Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Daule and Cuenca, Ecuador

For one person, living is cheaper in Daule: $899 a month against $1,006 in Cuenca, rent and utilities included – about $1,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Cuenca outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Daule, Ecuador
Cuenca, Ecuador
Daule
🇪🇨 Ecuador
$899
/mo nomad
Cuenca
🇪🇨 Ecuador
$1,006
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Daule and in Cuenca

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Daule and in Cuenca actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $899 per month in Daule vs $1,006 in Cuenca, rent included.

  • Daule $899
  • Cuenca $1,006

A couple spends around $1,470 per month in Daule vs $1,509 in Cuenca, rent included.

  • Daule $1,470
  • Cuenca $1,509

A family of three spends $2,042 per month in Daule vs $2,012 in Cuenca, rent included.

  • Daule $2,042
  • Cuenca $2,012

Daule is about 11% cheaper than Cuenca, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Daule and Cuenca are more affordable than the global median – Daule 34% lower, Cuenca 26% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Daule
Cuenca
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.46 $5.46
$3.46 $3.46
57.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.5 $53.5
$30.28 $30.28
76.75%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.59 $7.59
$7.78 $7.78
-2.44%
Cappuccino
$3.36 $3.36
$2.74 $2.74
22.63%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 $1.41
$0.77 $0.77
83.12%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.05 $1.05
$0.73 $0.73
43.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.44 $3.44
$2.02 $2.02
70.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.11 $6.11
$3.46 $3.46
76.59%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Daule
Cuenca
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.11 $1.11
$1.01 $1.01
9.90%
White Bread (500g)
$1.60 $1.60
$2.17 $2.17
-26.27%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.53 $1.53
$1.93 $1.93
-20.73%
Eggs
$2.10 $2.10
$2.19 $2.19
-4.11%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.46 $6.46
$7.63 $7.63
-15.33%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.44 $5.44
$6.26 $6.26
-13.10%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.48 $7.48
$7.58 $7.58
-1.32%
Apples (1kg)
$2.30 $2.30
$1.93 $1.93
19.17%
Banana (1kg)
$1.18 $1.18
$1.08 $1.08
9.26%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.27 $1.27
$1.42 $1.42
-10.56%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.14 $1.14
$1.39 $1.39
-17.99%
Potato (1kg)
$1.24 $1.24
$1.49 $1.49
-16.78%
Onion (1kg)
$1.03 $1.03
$1.09 $1.09
-5.50%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.90 $0.90
$0.79 $0.79
13.92%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.99 $0.99
$1.07 $1.07
-7.48%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.82 $5.82
$5.19 $5.19
12.14%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.32 $8.32
$10.04 $10.04
-17.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 $1.58
$1.52 $1.52
3.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.06 $3.06
$2.93 $2.93
4.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Daule
Cuenca
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.36 $0.36
$0.36 $0.36
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$15.89 $15.89
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.54 $1.54
$0.62 $0.62
148.39%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.54 $1.54
$1.12 $1.12
37.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.19 $10.19
$10.81 $10.81
-5.74%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.85 $0.85
$0.81 $0.81
4.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.0K $23.0K
$22.8K $22.8K
0.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.2K $30.2K
$30.2K $30.2K
-0.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Daule
Cuenca
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$28.73 $28.73
$39.20 $39.20
-26.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.79 $17.79
$13.14 $13.14
35.39%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.64 $28.64
$27.14 $27.14
5.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Daule
Cuenca
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$29.89 $29.89
$29.14 $29.14
2.57%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.79 $16.79
$5.37 $5.37
212.66%
Cinema Ticket
$6.79 $6.79
$7.45 $7.45
-8.86%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Daule
Cuenca
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$743 $743
$228 $228
225.60%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,075 $9,075
$5,930 $5,930
53.03%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Daule
Cuenca
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$69.2 $69.2
$67.9 $67.9
1.96%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.1 $50.1
$46.64 $46.64
7.33%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$116 $116
$125 $125
-7.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109 $109
$70.9 $70.9
53.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Daule
Cuenca
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$418 $418
$546 $546
-23.56%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$277 $277
$402 $402
-31.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$833 $833
$747 $747
11.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$493 $493
$636 $636
-22.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$1,243 $1,243
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$923 $923
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Daule
Cuenca
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$560 $560
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.12
11.16
-9.32%

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

Last update for Daule: October 31, 2026

Last update for Cuenca: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Daule
$277
Cuenca
$402 45.3% $125
Groceries & Markets
Daule
$192
Cuenca
$210 9.5% $18
Clothing & Footwear
Daule
$155
Cuenca
$140 9.7% $15
Eating Out
Daule
$146
Cuenca
$107 26.7% $39
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Daule
$75
Cuenca
$79 5.7% $4.3
Sport & Entertainment
Daule
$43
Cuenca
$44 1.3% $0.6
Getting Around
Daule
$11 *
Cuenca
$24 120% $13

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $418 in Daule versus $546 in Cuenca. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54 in Daule versus $30 in Cuenca. Groceries tell a different story – $192 in Daule vs $210 in Cuenca – so Daule wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇪🇨 Daule
🇪🇨 Cuenca
🕒 Local time
18:16 6:16 PM
18:16 6:16 PM
Same time as Daule
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
173,684
495,776
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.891 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Daule Cuenca 160 km
From you
  • Daule
  • Cuenca

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Daule vs Cuenca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Daule cheaper than Cuenca?
Yes – Cuenca is pricier by about 12%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,348 per month in Daule and $1,510 in Cuenca. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Daule, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $418 there versus $546 in Cuenca.
Is eating out cheaper in Daule or in Cuenca?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $54 in Daule and $30 in Cuenca. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Daule and in Cuenca?
Groceries cost about 10% more in Cuenca, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Daule or in Cuenca?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Daule, where all-in costs run around $899, than in Cuenca at $1,006. In Daule it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cuenca it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Daule or in Cuenca?
It depends on your priorities. Cuenca has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $899 in Daule to $1,006 in Cuenca. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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