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: $981 in Quito versus $809 in Esmeraldas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,579 in Quito versus $1,385 in Esmeraldas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,178 in Quito versus $1,960 in Esmeraldas.

Living in Quito is roughly 21% more expensive than in Esmeraldas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Quito 29% lower, Esmeraldas 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.90 $4.90

$4.10 $4.10

19.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.1 $55.1

$52.3 $52.3

5.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.70 $7.70

$4.05 $4.05

90.12%

Cappuccino

$3.44 $3.44

$3.43 $3.43

0.29%

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

$1.44 $1.44

$0.52 $0.52

176.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.52 $0.52

119.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.44 $3.44

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.62 $5.62

$4.89 $4.89

14.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.97 $0.97

17.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.60 $1.60

-1.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.52 $1.52

2.63%

Eggs

$2.16 $2.16

$1.46 $1.46

47.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.32 $6.32

$6.60 $6.60

-4.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.49 $5.49

$5.58 $5.58

-1.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.61 $7.61

$7.81 $7.81

-2.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.33 $2.33

$2.29 $2.29

1.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 $1.18

$1.19 $1.19

-0.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.32 $1.32

0.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.13 $1.13

-3.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 $1.19

$1.20 $1.20

-0.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 $1.07

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 $0.85

$0.52 $0.52

63.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.07 $1.07

-3.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.03 $6.03

$5.83 $5.83

3.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.92 $9.92

$9.96 $9.96

-0.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.58 $1.58

-4.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.06 $3.06

3.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 $0.33

$0.37 $0.37

-10.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.41 $21.41

$20.13 $20.13

6.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.54 $1.54

-4.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.27 $1.27

20.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.07 $10.07

$10.09 $10.09

-0.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$0.81 $0.81

-1.23%

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

$21.0K $21.0K

$20.6K $20.6K

1.65%

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

$28.0K $28.0K

$28.6K $28.6K

-1.80%

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

$28.09 $28.09

$29.05 $29.05

-3.30%

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

$17.68 $17.68

$17.78 $17.78

-0.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.57 $28.57

$28.18 $28.18

1.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 $45.71

$29.60 $29.60

54.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.28 $18.28

$16.35 $16.35

11.80%

Cinema Ticket

$6.69 $6.69

$6.78 $6.78

-1.33%

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

$749 $749

$221 $221

238.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,098 $9,098

$9,094 $9,094

0.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.5 $64.5

0.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.34 $49.34

$49.13 $49.13

0.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 $114

$116 $116

-1.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 $107

$110 $110

-2.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 $485

$305 $305

58.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$312 $312

$185 $185

69.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$949 $949

$671 $671

41.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$551 $551

$421 $421

31.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,787 $1,787

$1,171 $1,171

52.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$705 $705

$782 $782

-9.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 $595

$449 $449

32.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.12

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

Last update for Quito: September 5, 2026

Last update for Esmeraldas: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $485 in Quito and $305 in Esmeraldas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Quito pays 33% 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: $55.0 in Quito vs $52.0 in Esmeraldas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $196 vs $193 per month, with Esmeraldas 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 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 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 33% 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: $485 in Quito versus $305 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 $52.0 versus $55.0 in Quito. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $809 in Esmeraldas versus $981 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 21% less than in Quito. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.