Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manta and Vilcabamba

For one person, living is cheaper in Manta: $678 a month against $968 in Vilcabamba, rent and utilities included – about $3,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

33

Cost of Living Index in Manta
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Manta Living Index
47

Cost of Living Index in Vilcabamba
Learn more

Vilcabamba Living Index

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Manta

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$678

/mo nomad

Vilcabamba

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$968

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Manta and in Vilcabamba

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $678 in Manta versus $968 in Vilcabamba.

Manta $678
Vilcabamba $968

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,157 in Manta versus $1,435 in Vilcabamba.

Manta $1,157
Vilcabamba $1,435

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,636 in Manta versus $1,903 in Vilcabamba.

Manta $1,636
Vilcabamba $1,903

Living in Manta costs roughly 30% less than in Vilcabamba, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Manta 50% lower, Vilcabamba 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.96 $2.96

$3.60 $3.60

-17.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 $52.2

$30.17 $30.17

73.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.39 $5.39

$8.16 $8.16

-33.95%

Cappuccino

$2.92 $2.92

$2.22 $2.22

31.53%

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

$0.52 $0.52

$0.99 $0.99

-47.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 $0.38

$1.06 $1.06

-64.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 $2.97

$2.02 $2.02

47.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.58 $3.58

3.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.01 $1.01

1.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.54 $1.54

24.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.52 $1.52

-35.53%

Eggs

$2.13 $2.13

$2.50 $2.50

-14.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.98 $2.98

$8.16 $8.16

-63.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.98 $2.98

$5.28 $5.28

-43.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.83 $6.83

$7.20 $7.20

-5.14%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.71 $1.71

-43.27%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.06 $1.06

-26.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.71 $0.71

$1.18 $1.18

-39.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.08 $1.08

-27.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.52 $0.52

$0.91 $0.91

-42.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 $0.48

$1.00 $1.00

-52.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 $0.69

$0.74 $0.74

-6.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.03 $1.03

-3.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 $4.08

$5.11 $5.11

-20.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.89 $6.89

$11.10 $11.10

-37.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.64 $1.64

-37.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.74 $2.74

-19.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 $0.50

$0.34 $0.34

47.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.13 $19.13

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.31 $1.31

29.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 $1.74

$0.99 $0.99

75.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.27 $9.27

$10.16 $10.16

-8.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 $0.72

$0.65 $0.65

10.77%

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

$20.7K $20.7K

$21.3K $21.3K

-2.99%

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

$30.8K $30.8K

$28.6K $28.6K

7.57%

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

$97.1 $97.1

$39.15 $39.15

148.10%

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

$11.13 $11.13

$13.28 $13.28

-16.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.84 $25.84

$36.25 $36.25

-28.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.23 $20.23

$30.43 $30.43

-33.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

$18.73 $18.73

84.62%

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 $4.89

$6.71 $6.71

-27.12%

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

$369 $369

$212 $212

74.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,783 $5,783

$5,076 $5,076

13.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.2 $55.2

$54.5 $54.5

1.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.87 $40.87

$41.74 $41.74

-2.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$102 $102

-1.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.8 $61.8

$71.6 $71.6

-13.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$303 $303

$387 $387

-21.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$141 $141

$387 $387

-63.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$917 $917

$634 $634

44.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$334 $334

$581 $581

-42.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,199 $1,199

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$782 $782

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$474 $474

$462 $462

2.55%

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 10, 2026

Last update for Vilcabamba: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Manta

$143 21.1%

Vilcabamba

$195 20.2% 36.4% $52

Accommodation & Living

Manta

$141 20.9%

Vilcabamba

$387 40% 174% $245

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Manta

$134 19.8%

Vilcabamba

$89 9.2% 33.9% $45

Clothing & Footwear

Manta

$116 17.2%

Vilcabamba

$121 12.6% 4.4% $5.1

Eating Out

Manta

$101 14.9%

Vilcabamba

$105 10.9% 4.5% $4.6

Sport & Entertainment

Manta

$30 4.4%

Vilcabamba

$44 4.5% 46.1% $14

Getting Around

Manta

$12 * 1.8%

Vilcabamba

$27 2.8% 117% $14

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 $303 in Manta and $387 in Vilcabamba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Manta pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $52.0 in Manta vs $30.00 in Vilcabamba. Groceries flip the comparison at $143 vs $195, with Manta cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇪🇨 Manta

🇪🇨 Vilcabamba

🕒 Local time

07:56 7:56 AM

Same time as Manta

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

217,553

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Manta Vilcabamba 400 km

From you

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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 Vilcabamba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Manta is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 3% higher in Manta, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $303 in Manta versus $387 in Vilcabamba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $369 in Manta versus $212 in Vilcabamba. 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 $52.0 versus $30.00 in Vilcabamba. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Manta gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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.

Safety-wise, Manta and Vilcabamba are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Manta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Vilcabamba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.