Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto Ayora and Guayaquil

For one person, living is cheaper in Puerto Ayora: $841 a month against $1,235 in Guayaquil, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Puerto Ayora, Ecuador
Guayaquil, Ecuador
Puerto Ayora
🇪🇨 Ecuador
$841
/mo nomad
Guayaquil
🇪🇨 Ecuador
$1,235
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $841 per month in Puerto Ayora vs $1,235 in Guayaquil, rent included.

  • Puerto Ayora $841
  • Guayaquil $1,235

A couple spends around $1,370 per month in Puerto Ayora vs $1,918 in Guayaquil, rent included.

  • Puerto Ayora $1,370
  • Guayaquil $1,918

A family of three spends $1,898 per month in Puerto Ayora vs $2,600 in Guayaquil, rent included.

  • Puerto Ayora $1,898
  • Guayaquil $2,600

Puerto Ayora is about 32% cheaper than Guayaquil, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Puerto Ayora and Guayaquil are more affordable than the global median – Puerto Ayora 38% lower, Guayaquil 9% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Puerto Ayora
Guayaquil
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.66 $3.66
$3.91 $3.91
-6.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.00 $42.00
$53.3 $53.3
-21.22%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.51 $7.51
$8.76 $8.76
-14.27%
Cappuccino
$2.75 $2.75
$2.82 $2.82
-2.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88 $0.88
$0.94 $0.94
-6.38%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74 $0.74
$0.68 $0.68
8.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.55 $2.55
$3.03 $3.03
-15.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.84 $3.84
$4.35 $4.35
-11.72%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Puerto Ayora
Guayaquil
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.07 $1.07
$1.22 $1.22
-12.30%
White Bread (500g)
$1.74 $1.74
$1.93 $1.93
-9.84%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.52 $1.52
$1.45 $1.45
4.83%
Eggs
$2.13 $2.13
$2.06 $2.06
3.40%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.51 $6.51
$7.02 $7.02
-7.26%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.35 $5.35
$5.23 $5.23
2.29%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.29 $7.29
$9.29 $9.29
-21.53%
Apples (1kg)
$1.81 $1.81
$1.48 $1.48
22.30%
Banana (1kg)
$1.09 $1.09
$1.15 $1.15
-5.22%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.23 $1.23
$0.98 $0.98
25.51%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.12 $1.12
$0.90 $0.90
24.44%
Potato (1kg)
$1.20 $1.20
$1.23 $1.23
-2.44%
Onion (1kg)
$1.06 $1.06
$0.93 $0.93
13.98%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.70 $0.70
$0.81 $0.81
-13.58%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.03 $1.03
$0.97 $0.97
6.19%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.15 $5.15
$5.90 $5.90
-12.71%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.02 $8.02
$12.15 $12.15
-33.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.54 $1.54
$1.56 $1.56
-1.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.05 $3.05
$2.15 $2.15
41.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Puerto Ayora
Guayaquil
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.34 $0.34
$0.34 $0.34
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$20.71 $20.71
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.40 $1.40
$2.72 $2.72
-48.53%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.29 $1.29
$1.72 $1.72
-25.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.18 $10.18
$12.07 $12.07
-15.66%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.70 $0.70
$0.84 $0.84
-16.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.9K $20.9K
$23.1K $23.1K
-9.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.6K $34.6K
$30.8K $30.8K
12.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Puerto Ayora
Guayaquil
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$34.00 $34.00
$128 $128
-73.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.45 $11.45
$14.99 $14.99
-23.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.26 $26.26
$25.69 $25.69
2.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Puerto Ayora
Guayaquil
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.96 $31.96
$44.63 $44.63
-28.39%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.85 $17.85
$26.98 $26.98
-33.84%
Cinema Ticket
$7.08 $7.08
$7.55 $7.55
-6.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Puerto Ayora
Guayaquil
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$327 $327
$370 $370
-11.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,955 $4,955
$5,607 $5,607
-11.63%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Puerto Ayora
Guayaquil
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.9 $54.9
$64.1 $64.1
-14.48%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.38 $45.38
$40.54 $40.54
11.94%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$111 $111
$126 $126
-11.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.8 $79.8
$93.4 $93.4
-14.50%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Puerto Ayora
Guayaquil
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$475 $475
$656 $656
-27.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$283 $283
$505 $505
-43.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$697 $697
$1,001 $1,001
-30.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$545 $545
$929 $929
-41.39%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,039 $2,039
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,205 $1,205
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Puerto Ayora
Guayaquil
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$808 $808
$622 $622
29.92%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.09
10.05
0.40%

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

Last update for Puerto Ayora: October 25, 2026

Last update for Guayaquil: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Puerto Ayora
$283
Guayaquil
$505 78.1% $221
Groceries & Markets
Puerto Ayora
$188
Guayaquil
$200 6.7% $13
Clothing & Footwear
Puerto Ayora
$131
Guayaquil
$146 11.3% $15
Eating Out
Puerto Ayora
$112
Guayaquil
$122 8.9% $10
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Puerto Ayora
$72
Guayaquil
$169 136% $97
Sport & Entertainment
Puerto Ayora
$46
Guayaquil
$60 29.5% $14
Getting Around
Puerto Ayora
$9.2 *
Guayaquil
$33 263% $24

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Puerto Ayora 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 Puerto Ayora, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42 in Puerto Ayora versus $53 in Guayaquil. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $200 – making Puerto Ayora the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇪🇨 Puerto Ayora
🇪🇨 Guayaquil
🕒 Local time
16:17 4:17 PM
17:17 5:17 PM
1 h ahead of Puerto Ayora
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
12,696
3,500,000
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Puerto Ayora Guayaquil 1,150 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Puerto Ayora
  • Guayaquil

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
Puerto Ayora vs Guayaquil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Puerto Ayora cheaper than Guayaquil?
Yes – Guayaquil is pricier by about 47%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,262 per month in Puerto Ayora and $1,852 in Guayaquil. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Puerto Ayora, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $475 there versus $656 in Guayaquil.
Is eating out cheaper in Puerto Ayora or in Guayaquil?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $42 in Puerto Ayora and $53 in Guayaquil. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Puerto Ayora and in Guayaquil?
Groceries cost about 7% more in Guayaquil, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $1,200 a realistic budget for living in Puerto Ayora or in Guayaquil?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Puerto Ayora, where all-in costs run around $841, than in Guayaquil at $1,235. In Puerto Ayora it covers expenses comfortably, while in Guayaquil it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Puerto Ayora or Guayaquil more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Puerto Ayora – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Puerto Ayora vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?