Cost of Living Comparison Between Portoviejo and Quito Cost of Living Comparison Between Portoviejo and Quito

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $802 in Portoviejo versus $981 in Quito.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,361 in Portoviejo versus $1,579 in Quito.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,919 in Portoviejo versus $2,178 in Quito.

Living in Portoviejo costs roughly 18% less than in Quito, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Portoviejo 42% lower, Quito 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.90 $3.90

$4.90 $4.90

-20.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.9 $52.9

$55.1 $55.1

-4.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.75 $8.75

$7.70 $7.70

13.64%

Cappuccino

$2.78 $2.78

$3.44 $3.44

-19.19%

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

$0.84 $0.84

$1.44 $1.44

-41.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 $0.65

$1.14 $1.14

-42.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 $2.92

$3.44 $3.44

-15.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 $4.48

$5.62 $5.62

-20.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.14 $1.14

6.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.58 $1.58

22.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.56 $1.56

-7.05%

Eggs

$2.14 $2.14

$2.16 $2.16

-0.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.85 $6.85

$6.32 $6.32

8.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$5.49 $5.49

-6.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.34 $9.34

$7.61 $7.61

22.73%

Apples (1kg)

$1.48 $1.48

$2.33 $2.33

-36.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.18 $1.18

-2.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.33 $1.33

-24.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.09 $1.09

-11.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.19 $1.19

2.52%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.07 $1.07

-13.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 $0.87

$0.85 $0.85

2.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.03 $1.03

-0.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.02 $6.02

$6.03 $6.03

-0.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.09 $12.09

$9.92 $9.92

21.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.51 $1.51

-1.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$3.18 $3.18

-33.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 $0.34

$0.33 $0.33

3.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.83 $20.83

$21.41 $21.41

-2.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.47 $1.47

-17.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.53 $1.53

15.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.09 $12.09

$10.07 $10.07

20.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$0.80 $0.80

3.75%

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

$20.8K $20.8K

$21.0K $21.0K

-0.87%

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

$31.2K $31.2K

$28.0K $28.0K

11.18%

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

$35.97 $35.97

$28.09 $28.09

28.05%

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

$14.72 $14.72

$17.68 $17.68

-16.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.18 $25.18

$28.57 $28.57

-11.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.94 $29.94

$45.71 $45.71

-34.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.42 $16.42

$18.28 $18.28

-10.18%

Cinema Ticket

$7.51 $7.51

$6.69 $6.69

12.26%

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

$397 $397

$749 $749

-47.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,140 $6,140

$9,098 $9,098

-32.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.3 $66.3

$64.5 $64.5

2.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.73 $40.73

$49.34 $49.34

-17.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 $125

$114 $114

10.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.7 $93.7

$107 $107

-12.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$295 $295

$485 $485

-39.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$189 $189

$312 $312

-39.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$685 $685

$949 $949

-27.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 $411

$551 $551

-25.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,194 $1,194

$1,787 $1,787

-33.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$791 $791

$705 $705

12.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$322 $322

$595 $595

-45.82%

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 Portoviejo: September 8, 2026

Last update for Quito: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $295 in Portoviejo and $485 in Quito. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Quito pays 85% 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: $53.0 in Portoviejo vs $55.0 in Quito. Groceries flip the comparison at $200 vs $196, with Quito cheaper for home cooking.

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

Portoviejo vs Quito: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Portoviejo wins on cost – living expenses run 22% lower than in Quito. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Portoviejo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 85% lower in Quito. 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: $295 in Portoviejo versus $485 in Quito. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Quito pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Portoviejo – a meal for two runs $53.0 versus $55.0 in Quito. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $802 in Portoviejo versus $981 in Quito, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Portoviejo but tight or insufficient in Quito. The gap between the two cities makes Portoviejo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Portoviejo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $802 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Portoviejo hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Portoviejo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Quito. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.