Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Machala and Cuenca, Ecuador

Name: Cuenca
Address: Cuenca, EC

For one person, living is cheaper in Machala: $655 a month against $1,006 in Cuenca, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

31

Cost of Living Index in Machala
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Machala Living Index
48

Cost of Living Index in Cuenca
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Cuenca Living Index

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Machala

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$655

/mo nomad

Cuenca

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$1,006

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $655 per month in Machala vs $1,006 in Cuenca, rent included.

Machala $655
Cuenca $1,006

A couple spends around $1,044 per month in Machala vs $1,509 in Cuenca, rent included.

Machala $1,044
Cuenca $1,509

A family of three spends $1,433 per month in Machala vs $2,012 in Cuenca, rent included.

Machala $1,433
Cuenca $2,012

Machala is about 35% cheaper than Cuenca, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Machala and Cuenca are more affordable than the global median – Machala 52% lower, Cuenca 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.80 $2.80

$3.46 $3.46

-19.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.64 $24.64

$30.28 $30.28

-18.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.27 $5.27

$7.78 $7.78

-32.26%

Cappuccino

$2.71 $2.71

$2.74 $2.74

-1.09%

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

$0.91 $0.91

$0.77 $0.77

18.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 $0.68

$0.73 $0.73

-6.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.02 $2.02

-3.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 $3.85

$3.46 $3.46

11.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.01 $1.01

8.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 $1.05

$2.17 $2.17

-51.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.93 $1.93

-51.30%

Eggs

$1.45 $1.45

$2.19 $2.19

-33.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.34 $3.34

$7.63 $7.63

-56.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.20 $4.20

$6.26 $6.26

-32.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.78 $4.78

$7.58 $7.58

-36.94%

Apples (1kg)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.93 $1.93

-23.83%

Banana (1kg)

$0.64 $0.64

$1.08 $1.08

-40.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.72 $0.72

$1.42 $1.42

-49.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.53 $0.53

$1.39 $1.39

-61.87%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 $0.38

$1.49 $1.49

-74.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 $0.52

$1.09 $1.09

-52.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 $0.39

$0.79 $0.79

-50.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.07 $1.07

-11.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 $4.31

$5.19 $5.19

-16.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.72 $7.72

$10.04 $10.04

-23.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.52 $1.52

-1.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.93 $2.93

-24.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 $0.33

$0.36 $0.36

-8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.17 $22.17

$15.89 $15.89

39.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 $1.47

$0.62 $0.62

137.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.12 $1.12

32.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 $7.89

$10.81 $10.81

-27.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 $0.64

$0.81 $0.81

-20.99%

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

$18.1K $18.1K

$22.8K $22.8K

-20.87%

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

$21.9K $21.9K

$30.2K $30.2K

-27.52%

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

$52.2 $52.2

$39.20 $39.20

33.09%

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

$14.95 $14.95

$13.14 $13.14

13.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.06 $26.06

$27.14 $27.14

-3.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.32 $43.32

$29.14 $29.14

48.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.54 $30.54

$5.37 $5.37

468.72%

Cinema Ticket

$5.03 $5.03

$7.45 $7.45

-32.48%

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

$135 $135

$228 $228

-40.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,038 $9,038

$5,930 $5,930

52.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.5 $66.5

$67.9 $67.9

-2.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.79 $40.79

$46.64 $46.64

-12.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.8 $79.8

$125 $125

-36.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.8 $67.8

$70.9 $70.9

-4.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$192 $192

$546 $546

-64.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$131 $131

$402 $402

-67.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$354 $354

$747 $747

-52.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 $262

$636 $636

-58.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,243 $1,243

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$923 $923

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$454 $454

$560 $560

-18.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.16

-55.20%

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

Last update for Machala: November 2, 2026

Last update for Cuenca: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Machala

$136 20.7%

Cuenca

$210 20.9% 55% $75

Accommodation & Living

Machala

$131 20.1%

Cuenca

$402 40% 206% $271

Clothing & Footwear

Machala

$115 17.5%

Cuenca

$140 13.9% 21.9% $25

Eating Out

Machala

$95 14.4%

Cuenca

$107 10.6% 13.1% $12

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Machala

$93 14.2%

Cuenca

$79 7.9% 14.7% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Machala

$53 8.2%

Cuenca

$44 4.4% 17.5% $9.3

Getting Around

Machala

$32 4.9%

Cuenca

$24 2.3% 27.2% $8.8

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $192 in Machala versus $546 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 23% higher in Cuenca, 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 $25 in Machala versus $30 in Cuenca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $136 vs $210 – making Machala the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇪🇨 Machala

🇪🇨 Cuenca

🕒 Local time

20:40 8:40 PM

Same time as Machala

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

231,260

495,776

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.894 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Machala Cuenca 110 km

From you

Machala
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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

Machala vs Cuenca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cuenca is pricier by about 54%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $983 per month in Machala 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 Machala, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $192 there versus $546 in Cuenca.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25 in Machala and $30 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 $655 in Machala and $1,006 in Cuenca. That makes Machala about 35% cheaper.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Machala, where all-in costs run around $655, than in Cuenca at $1,006. In Machala it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cuenca 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, Cuenca makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.