Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manta and Guayaquil

For one person, living is cheaper in Manta: $670 a month against $1,235 in Guayaquil, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 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
60

Cost of Living Index in Guayaquil
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Guayaquil Living Index

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Manta

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$670

/mo nomad

Guayaquil

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$1,235

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $670 per month in Manta vs $1,235 in Guayaquil, rent included.

Manta $670
Guayaquil $1,235

A couple spends around $1,152 per month in Manta vs $1,918 in Guayaquil, rent included.

Manta $1,152
Guayaquil $1,918

A family of three spends $1,634 per month in Manta vs $2,600 in Guayaquil, rent included.

Manta $1,634
Guayaquil $2,600

Manta is about 46% cheaper than Guayaquil, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Manta and Guayaquil are more affordable than the global median – Manta 51% lower, Guayaquil 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.04 $3.04

$3.91 $3.91

-22.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.9 $51.9

$53.3 $53.3

-2.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.18 $5.18

$8.76 $8.76

-40.87%

Cappuccino

$2.81 $2.81

$2.82 $2.82

-0.35%

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

$0.48 $0.48

$0.94 $0.94

-48.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 $0.42

$0.68 $0.68

-38.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 $2.92

$3.03 $3.03

-3.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 $3.86

$4.35 $4.35

-11.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.22 $1.22

-19.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.93 $1.93

3.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.45 $1.45

-32.41%

Eggs

$2.11 $2.11

$2.06 $2.06

2.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$7.02 $7.02

-56.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 $3.07

$5.23 $5.23

-41.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.88 $6.88

$9.29 $9.29

-25.94%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.48 $1.48

-34.46%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 $0.72

$1.15 $1.15

-37.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.73 $0.73

$0.98 $0.98

-25.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.77 $0.77

$0.90 $0.90

-14.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 $0.49

$1.23 $1.23

-60.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 $0.49

$0.93 $0.93

-47.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 $0.65

$0.81 $0.81

-19.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$0.97 $0.97

5.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.02 $4.02

$5.90 $5.90

-31.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.81 $6.81

$12.15 $12.15

-43.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.56 $1.56

-35.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.15 $2.15

3.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 $0.50

$0.34 $0.34

47.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.71 $20.71

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.79 $1.79

$2.72 $2.72

-34.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.72 $1.72

2.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.28 $9.28

$12.07 $12.07

-23.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 $0.74

$0.84 $0.84

-11.90%

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

$22.7K $22.7K

$23.1K $23.1K

-1.82%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

$30.8K $30.8K

-1.08%

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

$93.6 $93.6

$128 $128

-27.10%

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

$11.20 $11.20

$14.99 $14.99

-25.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.03 $26.03

$25.69 $25.69

1.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.90 $19.90

$44.63 $44.63

-55.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$26.98 $26.98

31.58%

Cinema Ticket

$5.10 $5.10

$7.55 $7.55

-32.45%

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

$370 $370

-0.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,708 $5,708

$5,607 $5,607

1.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 $55.4

$64.1 $64.1

-13.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.90 $39.90

$40.54 $40.54

-1.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.3 $99.3

$126 $126

-21.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.1 $62.1

$93.4 $93.4

-33.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$306 $306

$656 $656

-53.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$137 $137

$505 $505

-72.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 $916

$1,001 $1,001

-8.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$337 $337

$929 $929

-63.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,039 $2,039

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,205 $1,205

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$478 $478

$622 $622

-23.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.05

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

Last update for Manta: October 27, 2026

Last update for Guayaquil: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Manta

$144 21.5%

Guayaquil

$200 16.2% 39.3% $56

Accommodation & Living

Manta

$137 20.5%

Guayaquil

$505 40.9% 267% $367

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Manta

$131 19.5%

Guayaquil

$169 13.7% 29.2% $38

Clothing & Footwear

Manta

$116 17.3%

Guayaquil

$146 11.8% 26.4% $31

Eating Out

Manta

$100 14.9%

Guayaquil

$122 9.9% 22.3% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Manta

$30 4.5%

Guayaquil

$60 4.8% 98.5% $30

Getting Around

Manta

$13 * 1.9%

Guayaquil

$33 2.7% 165% $21

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 $656 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 30% 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 $52 in Manta versus $53 in Guayaquil. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $144 vs $200 – making Manta the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇪🇨 Manta

🇪🇨 Guayaquil

🕒 Local time

19:20 7:20 PM

Same time as Manta

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

217,553

3,500,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Manta Guayaquil 160 km

From you

Manta
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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

Manta vs Guayaquil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Guayaquil is pricier by about 84%, 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 $1,852 in Guayaquil. 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 $656 in Guayaquil.

Groceries cost about 39% more in Guayaquil, though the gap depends on what you buy.

Kindergarten costs $370 per month in Manta and $370 in Guayaquil. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Manta, where all-in costs run around $670, than in Guayaquil at $1,235. In Manta it covers expenses comfortably, while in Guayaquil 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 $1,235 in Guayaquil. 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, Guayaquil makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.