Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Quito and Machala

For one person, living is cheaper in Machala: $655 a month against $1,014 in Quito, rent and utilities included – about $4,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

49

Cost of Living Index in Quito
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Quito Living Index
31

Cost of Living Index in Machala
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Machala Living Index

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Quito

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$1,014

/mo nomad

Machala

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$655

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Quito and in Machala

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 Machala actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,014 in Quito versus $655 in Machala.

Quito $1,014
Machala $655

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,641 in Quito versus $1,044 in Machala.

Quito $1,641
Machala $1,044

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,269 in Quito versus $1,433 in Machala.

Quito $2,269
Machala $1,433

Living in Quito is roughly 55% more expensive than in Machala, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Quito 25% lower, Machala 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.55 $5.55

$2.80 $2.80

98.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.6 $54.6

$24.64 $24.64

121.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.63 $7.63

$5.27 $5.27

44.78%

Cappuccino

$3.33 $3.33

$2.71 $2.71

22.88%

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

$1.36 $1.36

$0.91 $0.91

49.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.68 $0.68

67.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.69 $3.69

$1.95 $1.95

89.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.16 $6.16

$3.85 $3.85

60.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.10 $1.10

4.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.05 $1.05

53.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$0.94 $0.94

60.64%

Eggs

$2.15 $2.15

$1.45 $1.45

48.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.47 $6.47

$3.34 $3.34

93.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.33 $5.33

$4.20 $4.20

26.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.77 $7.77

$4.78 $4.78

62.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.47 $1.47

51.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 $1.24

$0.64 $0.64

93.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.72 $0.72

76.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 $1.08

$0.53 $0.53

103.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 $1.24

$0.38 $0.38

226.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 $1.06

$0.52 $0.52

103.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 $0.91

$0.39 $0.39

133.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 $0.98

$0.95 $0.95

3.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.95 $5.95

$4.31 $4.31

38.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.35 $8.35

$7.72 $7.72

8.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.49 $1.49

2.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 $3.20

$2.21 $2.21

44.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 $0.33

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.42 $21.42

$22.17 $22.17

-3.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.47 $1.47

4.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.48 $1.48

3.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.01 $10.01

$7.89 $7.89

26.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$0.64 $0.64

32.81%

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

$22.7K $22.7K

$18.1K $18.1K

25.75%

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

$29.6K $29.6K

$21.9K $21.9K

35.09%

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

$28.99 $28.99

$52.2 $52.2

-44.43%

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

$17.94 $17.94

$14.95 $14.95

20.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.85 $28.85

$26.06 $26.06

10.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.09 $45.09

$43.32 $43.32

4.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.78 $17.78

$30.54 $30.54

-41.78%

Cinema Ticket

$6.75 $6.75

$5.03 $5.03

34.19%

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

$743 $743

$135 $135

451.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,223 $8,223

$9,038 $9,038

-9.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.8 $69.8

$66.5 $66.5

4.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.3 $50.3

$40.79 $40.79

23.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 $113

$79.8 $79.8

41.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 $107

$67.8 $67.8

57.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$542 $542

$192 $192

182.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$354 $354

$131 $131

169.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,141 $1,141

$354 $354

222.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$638 $638

$262 $262

143.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,636 $1,636

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$663 $663

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$603 $603

$454 $454

32.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.12

102.40%

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

Last update for Quito: November 2, 2026

Last update for Machala: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Quito

$354 34.9%

Machala

$131 20.1% 62.9% $223

Groceries & Markets

Quito

$193 19%

Machala

$136 20.7% 29.6% $57

Clothing & Footwear

Quito

$153 15.1%

Machala

$115 17.5% 25% $38

Eating Out

Quito

$148 14.6%

Machala

$95 14.4% 36.1% $54

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Quito

$76 7.5%

Machala

$93 14.2% 22.9% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Quito

$59 5.8%

Machala

$53 8.2% 8.9% $5.2

Getting Around

Quito

$32 3.2%

Machala

$32 4.9% 1.3% $0.4

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $542 in Quito and $192 in Machala. 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 in Quito vs $25 in Machala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $136 per month, with Machala cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇪🇨 Quito

🇪🇨 Machala

🕒 Local time

22:22 10:22 PM

Same time as Quito

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,671,191 Capital

231,260

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.894 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Quito Machala 370 km

From you

Quito
Machala

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Machala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Machala is about 35% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. That difference 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: $542 in Quito versus $192 in Machala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Machala – a meal for two runs $25 versus $55 in Quito. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $1,014 per month in Quito versus $655 in Machala – Machala is about 35% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

At $655 in Machala versus $1,014 in Quito, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Machala but tight or insufficient in Quito. The gap between the two cities makes Machala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

It comes down to priorities – Machala wins on affordability, Quito on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.