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: $962 in Cuenca versus $748 in Babahoyo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,425 in Cuenca versus $1,227 in Babahoyo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,888 in Cuenca versus $1,706 in Babahoyo.

Living in Cuenca is roughly 29% more expensive than in Babahoyo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cuenca 30% lower, Babahoyo 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 $3.40

$3.71 $3.71

-8.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.33 $30.33

$25.73 $25.73

17.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 $7.83

$6.09 $6.09

28.57%

Cappuccino

$2.59 $2.59

$2.53 $2.53

2.37%

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

$0.78 $0.78

$0.82 $0.82

-4.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 $0.68

$0.74 $0.74

-8.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.97 $1.97

4.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 $3.07

$3.35 $3.35

-8.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$0.96 $0.96

5.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.48 $1.48

16.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.47 $1.47

22.45%

Eggs

$2.27 $2.27

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.83 $5.83

$5.69 $5.69

2.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.04 $6.04

$4.95 $4.95

22.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.35 $7.35

$7.84 $7.84

-6.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.86 $1.86

2.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 $1.09

$0.93 $0.93

17.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.32 $1.32

24.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.32 $1.32

$0.96 $0.96

37.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.05 $1.05

57.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.20 $1.20

-12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 $0.77

$0.67 $0.67

14.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.14 $1.14

9.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.39 $5.39

$5.85 $5.85

-7.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.14 $10.14

$8.04 $8.04

26.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.42 $1.42

3.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 $3.05

$3.50 $3.50

-12.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 $0.33

$0.32 $0.32

3.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.71 $15.71

$19.64 $19.64

-20.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.46 $1.46

-4.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.05 $1.05

1.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.82 $10.82

$9.24 $9.24

17.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$0.77 $0.77

12.99%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$19.6K $19.6K

28.10%

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

$29.1K $29.1K

$31.6K $31.6K

-7.88%

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

$37.14 $37.14

$40.74 $40.74

-8.84%

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

$12.73 $12.73

$13.66 $13.66

-6.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.04 $26.04

$29.79 $29.79

-12.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.22 $30.22

$27.10 $27.10

11.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.13 $5.13

$15.49 $15.49

-66.88%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 $7.48

$7.18 $7.18

4.18%

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

$216 $216

$241 $241

-10.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,815 $6,815

$5,937 $5,937

14.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$49.79 $49.79

33.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.84 $47.84

$39.17 $39.17

22.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 $115

$89.2 $89.2

29.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.3 $71.3

$67.8 $67.8

5.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$495 $495

$257 $257

92.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 $382

$160 $160

139.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$704 $704

$615 $615

14.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$580 $580

$463 $463

25.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,239 $1,239

$1,088 $1,088

13.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$840 $840

$848 $848

-0.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$556 $556

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.16

10.05

11.04%

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

Last update for Cuenca: September 12, 2026

Last update for Babahoyo: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $495 in Cuenca and $257 in Babahoyo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $30.00 in Cuenca vs $26.00 in Babahoyo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $202 vs $182 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

Cuenca vs Babahoyo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Babahoyo wins on cost – living expenses run 29% 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 $1,444 in Cuenca and $1,122 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: $495 in Cuenca versus $257 in Babahoyo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $216 in Cuenca versus $241 in Babahoyo. 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 $748 in Babahoyo versus $962 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 $748 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 29% less than in Cuenca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.