Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manglaralto and Cuenca, Ecuador

For one person, living is cheaper in Manglaralto: $895 a month against $1,007 in Cuenca, rent and utilities included – about $1,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Manglaralto, Ecuador
Cuenca, Ecuador
Manglaralto
🇪🇨 Ecuador
$895
/mo nomad
Cuenca
🇪🇨 Ecuador
$1,007
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $895 per month in Manglaralto vs $1,007 in Cuenca, rent included.

  • Manglaralto $895
  • Cuenca $1,007

A couple spends around $1,456 per month in Manglaralto vs $1,488 in Cuenca, rent included.

  • Manglaralto $1,456
  • Cuenca $1,488

A family of three spends $2,018 per month in Manglaralto vs $1,969 in Cuenca, rent included.

  • Manglaralto $2,018
  • Cuenca $1,969

Manglaralto is about 11% cheaper than Cuenca, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Manglaralto and Cuenca are more affordable than the global median – Manglaralto 34% lower, Cuenca 26% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Manglaralto
Cuenca
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.08 $4.08
$3.59 $3.59
13.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$52.2 $52.2
$30.39 $30.39
71.83%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.18 $9.18
$7.93 $7.93
15.76%
Cappuccino
$2.92 $2.92
$2.79 $2.79
4.66%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93 $0.93
$0.76 $0.76
22.37%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70 $0.70
$0.72 $0.72
-2.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.93 $2.93
$1.99 $1.99
47.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.28 $4.28
$3.27 $3.27
30.89%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Manglaralto
Cuenca
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.22 $1.22
$1.05 $1.05
16.19%
White Bread (500g)
$1.91 $1.91
$2.17 $2.17
-11.98%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.40 $1.40
$1.93 $1.93
-27.46%
Eggs
$2.04 $2.04
$2.18 $2.18
-6.42%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.80 $6.80
$6.76 $6.76
0.59%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.05 $5.05
$6.21 $6.21
-18.68%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.26 $9.26
$7.30 $7.30
26.85%
Apples (1kg)
$1.51 $1.51
$2.02 $2.02
-25.25%
Banana (1kg)
$1.18 $1.18
$1.06 $1.06
11.32%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.02 $1.02
$1.40 $1.40
-27.14%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.96 $0.96
$1.40 $1.40
-31.43%
Potato (1kg)
$1.28 $1.28
$1.53 $1.53
-16.34%
Onion (1kg)
$0.98 $0.98
$1.07 $1.07
-8.41%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.83 $0.83
$0.74 $0.74
12.16%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.97 $0.97
$1.09 $1.09
-11.01%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.87 $5.87
$5.22 $5.22
12.45%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.99 $11.99
$9.89 $9.89
21.23%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.50 $1.50
$1.50 $1.50
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.20 $2.20
$3.06 $3.06
-28.10%
🚌 Getting Around
Manglaralto
Cuenca
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.39 $0.39
$0.37 $0.37
5.41%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$24.31 $24.31
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.69 $2.69
$1.36 $1.36
97.79%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.79 $1.79
$1.12 $1.12
59.82%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.76 $11.76
$11.08 $11.08
6.14%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.89 $0.89
$0.86 $0.86
3.49%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.7K $22.7K
$22.8K $22.8K
-0.68%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.7K $30.7K
$30.8K $30.8K
-0.48%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Manglaralto
Cuenca
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$34.62 $34.62
$40.34 $40.34
-14.18%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.91 $9.91
$13.76 $13.76
-27.98%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$25.90 $25.90
$26.36 $26.36
-1.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Manglaralto
Cuenca
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$30.39 $30.39
$29.25 $29.25
3.90%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.84 $15.84
$5.13 $5.13
208.77%
Cinema Ticket
$7.36 $7.36
$7.21 $7.21
2.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Manglaralto
Cuenca
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$376 $376
$229 $229
64.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,680 $5,680
$6,887 $6,887
-17.53%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Manglaralto
Cuenca
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$66.5 $66.5
$67.8 $67.8
-1.84%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.25 $41.25
$46.82 $46.82
-11.90%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$123 $123
$120 $120
1.68%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.1 $92.1
$71.5 $71.5
28.71%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Manglaralto
Cuenca
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$466 $466
$541 $541
-13.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$297 $297
$396 $396
-25.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$850 $850
$731 $731
16.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$535 $535
$583 $583
-8.20%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$1,244 $1,244
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$924 $924
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Manglaralto
Cuenca
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$544 $544
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.05
11.16
-9.95%

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

Last update for Manglaralto: October 26, 2026

Last update for Cuenca: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Manglaralto
$297
Cuenca
$396 33.3% $99
Groceries & Markets
Manglaralto
$199
Cuenca
$207 4.3% $8.6
Clothing & Footwear
Manglaralto
$145
Cuenca
$138 4.9% $7.1
Eating Out
Manglaralto
$125
Cuenca
$108 13.3% $17
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Manglaralto
$70
Cuenca
$80 14.2% $10
Sport & Entertainment
Manglaralto
$45
Cuenca
$44 3.2% $1.5
Getting Around
Manglaralto
$13 *
Cuenca
$33 149% $20

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $466 in Manglaralto 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52 in Manglaralto versus $30 in Cuenca. Groceries tell a different story – $199 in Manglaralto vs $207 in Cuenca – so Manglaralto wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇪🇨 Manglaralto
🇪🇨 Cuenca
🕒 Local time
15:33 3:33 PM
15:33 3:33 PM
Same time as Manglaralto
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
495,776
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Manglaralto Cuenca 230 km
From you
  • Manglaralto
  • 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
Manglaralto vs Cuenca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Manglaralto cheaper than Cuenca?
Yes – Cuenca is pricier by about 13%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,342 per month in Manglaralto and $1,510 in Cuenca. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Manglaralto, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $466 there versus $541 in Cuenca.
Is eating out cheaper in Manglaralto or in Cuenca?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $52 in Manglaralto and $30 in Cuenca. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Manglaralto and in Cuenca?
Groceries cost about 4% more in Cuenca, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Manglaralto or in Cuenca?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Manglaralto, where all-in costs run around $895, than in Cuenca at $1,007. In Manglaralto it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cuenca it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is safer, Manglaralto or Cuenca?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

Manglaralto vs other spots: cost of living compared

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