Cost of Living Comparison Between Quito and Esmeraldas Cost of Living Comparison Between Quito and Esmeraldas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $941 in Quito versus $925 in Esmeraldas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,434 in Quito versus $1,409 in Esmeraldas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,927 in Quito versus $1,892 in Esmeraldas.

Living in Quito is roughly 2% more expensive than in Esmeraldas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Quito 30% lower, Esmeraldas 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 $4.41

$3.96 $3.96

11.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.72 $32.72

$32.83 $32.83

-0.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.59 $7.59

$3.92 $3.92

93.62%

Cappuccino

$2.81 $2.81

$2.85 $2.85

-1.40%

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

$1.12 $1.12

$0.49 $0.49

128.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 $0.70

$0.48 $0.48

45.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.98 $1.98

-1.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.05 $4.05

$4.07 $4.07

-0.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.02 $1.02

8.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.51 $1.51

4.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.84 $1.84

-3.80%

Eggs

$2.28 $2.28

$1.48 $1.48

54.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.51 $8.51

$8.39 $8.39

1.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.90 $7.90

$8.06 $8.06

-1.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.99 $7.99

$7.98 $7.98

0.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.22 $1.22

-4.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.04 $1.04

3.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.34 $1.34

-4.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.39 $1.39

-1.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 $1.11

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 $0.78

$0.48 $0.48

62.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.06 $1.06

-3.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.91 $5.91

$5.90 $5.90

0.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.67 $8.67

$8.72 $8.72

-0.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.60 $1.60

-0.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.97 $2.97

-3.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 $0.34

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.22 $27.22

$24.33 $24.33

11.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.52 $1.52

-0.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.28 $1.28

19.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.05 $10.05

$9.96 $9.96

0.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 $0.70

$0.71 $0.71

-1.41%

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

$20.4K $20.4K

$20.0K $20.0K

1.83%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$25.1K $25.1K

1.82%

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

$34.65 $34.65

$34.69 $34.69

-0.12%

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

$14.08 $14.08

$14.19 $14.19

-0.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.37 $29.37

$28.90 $28.90

1.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.72 $41.72

$29.98 $29.98

39.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.60 $16.60

$14.86 $14.86

11.71%

Cinema Ticket

$7.14 $7.14

$6.83 $6.83

4.54%

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

$279 $279

$273 $273

2.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,502 $8,502

$8,530 $8,530

-0.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 $57.8

$57.2 $57.2

1.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.11 $43.11

$42.75 $42.75

0.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$103 $103

-1.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.0 $86.0

$86.9 $86.9

-1.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$446 $446

$342 $342

30.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$312 $312

$318 $318

-1.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$758 $758

$621 $621

22.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$494 $494

$504 $504

-1.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,740 $1,740

$1,309 $1,309

32.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$739 $739

$688 $688

7.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 $592

$453 $453

30.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.19

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

Last update for Quito: July 13, 2026

Last update for Esmeraldas: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $446 in Quito and $342 in Esmeraldas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Quito pays 31% 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: $33.00 in Quito vs $33.00 in Esmeraldas. Groceries flip the comparison at $213 vs $209, with Esmeraldas 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

Quito vs Esmeraldas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Esmeraldas is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 31% higher in Quito, 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: $446 in Quito versus $342 in Esmeraldas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Quito. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Esmeraldas – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $33.00 in Quito. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $925 in Esmeraldas versus $941 in Quito, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Esmeraldas but tight or insufficient in Quito. The gap between the two cities makes Esmeraldas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Esmeraldas is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Quito, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Esmeraldas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Quito. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.