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: $964 in Quito versus $926 in Esmeraldas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,468 in Quito versus $1,404 in Esmeraldas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,972 in Quito versus $1,882 in Esmeraldas.

Living in Quito is roughly 4% more expensive than Esmeraldas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Quito 28% lower, Esmeraldas 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.42 $4.42

$4.11 $4.11

7.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.14 $33.14

$33.33 $33.33

-0.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.35 $7.35

$4.01 $4.01

83.29%

Cappuccino

$2.90 $2.90

$2.88 $2.88

0.69%

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

$1.11 $1.11

$0.51 $0.51

117.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 $0.72

$0.48 $0.48

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.03 $2.03

-0.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 $3.97

$3.91 $3.91

1.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.03 $1.03

5.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.52 $1.52

-0.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.83 $1.83

1.64%

Eggs

$2.23 $2.23

$1.51 $1.51

47.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.85 $8.85

$8.57 $8.57

3.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.71 $7.71

$7.92 $7.92

-2.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.99 $7.99

$8.13 $8.13

-1.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.00 $2.00

1.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.17 $1.17

4.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.04 $1.04

-1.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.28 $1.28

3.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.40 $1.40

-0.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.07 $1.07

-1.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 $0.80

$0.48 $0.48

66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.02 $1.02

-0.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.92 $5.92

$6.18 $6.18

-4.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.22 $8.22

$8.06 $8.06

1.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 $1.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 $2.96

$3.00 $3.00

-1.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 $0.33

$0.34 $0.34

-2.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.47 $26.47

$23.51 $23.51

12.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.48 $1.48

0.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.26 $1.26

15.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.19 $10.19

$9.92 $9.92

2.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 $0.66

$0.72 $0.72

-8.33%

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

$19.9K $19.9K

$20.0K $20.0K

-0.48%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

0.06%

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

$34.15 $34.15

$34.09 $34.09

0.18%

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

$14.26 $14.26

$14.32 $14.32

-0.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.42 $29.42

$29.24 $29.24

0.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.02 $41.02

$30.41 $30.41

34.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.95 $16.95

$14.42 $14.42

17.55%

Cinema Ticket

$6.89 $6.89

$6.83 $6.83

0.88%

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

$278 $278

$280 $280

-0.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,696 $8,696

$8,785 $8,785

-1.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 $57.3

$56.4 $56.4

1.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.95 $42.95

$43.12 $43.12

-0.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$103 $103

-0.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.2 $87.2

$86.0 $86.0

1.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$448 $448

$344 $344

30.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$318 $318

$317 $317

0.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$767 $767

$629 $629

21.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$504 $504

$490 $490

2.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,692 $1,692

$1,151 $1,151

46.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$729 $729

$738 $738

-1.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$612 $612

$446 $446

37.41%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Esmeraldas: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $448 in Quito and $344 in Esmeraldas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Quito pays 37% 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 $212 vs $207, 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, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Quito pays 37% more on average, 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: $448 in Quito versus $344 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 $926 in Esmeraldas versus $964 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 4% less than in Quito. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.