Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Guayaquil and Machala

For one person, living is cheaper in Machala: $656 a month against $1,235 in Guayaquil, rent and utilities included – about $6,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

60

Cost of Living Index in Guayaquil
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Guayaquil Living Index
32

Cost of Living Index in Machala
Learn more

Machala Living Index

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Guayaquil

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$1,235

/mo nomad

Machala

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$656

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Guayaquil and in Machala

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

A single person spends $1,235 per month in Guayaquil vs $656 in Machala, rent included.

Guayaquil $1,235
Machala $656

A couple spends around $1,918 per month in Guayaquil vs $1,046 in Machala, rent included.

Guayaquil $1,918
Machala $1,046

A family of three spends $2,600 per month in Guayaquil vs $1,435 in Machala, rent included.

Guayaquil $2,600
Machala $1,435

Guayaquil costs about 88% more than Machala, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Guayaquil and Machala are more affordable than the global median – Guayaquil 9% lower, Machala 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.91 $3.91

$2.81 $2.81

39.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.3 $53.3

$25.28 $25.28

110.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 $8.76

$5.21 $5.21

68.14%

Cappuccino

$2.82 $2.82

$2.68 $2.68

5.22%

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

$0.94 $0.94

$0.86 $0.86

9.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 $0.68

$0.72 $0.72

-5.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.03 $2.03

49.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 $4.35

$3.69 $3.69

17.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.04 $1.04

17.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.05 $1.05

83.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$0.91 $0.91

59.34%

Eggs

$2.06 $2.06

$1.49 $1.49

38.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.02 $7.02

$3.23 $3.23

117.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.23 $5.23

$4.17 $4.17

25.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.29 $9.29

$4.72 $4.72

96.82%

Apples (1kg)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.47 $1.47

0.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 $1.15

$0.59 $0.59

94.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 $0.98

$0.77 $0.77

27.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.90 $0.90

$0.58 $0.58

55.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 $1.23

$0.41 $0.41

200.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 $0.93

$0.48 $0.48

93.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 $0.81

$0.39 $0.39

107.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 $0.97

$0.99 $0.99

-2.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.90 $5.90

$4.37 $4.37

35.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.15 $12.15

$7.64 $7.64

59.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.57 $1.57

-0.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$2.22 $2.22

-3.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 $0.34

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.71 $20.71

$22.09 $22.09

-6.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 $2.72

$1.53 $1.53

77.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.73 $1.73

-0.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.07 $12.07

$8.11 $8.11

48.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$0.61 $0.61

37.70%

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

$23.1K $23.1K

$17.7K $17.7K

30.56%

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

$30.8K $30.8K

$22.0K $22.0K

40.06%

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

$128 $128

$52.2 $52.2

145.87%

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

$14.99 $14.99

$14.97 $14.97

0.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.69 $25.69

$26.58 $26.58

-3.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.63 $44.63

$42.15 $42.15

5.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.98 $26.98

$29.74 $29.74

-9.28%

Cinema Ticket

$7.55 $7.55

$4.89 $4.89

54.40%

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

$370 $370

$133 $133

178.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,607 $5,607

$5,675 $5,675

-1.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 $64.1

$64.5 $64.5

-0.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.54 $40.54

$39.94 $39.94

1.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 $126

$80.9 $80.9

56.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.4 $93.4

$68.6 $68.6

36.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$656 $656

$190 $190

244.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$505 $505

$133 $133

278.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,001 $1,001

$353 $353

184.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$929 $929

$264 $264

251.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,039 $2,039

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,205 $1,205

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 $622

$444 $444

40.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.05

101.00%

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

Last update for Guayaquil: October 27, 2026

Last update for Machala: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Guayaquil

$505 40.9%

Machala

$133 20.3% 73.6% $371

Groceries & Markets

Guayaquil

$200 16.2%

Machala

$135 20.6% 32.4% $65

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Guayaquil

$169 13.7%

Machala

$94 14.3% 44.5% $75

Clothing & Footwear

Guayaquil

$146 11.8%

Machala

$114 17.4% 21.7% $32

Eating Out

Guayaquil

$122 9.9%

Machala

$94 14.3% 22.7% $28

Sport & Entertainment

Guayaquil

$60 4.8%

Machala

$52 7.9% 13% $7.8

Getting Around

Guayaquil

$33 2.7%

Machala

$34 5.1% 0.7% $0.3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $656 in Guayaquil versus $190 in Machala. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 40% higher in Guayaquil, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53 in Guayaquil versus $25 in Machala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $200 vs $135 – making Machala the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇪🇨 Guayaquil

🇪🇨 Machala

🕒 Local time

00:50 12:50 AM

Same time as Guayaquil

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,500,000

231,260

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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 Machala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Guayaquil is pricier by about 88%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,852 per month in Guayaquil and $984 in Machala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Machala, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $190 there versus $656 in Guayaquil.

Kindergarten costs $370 per month in Guayaquil and $133 in Machala. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 48% more in Guayaquil, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Machala, where all-in costs run around $656, than in Guayaquil at $1,235. In Machala it covers expenses comfortably, while in Guayaquil it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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