Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Guayaquil and Manta

For one person, living is cheaper in Manta: $670 a month against $1,235 in Guayaquil, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 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 Manta
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Manta Living Index

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Guayaquil

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$1,235

/mo nomad

Manta

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$670

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Guayaquil and in Manta

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 Manta actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,235 per month in Guayaquil vs $670 in Manta, rent included.

Guayaquil $1,235
Manta $670

A couple spends around $1,918 per month in Guayaquil vs $1,152 in Manta, rent included.

Guayaquil $1,918
Manta $1,152

A family of three spends $2,600 per month in Guayaquil vs $1,634 in Manta, rent included.

Guayaquil $2,600
Manta $1,634

Guayaquil costs about 84% more than Manta, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Guayaquil and Manta are more affordable than the global median – Guayaquil 9% lower, Manta 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.91 $3.91

$3.04 $3.04

28.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.3 $53.3

$51.9 $51.9

2.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 $8.76

$5.18 $5.18

69.11%

Cappuccino

$2.82 $2.82

$2.81 $2.81

0.36%

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

$0.94 $0.94

$0.48 $0.48

95.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 $0.68

$0.42 $0.42

61.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.92 $2.92

3.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 $4.35

$3.86 $3.86

12.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 $1.22

$0.98 $0.98

24.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.00 $2.00

-3.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$0.98 $0.98

47.96%

Eggs

$2.06 $2.06

$2.11 $2.11

-2.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.02 $7.02

$3.08 $3.08

127.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.23 $5.23

$3.07 $3.07

70.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.29 $9.29

$6.88 $6.88

35.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.48 $1.48

$0.97 $0.97

52.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 $1.15

$0.72 $0.72

59.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 $0.98

$0.73 $0.73

34.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.90 $0.90

$0.77 $0.77

16.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 $1.23

$0.49 $0.49

151.02%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 $0.93

$0.49 $0.49

89.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 $0.81

$0.65 $0.65

24.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.02 $1.02

-4.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.90 $5.90

$4.02 $4.02

46.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.15 $12.15

$6.81 $6.81

78.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.01 $1.01

54.46%

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

$0.50 $0.50

-32.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.71 $20.71

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 $2.72

$1.79 $1.79

51.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.77 $1.77

-2.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.07 $12.07

$9.28 $9.28

30.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$0.74 $0.74

13.51%

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

$23.1K $23.1K

$22.7K $22.7K

1.86%

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

$30.8K $30.8K

$30.5K $30.5K

1.10%

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

$128 $128

$93.6 $93.6

37.17%

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

$14.99 $14.99

$11.20 $11.20

33.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.69 $25.69

$26.03 $26.03

-1.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.63 $44.63

$19.90 $19.90

124.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.98 $26.98

$35.50 $35.50

-24.00%

Cinema Ticket

$7.55 $7.55

$5.10 $5.10

48.04%

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

$370 $370

0.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,607 $5,607

$5,708 $5,708

-1.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 $64.1

$55.4 $55.4

15.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.54 $40.54

$39.90 $39.90

1.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 $126

$99.3 $99.3

27.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.4 $93.4

$62.1 $62.1

50.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$656 $656

$306 $306

114.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$505 $505

$137 $137

267.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,001 $1,001

$916 $916

9.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$929 $929

$337 $337

175.36%

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

$478 $478

30.03%

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: October 27, 2026

Last update for Manta: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Guayaquil

$505 40.9%

Manta

$137 20.5% 72.8% $367

Groceries & Markets

Guayaquil

$200 16.2%

Manta

$144 21.5% 28.2% $56

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Guayaquil

$169 13.7%

Manta

$131 19.5% 22.6% $38

Clothing & Footwear

Guayaquil

$146 11.8%

Manta

$116 17.3% 20.9% $31

Eating Out

Guayaquil

$122 9.9%

Manta

$100 14.9% 18.2% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Guayaquil

$60 4.8%

Manta

$30 4.5% 49.6% $30

Getting Around

Guayaquil

$33 2.7%

Manta

$13 * 1.9% 62.3% $21

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $656 in Guayaquil versus $306 in Manta. 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 30% 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 $52 in Manta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $200 vs $144 – making Manta the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇪🇨 Guayaquil

🇪🇨 Manta

🕒 Local time

10:35 10:35 AM

Same time as Guayaquil

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,500,000

217,553

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 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 Manta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Guayaquil is pricier by about 84%, 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 $1,005 in Manta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Manta, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $306 there versus $656 in Guayaquil.

Groceries cost about 39% more in Guayaquil, though the gap depends on what you buy.

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

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Manta, where all-in costs run around $670, than in Guayaquil at $1,235. In Manta it covers expenses comfortably, while in Guayaquil it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Manta has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $670 in Manta to $1,235 in Guayaquil. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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