Comparación del coste de vida entre Machala y Quito Comparación del coste de vida entre Machala y Quito

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $632 in Machala versus $969 in Quito.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,006 in Machala versus $1,449 in Quito.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,379 in Machala versus $1,930 in Quito.

Living in Machala costs roughly 35% less than in Quito, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Machala 53% lower, Quito 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.43 $2.43

$4.59 $4.59

-47.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.77 $24.77

$33.51 $33.51

-26.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.64 $6.64

$7.28 $7.28

-8.79%

Cappuccino

$2.63 $2.63

$2.83 $2.83

-7.07%

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

$0.76 $0.76

$1.07 $1.07

-28.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 $0.49

$0.67 $0.67

-26.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.05 $2.05

-4.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.40 $4.40

$4.04 $4.04

8.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.06 $1.06

3.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.55 $1.55

-32.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.80 $1.80

-47.22%

Eggs

$1.51 $1.51

$2.31 $2.31

-34.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.32 $3.32

$8.62 $8.62

-61.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$7.94 $7.94

-48.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.67 $4.67

$8.29 $8.29

-43.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.08 $2.08

-0.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.16 $1.16

-8.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.73 $0.73

$1.08 $1.08

-32.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.34 $1.34

-19.40%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 $0.41

$1.39 $1.39

-70.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 $0.52

$1.10 $1.10

-52.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.37 $0.37

$0.79 $0.79

-53.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.03 $1.03

-1.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.34 $4.34

$6.08 $6.08

-28.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.42 $7.42

$10.06 $10.06

-26.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.57 $1.57

3.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.91 $2.91

-24.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 $0.36

$0.33 $0.33

9.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.27 $24.27

$26.80 $26.80

-9.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 $1.53

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.54 $1.54

-33.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.17 $8.17

$9.89 $9.89

-17.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 $0.59

$0.72 $0.72

-18.06%

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

$18.3K $18.3K

$19.9K $19.9K

-8.17%

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

$21.8K $21.8K

$25.7K $25.7K

-15.03%

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

$38.13 $38.13

$34.76 $34.76

9.70%

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

$13.93 $13.93

$14.25 $14.25

-2.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.57 $26.57

$29.13 $29.13

-8.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.24 $42.24

$42.07 $42.07

0.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.78 $14.78

$16.77 $16.77

-11.87%

Cinema Ticket

$5.03 $5.03

$7.04 $7.04

-28.55%

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

$134 $134

$272 $272

-50.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,947 $5,947

$8,732 $8,732

-31.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.3 $52.3

$57.3 $57.3

-8.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.82 $43.82

$42.88 $42.88

2.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.9 $78.9

$101 $101

-21.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.0 $68.0

$84.8 $84.8

-19.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$188 $188

$445 $445

-57.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$134 $134

$311 $311

-56.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$352 $352

$768 $768

-54.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 $262

$491 $491

-46.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,346 $1,346

$1,710 $1,710

-21.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$763 $763

$755 $755

1.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$441 $441

$604 $604

-26.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.19

-55.32%

Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.

Última actualización para Machala: April 26, 2026

Última actualización para Quito: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $188 in Machala and $445 in Quito. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Quito pays 37% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $25.00 in Machala vs $34.00 in Quito for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $144 vs $217 per month, with Machala cheaper across the board.

Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)

El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.

Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales

Machala vs Quito: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes

Machala is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 53% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Quito earns 37% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $188 in Machala versus $445 in Quito. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Machala – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $34.00 in Quito. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $632 per month in Machala versus $969 in Quito – a 53% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $632 in Machala versus $969 in Quito, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Machala but tight or insufficient in Quito. The gap between the two cities makes Machala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Machala is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Quito, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Machala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 53% less than in Quito. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.