Cost of Living Comparison Between Guayaquil and Galapagos Islands Cost of Living Comparison Between Guayaquil and Galapagos Islands

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,065 per month in Guayaquil vs $891 in Galapagos Islands, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,699 per month in Guayaquil vs $1,343 in Galapagos Islands, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,332 per month in Guayaquil vs $1,794 in Galapagos Islands, rent included.

Guayaquil costs about 20% more than Galapagos Islands, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Guayaquil and Galapagos Islands are more affordable than the global median – Guayaquil 20% lower, Galapagos Islands 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 $3.59

$3.41 $3.41

5.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.44 $48.44

$27.75 $27.75

74.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 $7.81

$7.48 $7.48

4.41%

Cappuccino

$2.50 $2.50

$2.43 $2.43

2.88%

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

$0.90 $0.90

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 $0.62

$0.67 $0.67

-7.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 $2.97

$2.01 $2.01

47.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 $4.45

$3.59 $3.59

23.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.14 $1.14

-0.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.68 $1.68

1.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.57 $1.57

12.74%

Eggs

$2.54 $2.54

$2.16 $2.16

17.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.11 $6.11

$5.49 $5.49

11.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.28 $5.28

$5.49 $5.49

-3.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.17 $6.17

$6.19 $6.19

-0.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.10 $2.10

-2.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.18 $1.18

28.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.09 $1.09

-4.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.04 $1.04

17.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.40 $1.40

35.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.06 $1.06

31.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 $0.67

$0.48 $0.48

39.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 $0.98

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.92 $5.92

Wine (Bottle)

$11.82 $11.82

$10.16 $10.16

16.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.53 $1.53

2.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.57 $2.57

-17.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 $0.33

$0.36 $0.36

-8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.12 $21.12

$24.10 $24.10

-12.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.46 $1.46

84.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.02 $1.02

164.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.07 $10.07

$10.06 $10.06

0.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 $0.65

$0.67 $0.67

-2.99%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$25.0K $25.0K

1.53%

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

$29.3K $29.3K

$29.2K $29.2K

0.58%

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

$107 $107

$39.10 $39.10

173.35%

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

$13.58 $13.58

$13.79 $13.79

-1.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.85 $31.85

$30.86 $30.86

3.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.61 $35.61

$30.03 $30.03

18.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.65 $46.65

$14.59 $14.59

219.74%

Cinema Ticket

$7.70 $7.70

$7.42 $7.42

3.77%

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

$311 $311

$251 $251

23.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,954 $5,954

$5,737 $5,737

3.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 $51.2

$54.9 $54.9

-6.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.94 $42.94

$43.54 $43.54

-1.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$98.3 $98.3

2.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$74.9 $74.9

49.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$337 $337

$346 $346

-2.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$359 $359

$313 $313

14.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$524 $524

$630 $630

-16.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$687 $687

$502 $502

37.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,266 $2,266

$1,255 $1,255

80.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 $1,441

$1,014 $1,014

42.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 $592

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.35

-6.50%

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

Last update for Guayaquil: July 12, 2026

Last update for Galapagos Islands: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $337 in Guayaquil versus $346 in Galapagos Islands. 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 $48.00 in Guayaquil versus $28.00 in Galapagos Islands. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $197 vs $186 – making Galapagos Islands the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Galapagos Islands: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,065 in Guayaquil, $891 in Galapagos Islands – roughly 20% apart. Guayaquil costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,598 per month in Guayaquil and $1,336 in Galapagos Islands. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Galapagos Islands, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 6% more in Guayaquil, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Guayaquil and $28.00 in Galapagos Islands. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,065 in Guayaquil and $891 in Galapagos Islands, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Galapagos Islands – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Galapagos Islands. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Guayaquil makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.