Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manta and Quito

For one person, living is cheaper in Manta: $670 a month against $1,015 in Quito, rent and utilities included – about $4,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

32

Cost of Living Index in Manta
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Manta Living Index
49

Cost of Living Index in Quito
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Quito Living Index

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Manta

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$670

/mo nomad

Quito

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$1,015

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Manta and in Quito

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 Quito actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $670 in Manta versus $1,015 in Quito.

Manta $670
Quito $1,015

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,152 in Manta versus $1,636 in Quito.

Manta $1,152
Quito $1,636

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,634 in Manta versus $2,258 in Quito.

Manta $1,634
Quito $2,258

Living in Manta costs roughly 34% less than in Quito, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Manta 51% lower, Quito 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.04 $3.04

$5.41 $5.41

-43.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.9 $51.9

$55.2 $55.2

-5.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.18 $5.18

$7.66 $7.66

-32.38%

Cappuccino

$2.81 $2.81

$3.31 $3.31

-15.11%

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

$0.48 $0.48

$1.36 $1.36

-64.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 $0.42

$1.09 $1.09

-61.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 $2.92

$3.46 $3.46

-15.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 $3.86

$5.85 $5.85

-34.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.09 $1.09

-10.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.55 $1.55

29.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.56 $1.56

-37.18%

Eggs

$2.11 $2.11

$2.16 $2.16

-2.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$6.45 $6.45

-52.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 $3.07

$5.22 $5.22

-41.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.88 $6.88

$7.66 $7.66

-10.18%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 $0.97

$2.34 $2.34

-58.55%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 $0.72

$1.20 $1.20

-40.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.73 $0.73

$1.27 $1.27

-42.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.77 $0.77

$1.12 $1.12

-31.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 $0.49

$1.19 $1.19

-58.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 $0.49

$1.02 $1.02

-51.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 $0.65

$0.90 $0.90

-27.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.00 $1.00

2.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.02 $4.02

$6.14 $6.14

-34.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.81 $6.81

$8.62 $8.62

-21.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.58 $1.58

-36.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$3.10 $3.10

-28.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 $0.50

$0.36 $0.36

38.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.34 $21.34

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.46 $1.46

22.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.54 $1.54

14.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.28 $9.28

$10.07 $10.07

-7.85%

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

$23.3K $23.3K

-2.70%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

-0.01%

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

$93.6 $93.6

$28.33 $28.33

230.22%

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

$11.20 $11.20

$18.08 $18.08

-38.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.03 $26.03

$28.84 $28.84

-9.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.90 $19.90

$42.86 $42.86

-53.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$17.92 $17.92

98.10%

Cinema Ticket

$5.10 $5.10

$6.75 $6.75

-24.44%

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

$370 $370

$750 $750

-50.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,708 $5,708

$8,967 $8,967

-36.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 $55.4

$69.7 $69.7

-20.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.90 $39.90

$49.06 $49.06

-18.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.3 $99.3

$112 $112

-11.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.1 $62.1

$110 $110

-43.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$306 $306

$548 $548

-44.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$137 $137

$362 $362

-61.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 $916

$1,126 $1,126

-18.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$337 $337

$637 $637

-47.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,654 $1,654

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$664 $664

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$478 $478

$606 $606

-21.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.05

10.12

-0.69%

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

Last update for Manta: October 27, 2026

Last update for Quito: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Manta

$144 21.5%

Quito

$192 18.9% 33.4% $48

Accommodation & Living

Manta

$137 20.5%

Quito

$362 35.6% 163% $224

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Manta

$131 19.5%

Quito

$75 7.4% 42.5% $56

Clothing & Footwear

Manta

$116 17.3%

Quito

$153 15.1% 32.7% $38

Eating Out

Manta

$100 14.9%

Quito

$145 14.3% 45.5% $45

Sport & Entertainment

Manta

$30 4.5%

Quito

$56 5.6% 87.3% $26

Getting Around

Manta

$13 * 1.9%

Quito

$32 3.2% 154% $19

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $306 in Manta and $548 in Quito. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Quito pays 27% 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: $52 in Manta vs $55 in Quito for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $144 vs $192 per month, with Manta cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇪🇨 Manta

🇪🇨 Quito

🕒 Local time

01:54 1:54 AM

Same time as Manta

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

217,553

2,671,191 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Manta Quito 260 km

From you

Manta
Quito

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 Quito: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manta is about 34% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 21% lower in Manta. 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: $306 in Manta versus $548 in Quito. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $370 in Manta versus $750 in Quito. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Manta – a meal for two runs $52 versus $55 in Quito. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $670 in Manta versus $1,015 in Quito, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Manta but tight or insufficient in Quito. The gap between the two cities makes Manta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

It comes down to priorities – Manta wins on affordability, Quito on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.