Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Latacunga and Cuenca

For one person, living is cheaper in Latacunga: $782 a month against $983 in Cuenca, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

38

Cost of Living Index in Latacunga
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Latacunga Living Index
48

Cost of Living Index in Cuenca
Learn more

Cuenca Living Index

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Latacunga

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$782

/mo nomad

Cuenca

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$983

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $782 per month in Latacunga vs $983 in Cuenca, rent included.

Latacunga $782
Cuenca $983

A couple spends around $1,271 per month in Latacunga vs $1,479 in Cuenca, rent included.

Latacunga $1,271
Cuenca $1,479

A family of three spends $1,759 per month in Latacunga vs $1,975 in Cuenca, rent included.

Latacunga $1,759
Cuenca $1,975

Latacunga is about 20% cheaper than Cuenca, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Latacunga and Cuenca are more affordable than the global median – Latacunga 42% lower, Cuenca 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.54 $2.54

$3.56 $3.56

-28.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.87 $27.87

$30.05 $30.05

-7.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.77 $8.77

$8.07 $8.07

8.67%

Cappuccino

$2.94 $2.94

$2.78 $2.78

5.76%

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

$0.86 $0.86

$0.76 $0.76

13.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 $0.48

$0.74 $0.74

-35.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.94 $2.94

$1.97 $1.97

49.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 $4.24

$3.34 $3.34

26.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.01 $1.01

18.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.14 $2.14

-7.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.95 $1.95

-50.26%

Eggs

$1.83 $1.83

$2.24 $2.24

-18.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$6.85 $6.85

-25.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$5.90 $5.90

-13.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.92 $8.92

$7.44 $7.44

19.89%

Apples (1kg)

$1.48 $1.48

$2.05 $2.05

-27.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.10 $1.10

3.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.35 $1.35

-24.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.32 $1.32

-30.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.55 $1.55

-33.55%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.03 $1.03

-3.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 $0.48

$0.73 $0.73

-34.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.08 $1.08

-7.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.91 $5.91

$5.17 $5.17

14.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.19 $10.19

$9.83 $9.83

3.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.53 $1.53

-3.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$3.03 $3.03

-30.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 $0.37

$0.33 $0.33

12.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.84 $17.84

$15.88 $15.88

12.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.36 $1.36

0.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.09 $1.09

61.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.80 $11.80

$10.95 $10.95

7.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.68 $0.68

$0.88 $0.88

-22.73%

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

$20.7K $20.7K

$23.2K $23.2K

-10.66%

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

$30.7K $30.7K

$29.9K $29.9K

2.48%

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

$39.09 $39.09

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

$15.17 $15.17

$13.42 $13.42

13.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.80 $25.80

$26.48 $26.48

-2.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.79 $29.79

$29.49 $29.49

1.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.19 $16.19

$5.40 $5.40

199.81%

Cinema Ticket

$7.71 $7.71

$7.48 $7.48

3.07%

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

$372 $372

$230 $230

61.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,690 $5,690

$7,012 $7,012

-18.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.0 $66.0

$67.1 $67.1

-1.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.85 $40.85

$46.86 $46.86

-12.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 $123

$124 $124

-0.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.2 $93.2

$70.8 $70.8

31.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$304 $304

$539 $539

-43.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$187 $187

$382 $382

-51.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 $716

$722 $722

-0.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 $410

$608 $608

-32.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,201 $1,201

$1,212 $1,212

-0.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$771 $771

$853 $853

-9.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$547 $547

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.16

-10.39%

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

Last update for Latacunga: October 17, 2026

Last update for Cuenca: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Latacunga

$187 23.9%

Cuenca

$382 38.9% 105% $195

Groceries & Markets

Latacunga

$184 23.6%

Cuenca

$205 20.9% 11.4% $21

Clothing & Footwear

Latacunga

$145 18.6%

Cuenca

$139 14.1% 4.5% $6.6

Eating Out

Latacunga

$110 14.1%

Cuenca

$109 11.1% 1.7% $1.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Latacunga

$80 10.2%

Cuenca

$79 8% 1.3% $1.1

Sport & Entertainment

Latacunga

$45 5.8%

Cuenca

$44 4.5% 1.7% $0.8

Getting Around

Latacunga

$29 3.8%

Cuenca

$24 2.4% 18.5% $5.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $304 in Latacunga versus $539 in Cuenca. 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 $28.00 in Latacunga versus $30.00 in Cuenca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $184 vs $205 – making Latacunga the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇪🇨 Latacunga

🇪🇨 Cuenca

🕒 Local time

12:45 12:45 PM

Same time as Latacunga

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

57,127

495,776

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Latacunga Cuenca 220 km

From you

Latacunga
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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

Latacunga vs Cuenca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cuenca is pricier by about 26%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,173 per month in Latacunga and $1,474 in Cuenca. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Latacunga and $30.00 in Cuenca. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $782 in Latacunga and $983 in Cuenca. That's a gap of about 26%.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Latacunga, where all-in costs run around $782, than in Cuenca at $983. In Latacunga it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cuenca it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Latacunga – 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 Latacunga. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cuenca makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.