$555 $555

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.48

10.6

8.30%

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

Last update for Cuenca: June 8, 2026

Last update for Babahoyo: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $377 in Cuenca and $338 in Babahoyo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $25.00 in Cuenca vs $25.00 in Babahoyo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $184 vs $184 per month, with Cuenca 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

Cuenca vs Babahoyo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Babahoyo wins on cost – living expenses run 4% 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 $1,350 in Cuenca and $1,292 in Babahoyo 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: $377 in Cuenca versus $338 in Babahoyo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $253 in Cuenca versus $253 in Babahoyo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 0% higher in Cuenca. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Babahoyo 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 Babahoyo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $862 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Babahoyo hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Cuenca and Babahoyo 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 4% less than in Cuenca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.