Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Quito and Guayaquil

For one person, living is cheaper in Quito: $978 a month against $1,136 in Guayaquil, rent and utilities included – about $1,900 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Guayaquil outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

48

Cost of Living Index in Quito
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Quito Living Index
55

Cost of Living Index in Guayaquil
Learn more

Guayaquil Living Index

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Quito

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$978

/mo nomad

Guayaquil

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$1,136

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $978 per month in Quito vs $1,136 in Guayaquil, rent included.

Quito $978
Guayaquil $1,136

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Quito vs $1,775 in Guayaquil, rent included.

Quito $1,586
Guayaquil $1,775

A family of three spends $2,194 per month in Quito vs $2,413 in Guayaquil, rent included.

Quito $2,194
Guayaquil $2,413

Quito is about 14% cheaper than Guayaquil, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Quito and Guayaquil are more affordable than the global median – Quito 28% lower, Guayaquil 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.08 $6.08

$3.94 $3.94

54.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.5 $55.5

$52.6 $52.6

5.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.61 $7.61

$9.15 $9.15

-16.83%

Cappuccino

$3.40 $3.40

$2.82 $2.82

20.57%

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

$1.37 $1.37

$0.91 $0.91

50.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 $1.09

$0.74 $0.74

47.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 $3.43

$3.05 $3.05

12.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.06 $6.06

$4.15 $4.15

46.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.16 $1.16

-1.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.98 $1.98

-19.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.47 $1.47

7.48%

Eggs

$2.12 $2.12

$2.07 $2.07

2.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.58 $6.58

$7.02 $7.02

-6.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$5.18 $5.18

6.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.65 $7.65

$9.26 $9.26

-17.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.48 $1.48

51.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 $1.19

$1.14 $1.14

4.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 $1.33

$0.98 $0.98

35.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 $1.13

$0.94 $0.94

20.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.22 $1.22

1.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 $1.02

$0.98 $0.98

4.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 $0.92

$0.88 $0.88

4.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 $1.05

$0.94 $0.94

11.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.16 $6.16

$5.91 $5.91

4.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.07 $10.07

$12.19 $12.19

-17.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.55 $1.55

1.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.19 $2.19

41.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 $0.36

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.37 $21.37

$19.61 $19.61

8.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.77 $2.77

-44.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.80 $1.80

-17.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.84 $9.84

$12.16 $12.16

-19.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$0.88 $0.88

-7.95%

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

$21.3K $21.3K

$21.1K $21.1K

0.57%

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

$27.9K $27.9K

$31.3K $31.3K

-10.89%

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

$28.75 $28.75

$131 $131

-78.02%

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

$17.86 $17.86

$14.76 $14.76

21.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.20 $28.20

$26.25 $26.25

7.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.08 $46.08

$46.30 $46.30

-0.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.76 $17.76

$26.54 $26.54

-33.08%

Cinema Ticket

$6.34 $6.34

$7.29 $7.29

-13.03%

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

$739 $739

$378 $378

95.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,909 $8,909

$5,590 $5,590

59.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.0 $71.0

$66.2 $66.2

7.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.4 $50.4

$41.10 $41.10

22.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 $114

$124 $124

-7.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 $107

$93.8 $93.8

14.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$491 $491

$476 $476

3.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 $309

$401 $401

-23.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$932 $932

$800 $800

16.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$540 $540

$740 $740

-27.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,759 $1,759

$2,275 $2,275

-22.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$715 $715

$1,451 $1,451

-50.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$594 $594

$612 $612

-2.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.12

10.05

0.70%

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

Last update for Quito: October 10, 2026

Last update for Guayaquil: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Quito

$309 31.6%

Guayaquil

$401 35.3% 29.9% $92

Groceries & Markets

Quito

$198 20.3%

Guayaquil

$200 17.6% 1.1% $2.1

Clothing & Footwear

Quito

$154 15.8%

Guayaquil

$146 12.9% 5.3% $8.1

Eating Out

Quito

$151 15.5%

Guayaquil

$123 10.8% 18.8% $28

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Quito

$75 7.7%

Guayaquil

$172 15.1% 130% $97

Sport & Entertainment

Quito

$59 6%

Guayaquil

$61 5.4% 3.6% $2.1

Getting Around

Quito

$32 3.3%

Guayaquil

$33 2.9% 3.3% $1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $491 in Quito versus $476 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 3% higher in Guayaquil, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Quito versus $53.0 in Guayaquil. Groceries tell a different story – $198 in Quito vs $200 in Guayaquil – so Quito wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇪🇨 Quito

🇪🇨 Guayaquil

🕒 Local time

06:32 6:32 AM

Same time as Quito

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,671,191 Capital

3,500,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.889 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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 Guayaquil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Guayaquil is pricier by about 16%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,467 per month in Quito and $1,704 in Guayaquil. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Quito, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $739 per month in Quito and $378 in Guayaquil. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Guayaquil, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Quito, where all-in costs run around $978, than in Guayaquil at $1,136. In Quito it covers expenses comfortably, while in Guayaquil it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Quito – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Quito. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Guayaquil makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.