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: $942 in Portoviejo versus $941 in Quito.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,460 in Portoviejo versus $1,434 in Quito.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,978 in Portoviejo versus $1,927 in Quito.

Monthly costs are close between Portoviejo and Quito; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Portoviejo 29% lower, Quito 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 $3.44

$4.41 $4.41

-22.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.96 $46.96

$32.72 $32.72

43.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.21 $8.21

$7.59 $7.59

8.17%

Cappuccino

$2.49 $2.49

$2.81 $2.81

-11.39%

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

$0.86 $0.86

$1.12 $1.12

-23.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 $0.63

$0.70 $0.70

-10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.07 $3.07

$1.96 $1.96

56.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 $4.51

$4.05 $4.05

11.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.11 $1.11

0.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.58 $1.58

8.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.77 $1.77

0.56%

Eggs

$2.60 $2.60

$2.28 $2.28

14.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.97 $5.97

$8.51 $8.51

-29.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$7.90 $7.90

-34.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$7.99 $7.99

-19.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.03 $2.03

4.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.17 $1.17

-6.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.08 $1.08

-2.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.28 $1.28

-18.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.37 $1.37

36.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.11 $1.11

25.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 $0.70

$0.78 $0.78

-10.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.02 $1.02

-3.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.09 $6.09

$5.91 $5.91

3.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.78 $11.78

$8.67 $8.67

35.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.59 $1.59

3.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.88 $2.88

-25.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 $0.34

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.89 $23.89

$27.22 $27.22

-12.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.51 $1.51

78.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.53 $1.53

-35.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.86 $9.86

$10.05 $10.05

-1.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.68 $0.68

$0.70 $0.70

-2.86%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$20.4K $20.4K

25.14%

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

$29.0K $29.0K

$25.6K $25.6K

13.31%

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

$37.07 $37.07

$34.65 $34.65

6.98%

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

$13.60 $13.60

$14.08 $14.08

-3.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.36 $31.36

$29.37 $29.37

6.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.41 $30.41

$41.72 $41.72

-27.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.40 $14.40

$16.60 $16.60

-13.25%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 $7.85

$7.14 $7.14

9.94%

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

$310 $310

$279 $279

10.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,880 $5,880

$8,502 $8,502

-30.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.1 $52.1

$57.8 $57.8

-9.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.80 $43.80

$43.11 $43.11

1.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$101 $101

1.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$86.0 $86.0

30.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$346 $346

$446 $446

-22.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$320 $320

$312 $312

2.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$630 $630

$758 $758

-16.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 $491

$494 $494

-0.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,192 $1,192

$1,740 $1,740

-31.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$799 $799

$739 $739

8.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$325 $325

$592 $592

-45.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.35

11.19

-16.44%

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

Last update for Portoviejo: July 11, 2026

Last update for Quito: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $346 in Portoviejo and $446 in Quito. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Quito pays 82% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $47.00 in Portoviejo vs $33.00 in Quito. Groceries flip the comparison at $194 vs $213, with Portoviejo 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

On paper, salaries run 82% 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: $346 in Portoviejo versus $446 in Quito. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Quito runs roughly 14% less than in Portoviejo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Shoppers in Portoviejo pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $941 in Quito versus $942 in Portoviejo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Quito but tight or insufficient in Portoviejo. The gap between the two cities makes Quito the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Quito delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $941 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Quito hard to pass up.

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