Cost of Living Comparison Between Quito and Babahoyo Cost of Living Comparison Between Quito and Babahoyo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $941 in Quito versus $881 in Babahoyo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,434 in Quito versus $1,316 in Babahoyo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,927 in Quito versus $1,750 in Babahoyo.

Living in Quito is roughly 7% more expensive than in Babahoyo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Quito 30% lower, Babahoyo 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 $4.41

$3.46 $3.46

27.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.72 $32.72

$25.10 $25.10

30.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.59 $7.59

$6.89 $6.89

10.16%

Cappuccino

$2.81 $2.81

$2.43 $2.43

15.64%

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

$1.12 $1.12

$0.92 $0.92

21.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 $0.70

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 $1.96

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 $4.05

$3.53 $3.53

14.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.71 $1.71

-7.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.51 $1.51

17.22%

Eggs

$2.28 $2.28

$2.18 $2.18

4.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.51 $8.51

$6.12 $6.12

39.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.90 $7.90

$5.56 $5.56

42.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.99 $7.99

$6.19 $6.19

29.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.99 $1.99

2.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.06 $1.06

10.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.05 $1.05

2.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.09 $1.09

17.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 $1.37

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.03 $1.03

7.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 $0.78

$0.68 $0.68

14.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.06 $1.06

-3.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.91 $5.91

$5.82 $5.82

1.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.67 $8.67

$8.89 $8.89

-2.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.52 $1.52

4.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 $2.88

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 $0.34

$0.33 $0.33

3.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.22 $27.22

$24.42 $24.42

11.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.22 $1.22

23.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.01 $1.01

51.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.05 $10.05

$9.81 $9.81

2.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 $0.70

$0.63 $0.63

11.11%

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

$20.4K $20.4K

$19.9K $19.9K

2.37%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$28.7K $28.7K

-10.79%

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

$34.65 $34.65

$37.22 $37.22

-6.90%

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

$14.08 $14.08

$13.75 $13.75

2.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.37 $29.37

$30.27 $30.27

-2.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.72 $41.72

$29.65 $29.65

40.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.60 $16.60

$14.79 $14.79

12.24%

Cinema Ticket

$7.14 $7.14

$7.15 $7.15

-0.14%

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

$279 $279

$259 $259

7.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,502 $8,502

$5,762 $5,762

47.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 $57.8

$55.4 $55.4

4.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.11 $43.11

$42.48 $42.48

1.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$98.9 $98.9

2.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.0 $86.0

$67.0 $67.0

28.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$446 $446

$337 $337

32.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$312 $312

$320 $320

-2.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$758 $758

$629 $629

20.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$494 $494

$496 $496

-0.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,740 $1,740

$1,138 $1,138

52.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$739 $739

$859 $859

-14.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 $592

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.19

10.6

5.57%

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

Last update for Quito: July 13, 2026

Last update for Babahoyo: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $446 in Quito and $337 in Babahoyo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Quito vs $25.00 in Babahoyo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $213 vs $186 per month, with Babahoyo cheaper across the board.

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

Quito vs Babahoyo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Babahoyo wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Quito. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Babahoyo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,412 in Quito and $1,321 in Babahoyo to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $446 in Quito versus $337 in Babahoyo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $279 in Quito versus $259 in Babahoyo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Quito. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $881 in Babahoyo versus $941 in Quito, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Babahoyo but tight or insufficient in Quito. The gap between the two cities makes Babahoyo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Babahoyo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $881 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Babahoyo hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Babahoyo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Quito. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.