Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Loja and Guayaquil

For one person, living is cheaper in Loja: $676 a month against $1,136 in Guayaquil, rent and utilities included – about $5,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

33

Cost of Living Index in Loja
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Loja Living Index
55

Cost of Living Index in Guayaquil
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Guayaquil Living Index

Jump to prices

Loja

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$676

/mo nomad

Guayaquil

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$1,136

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Loja and in Guayaquil

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

A single person spends $676 per month in Loja vs $1,136 in Guayaquil, rent included.

Loja $676
Guayaquil $1,136

A couple spends around $1,067 per month in Loja vs $1,775 in Guayaquil, rent included.

Loja $1,067
Guayaquil $1,775

A family of three spends $1,459 per month in Loja vs $2,413 in Guayaquil, rent included.

Loja $1,459
Guayaquil $2,413

Loja is about 40% cheaper than Guayaquil, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Loja and Guayaquil are more affordable than the global median – Loja 50% lower, Guayaquil 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.08 $3.08

$3.94 $3.94

-21.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.71 $20.71

$52.6 $52.6

-60.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.44 $5.44

$9.15 $9.15

-40.55%

Cappuccino

$2.22 $2.22

$2.82 $2.82

-21.28%

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

$0.77 $0.77

$0.91 $0.91

-15.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 $0.45

$0.74 $0.74

-39.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 $1.22

$3.05 $3.05

-60.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$4.15 $4.15

-23.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.16 $1.16

-14.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.98 $1.98

-23.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.47 $1.47

-10.20%

Eggs

$1.92 $1.92

$2.07 $2.07

-7.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.79 $5.79

$7.02 $7.02

-17.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$5.18 $5.18

-19.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.96 $5.96

$9.26 $9.26

-35.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.48 $1.48

14.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.14 $1.14

-7.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 $1.18

$0.98 $0.98

20.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.07 $1.07

$0.94 $0.94

13.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.22 $1.22

-13.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 $1.07

$0.98 $0.98

9.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 $0.51

$0.88 $0.88

-42.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 $1.13

$0.94 $0.94

20.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.23 $5.23

$5.91 $5.91

-11.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.86 $6.86

$12.19 $12.19

-43.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.55 $1.55

-1.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.19 $2.19

39.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 $0.31

$0.36 $0.36

-13.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.33 $30.33

$19.61 $19.61

54.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 $1.27

$2.77 $2.77

-54.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.80 $1.80

-39.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.88 $9.88

$12.16 $12.16

-18.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$0.88 $0.88

-11.36%

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

$14.8K $14.8K

$21.1K $21.1K

-29.85%

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

$28.7K $28.7K

$31.3K $31.3K

-8.28%

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

$19.65 $19.65

$131 $131

-84.98%

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

$11.63 $11.63

$14.76 $14.76

-21.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.57 $26.57

$26.25 $26.25

1.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.27 $30.27

$46.30 $46.30

-34.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.88 $14.88

$26.54 $26.54

-43.93%

Cinema Ticket

$7.46 $7.46

$7.29 $7.29

2.33%

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

$183 $183

$378 $378

-51.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,017 $2,017

$5,590 $5,590

-63.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 $52.8

$66.2 $66.2

-20.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.03 $47.03

$41.10 $41.10

14.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.1 $79.1

$124 $124

-36.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.2 $71.2

$93.8 $93.8

-24.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$237 $237

$476 $476

-50.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$170 $170

$401 $401

-57.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$389 $389

$800 $800

-51.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 $310

$740 $740

-58.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$554 $554

$2,275 $2,275

-75.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$323 $323

$1,451 $1,451

-77.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$496 $496

$612 $612

-18.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.5

10.05

-15.42%

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

Last update for Loja: October 12, 2026

Last update for Guayaquil: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Loja

$170 25.2%

Guayaquil

$401 35.3% 136% $231

Groceries & Markets

Loja

$167 24.7%

Guayaquil

$200 17.6% 19.7% $33

Clothing & Footwear

Loja

$113 16.7%

Guayaquil

$146 12.9% 29.9% $34

Eating Out

Loja

$85 12.6%

Guayaquil

$123 10.8% 44.8% $38

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Loja

$58 8.6%

Guayaquil

$172 15.1% 197% $114

Sport & Entertainment

Loja

$45 6.7%

Guayaquil

$61 5.4% 34.7% $16

Getting Around

Loja

$38 5.7%

Guayaquil

$33 2.9% 14.2% $5.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $237 in Loja versus $476 in Guayaquil. 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 23% 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 $21.00 in Loja versus $53.0 in Guayaquil. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $167 vs $200 – making Loja the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇪🇨 Loja

🇪🇨 Guayaquil

🕒 Local time

23:16 11:16 PM

Same time as Loja

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

180,617

3,500,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Loja Guayaquil 210 km

From you

Loja
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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

Loja vs Guayaquil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Guayaquil is pricier by about 68%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,014 per month in Loja and $1,704 in Guayaquil. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $183 per month in Loja and $378 in Guayaquil. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Loja, where all-in costs run around $676, than in Guayaquil at $1,136. In Loja it covers expenses comfortably, while in Guayaquil it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Loja – 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 Loja. 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.