Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ibarra and Cuenca, Ecuador

Name: Cuenca
Address: Cuenca, EC

For one person, living is cheaper in Ibarra: $664 a month against $1,007 in Cuenca, rent and utilities included – about $4,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

32

Cost of Living Index in Ibarra
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Ibarra Living Index
49

Cost of Living Index in Cuenca
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Cuenca Living Index

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Ibarra

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$664

/mo nomad

Cuenca

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$1,007

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ibarra 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 Ibarra and in Cuenca actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $664 per month in Ibarra vs $1,007 in Cuenca, rent included.

Ibarra $664
Cuenca $1,007

A couple spends around $1,142 per month in Ibarra vs $1,488 in Cuenca, rent included.

Ibarra $1,142
Cuenca $1,488

A family of three spends $1,620 per month in Ibarra vs $1,969 in Cuenca, rent included.

Ibarra $1,620
Cuenca $1,969

Ibarra is about 34% cheaper than Cuenca, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Ibarra and Cuenca are more affordable than the global median – Ibarra 51% lower, Cuenca 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.58 $2.58

$3.59 $3.59

-28.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.11 $25.11

$30.39 $30.39

-17.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 $5.60

$7.93 $7.93

-29.38%

Cappuccino

$2.21 $2.21

$2.79 $2.79

-20.79%

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

$1.09 $1.09

$0.76 $0.76

43.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 $0.59

$0.72 $0.72

-18.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.99 $1.99

-2.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$3.27 $3.27

-30.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.05 $1.05

-10.48%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 $0.98

$2.17 $2.17

-54.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.93 $1.93

-23.32%

Eggs

$2.06 $2.06

$2.18 $2.18

-5.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$6.76 $6.76

-43.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$6.21 $6.21

-14.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.58 $7.58

$7.30 $7.30

3.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.02 $2.02

-2.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.06 $1.06

16.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.40 $1.40

-6.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.40 $1.40

-38.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 $0.51

$1.53 $1.53

-66.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.07 $1.07

-5.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 $0.70

$0.74 $0.74

-5.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.09 $1.09

-10.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 $3.04

$5.22 $5.22

-41.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.33 $8.33

$9.89 $9.89

-15.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.50 $1.50

6.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.06 $3.06

-0.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 $0.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.31 $24.31

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.36 $1.36

13.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.12 $1.12

32.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.92 $9.92

$11.08 $11.08

-10.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.69 $0.69

$0.86 $0.86

-19.77%

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

$23.4K $23.4K

$22.8K $22.8K

2.39%

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

$29.8K $29.8K

$30.8K $30.8K

-3.26%

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

$28.50 $28.50

$40.34 $40.34

-29.35%

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

$15.16 $15.16

$13.76 $13.76

10.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.02 $18.02

$26.36 $26.36

-31.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.20 $30.20

$29.25 $29.25

3.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.73 $16.73

$5.13 $5.13

226.12%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 $6.51

$7.21 $7.21

-9.71%

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

$109 $109

$229 $229

-52.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,023 $9,023

$6,887 $6,887

31.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 $61.1

$67.8 $67.8

-9.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.30 $44.30

$46.82 $46.82

-5.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.1 $91.1

$120 $120

-24.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.1 $50.1

$71.5 $71.5

-30.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$228 $228

$541 $541

-57.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 $183

$396 $396

-53.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$810 $810

$731 $731

10.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 $501

$583 $583

-14.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$761 $761

$1,244 $1,244

-38.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$610 $610

$924 $924

-34.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$604 $604

$544 $544

11.01%

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 Ibarra: October 27, 2026

Last update for Cuenca: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Ibarra

$183 27.6%

Cuenca

$396 39.4% 117% $213

Groceries & Markets

Ibarra

$170 25.5%

Cuenca

$207 20.6% 22.1% $38

Clothing & Footwear

Ibarra

$111 16.7%

Cuenca

$138 13.7% 24.4% $27

Eating Out

Ibarra

$85 12.8%

Cuenca

$108 10.8% 27.6% $23

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ibarra

$62 9.3%

Cuenca

$80 8% 30.4% $19

Sport & Entertainment

Ibarra

$43 6.5%

Cuenca

$44 4.3% 1% $0.4

Getting Around

Ibarra

$10 * 1.6%

Cuenca

$33 3.3% 214% $22

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $228 in Ibarra versus $541 in Cuenca. 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 11% higher in Ibarra, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25 in Ibarra versus $30 in Cuenca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $170 vs $207 – making Ibarra the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇪🇨 Ibarra

🇪🇨 Cuenca

🕒 Local time

00:01 12:01 AM

Same time as Ibarra

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

108,666

495,776

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Ibarra Cuenca 370 km

From you

Ibarra
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

Ibarra vs Cuenca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cuenca is pricier by about 52%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $996 per month in Ibarra and $1,510 in Cuenca. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ibarra, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $228 there versus $541 in Cuenca.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25 in Ibarra and $30 in Cuenca. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% more in Cuenca, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Ibarra, where all-in costs run around $664, than in Cuenca at $1,007. In Ibarra it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cuenca it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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