Cost of Living Comparison Between Quito and Portoviejo Cost of Living Comparison Between Quito and Portoviejo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $981 in Quito versus $802 in Portoviejo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,579 in Quito versus $1,361 in Portoviejo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,178 in Quito versus $1,919 in Portoviejo.

Living in Quito is roughly 22% more expensive than in Portoviejo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Quito 29% lower, Portoviejo 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.90 $4.90

$3.90 $3.90

25.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.1 $55.1

$52.9 $52.9

4.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.70 $7.70

$8.75 $8.75

-12.00%

Cappuccino

$3.44 $3.44

$2.78 $2.78

23.74%

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

$1.44 $1.44

$0.84 $0.84

71.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.65 $0.65

75.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.44 $3.44

$2.92 $2.92

17.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.62 $5.62

$4.48 $4.48

25.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.21 $1.21

-5.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.93 $1.93

-18.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.45 $1.45

7.59%

Eggs

$2.16 $2.16

$2.14 $2.14

0.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.32 $6.32

$6.85 $6.85

-7.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.49 $5.49

$5.11 $5.11

7.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.61 $7.61

$9.34 $9.34

-18.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.33 $2.33

$1.48 $1.48

57.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 $1.18

$1.15 $1.15

2.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.01 $1.01

31.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 $1.09

$0.97 $0.97

12.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 $1.19

$1.22 $1.22

-2.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 $1.07

$0.93 $0.93

15.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 $0.85

$0.87 $0.87

-2.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.02 $1.02

0.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.03 $6.03

$6.02 $6.02

0.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.92 $9.92

$12.09 $12.09

-17.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.49 $1.49

1.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.13 $2.13

49.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 $0.33

$0.34 $0.34

-2.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.41 $21.41

$20.83 $20.83

2.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.22 $1.22

20.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.77 $1.77

-13.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.07 $10.07

$12.09 $12.09

-16.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$0.83 $0.83

-3.61%

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

$21.0K $21.0K

$20.8K $20.8K

0.88%

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

$28.0K $28.0K

$31.2K $31.2K

-10.06%

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

$28.09 $28.09

$35.97 $35.97

-21.91%

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

$17.68 $17.68

$14.72 $14.72

20.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.57 $28.57

$25.18 $25.18

13.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 $45.71

$29.94 $29.94

52.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.28 $18.28

$16.42 $16.42

11.33%

Cinema Ticket

$6.69 $6.69

$7.51 $7.51

-10.92%

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

$749 $749

$397 $397

88.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,098 $9,098

$6,140 $6,140

48.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.5 $64.5

$66.3 $66.3

-2.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.34 $49.34

$40.73 $40.73

21.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 $114

$125 $125

-9.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 $107

$93.7 $93.7

14.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 $485

$295 $295

64.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$312 $312

$189 $189

64.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$949 $949

$685 $685

38.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$551 $551

$411 $411

34.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,787 $1,787

$1,194 $1,194

49.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$705 $705

$791 $791

-10.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 $595

$322 $322

84.58%

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: September 5, 2026

Last update for Portoviejo: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $485 in Quito and $295 in Portoviejo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Quito pays 85% 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 $53.0 in Portoviejo. Groceries flip the comparison at $196 vs $200, with Quito 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 Portoviejo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Portoviejo wins on cost – living expenses run 22% lower than in Quito. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Portoviejo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 85% 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 $295 in Portoviejo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Quito pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Portoviejo – a meal for two runs $53.0 versus $55.0 in Quito. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $802 in Portoviejo versus $981 in Quito, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Portoviejo but tight or insufficient in Quito. The gap between the two cities makes Portoviejo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Portoviejo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $802 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Portoviejo hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Portoviejo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Quito. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.