Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manta and Cuenca, Ecuador

Name: Cuenca
Address: Cuenca, EC

For one person, living is cheaper in Manta: $670 a month against $1,007 in Cuenca, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

32

Cost of Living Index in Manta
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Manta Living Index
49

Cost of Living Index in Cuenca
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Cuenca Living Index

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Manta

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$670

/mo nomad

Cuenca

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$1,007

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $670 per month in Manta vs $1,007 in Cuenca, rent included.

Manta $670
Cuenca $1,007

A couple spends around $1,152 per month in Manta vs $1,488 in Cuenca, rent included.

Manta $1,152
Cuenca $1,488

A family of three spends $1,634 per month in Manta vs $1,969 in Cuenca, rent included.

Manta $1,634
Cuenca $1,969

Manta is about 33% cheaper than Cuenca, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Manta and Cuenca are more affordable than the global median – Manta 51% lower, Cuenca 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.04 $3.04

$3.59 $3.59

-15.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.9 $51.9

$30.39 $30.39

70.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.18 $5.18

$7.93 $7.93

-34.68%

Cappuccino

$2.81 $2.81

$2.79 $2.79

0.72%

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

$0.48 $0.48

$0.76 $0.76

-36.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 $0.42

$0.72 $0.72

-41.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.99 $1.99

46.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 $3.86

$3.27 $3.27

18.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.05 $1.05

-6.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.00 $2.00

$2.17 $2.17

-7.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.93 $1.93

-49.22%

Eggs

$2.11 $2.11

$2.18 $2.18

-3.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$6.76 $6.76

-54.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 $3.07

$6.21 $6.21

-50.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.88 $6.88

$7.30 $7.30

-5.75%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 $0.97

$2.02 $2.02

-51.98%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 $0.72

$1.06 $1.06

-32.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.73 $0.73

$1.40 $1.40

-47.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.77 $0.77

$1.40 $1.40

-45.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 $0.49

$1.53 $1.53

-67.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 $0.49

$1.07 $1.07

-54.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 $0.65

$0.74 $0.74

-12.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.09 $1.09

-6.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.02 $4.02

$5.22 $5.22

-22.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.81 $6.81

$9.89 $9.89

-31.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.50 $1.50

-32.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$3.06 $3.06

-27.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 $0.50

$0.37 $0.37

35.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.31 $24.31

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.36 $1.36

31.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.12 $1.12

58.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.28 $9.28

$11.08 $11.08

-16.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 $0.74

$0.86 $0.86

-13.95%

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

$22.7K $22.7K

$22.8K $22.8K

-0.60%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

$30.8K $30.8K

-1.10%

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

$93.6 $93.6

$40.34 $40.34

131.90%

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

$11.20 $11.20

$13.76 $13.76

-18.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.03 $26.03

$26.36 $26.36

-1.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.90 $19.90

$29.25 $29.25

-31.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$5.13 $5.13

592.01%

Cinema Ticket

$5.10 $5.10

$7.21 $7.21

-29.26%

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

$370 $370

$229 $229

61.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,708 $5,708

$6,887 $6,887

-17.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 $55.4

$67.8 $67.8

-18.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.90 $39.90

$46.82 $46.82

-14.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.3 $99.3

$120 $120

-17.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.1 $62.1

$71.5 $71.5

-13.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$306 $306

$541 $541

-43.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$137 $137

$396 $396

-65.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 $916

$731 $731

25.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$337 $337

$583 $583

-42.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,244 $1,244

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$924 $924

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$478 $478

$544 $544

-12.10%

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 Manta: October 27, 2026

Last update for Cuenca: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Manta

$144 21.5%

Cuenca

$207 20.6% 44.1% $63

Accommodation & Living

Manta

$137 20.5%

Cuenca

$396 39.4% 188% $259

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Manta

$131 19.5%

Cuenca

$80 8% 38.5% $50

Clothing & Footwear

Manta

$116 17.3%

Cuenca

$138 13.7% 19.5% $22

Eating Out

Manta

$100 14.9%

Cuenca

$108 10.8% 8.8% $8.8

Sport & Entertainment

Manta

$30 4.5%

Cuenca

$44 4.3% 45.1% $14

Getting Around

Manta

$13 * 1.9%

Cuenca

$33 3.3% 160% $20

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $306 in Manta 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.

Salaries run about 14% 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 $52 in Manta versus $30 in Cuenca. Groceries tell a different story – $144 in Manta vs $207 in Cuenca – so Manta wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇪🇨 Manta

🇪🇨 Cuenca

🕒 Local time

16:06 4:06 PM

Same time as Manta

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

217,553

495,776

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Manta Cuenca 290 km

From you

Manta
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

Manta vs Cuenca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cuenca is pricier by about 50%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,005 per month in Manta 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 Manta, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $306 there versus $541 in Cuenca.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52 in Manta and $30 in Cuenca. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 44% more in Cuenca, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Manta, where all-in costs run around $670, than in Cuenca at $1,007. In Manta it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cuenca it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Manta has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $670 in Manta to $1,007 in Cuenca. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Manta. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cuenca makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.