Cost of Living Comparison Between Guayaquil and Babahoyo Cost of Living Comparison Between Guayaquil and Babahoyo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,148 in Guayaquil versus $748 in Babahoyo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,770 in Guayaquil versus $1,227 in Babahoyo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,393 in Guayaquil versus $1,706 in Babahoyo.

Living in Guayaquil is roughly 53% more expensive than in Babahoyo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Guayaquil 16% lower, Babahoyo 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.96 $3.96

$3.71 $3.71

6.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.03 $49.03

$25.73 $25.73

90.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 $9.72

$6.09 $6.09

59.61%

Cappuccino

$2.86 $2.86

$2.53 $2.53

13.04%

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

$0.86 $0.86

$0.82 $0.82

4.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 $0.74

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.97 $1.97

50.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 $4.32

$3.35 $3.35

28.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 $1.18

$0.96 $0.96

22.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.48 $1.48

29.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.47 $1.47

-4.08%

Eggs

$2.03 $2.03

$2.27 $2.27

-10.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.10 $7.10

$5.69 $5.69

24.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$4.95 $4.95

4.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.40 $9.40

$7.84 $7.84

19.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.86 $1.86

-18.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 $1.18

$0.93 $0.93

26.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.32 $1.32

-25.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.89 $0.89

$0.96 $0.96

-7.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.05 $1.05

21.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.20 $1.20

-23.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 $0.87

$0.67 $0.67

29.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.14 $1.14

-13.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.97 $5.97

$5.85 $5.85

2.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.90 $11.90

$8.04 $8.04

48.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.42 $1.42

9.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$3.50 $3.50

-36.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 $0.36

$0.32 $0.32

12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.73 $19.73

$19.64 $19.64

0.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 $2.71

$1.46 $1.46

85.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.05 $1.05

65.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.82 $11.82

$9.24 $9.24

27.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$0.77 $0.77

15.58%

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

$21.2K $21.2K

$19.6K $19.6K

8.47%

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

$31.8K $31.8K

$31.6K $31.6K

0.81%

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

$130 $130

$40.74 $40.74

219.07%

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

$15.08 $15.08

$13.66 $13.66

10.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.48 $25.48

$29.79 $29.79

-14.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.99 $46.99

$27.10 $27.10

73.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.64 $26.64

$15.49 $15.49

71.98%

Cinema Ticket

$7.32 $7.32

$7.18 $7.18

1.95%

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

$403 $403

$241 $241

67.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,963 $5,963

$5,937 $5,937

0.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.6 $65.6

$49.79 $49.79

31.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.69 $40.69

$39.17 $39.17

3.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$89.2 $89.2

41.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.6 $93.6

$67.8 $67.8

37.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$471 $471

$257 $257

83.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 $403

$160 $160

152.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$784 $784

$615 $615

27.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$735 $735

$463 $463

58.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,311 $2,311

$1,088 $1,088

112.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,432 $1,432

$848 $848

68.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$609 $609

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.05

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

Last update for Guayaquil: September 14, 2026

Last update for Babahoyo: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $471 in Guayaquil and $257 in Babahoyo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $49.00 in Guayaquil vs $26.00 in Babahoyo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $200 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

Guayaquil vs Babahoyo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Babahoyo wins on cost – living expenses run 53% lower than in Guayaquil. 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 $1,721 in Guayaquil 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: $471 in Guayaquil versus $257 in Babahoyo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $403 in Guayaquil 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 10% higher in Guayaquil. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $748 in Babahoyo versus $1,148 in Guayaquil, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Babahoyo but tight or insufficient in Guayaquil. The gap between the two cities makes Babahoyo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Babahoyo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 53% less than in Guayaquil. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.