Cost of Living Comparison Between St. Thomas and Cuenca Cost of Living Comparison Between St. Thomas and Cuenca

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,344 per month in St. Thomas vs $950 in Cuenca, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,407 per month in St. Thomas vs $1,422 in Cuenca, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,471 per month in St. Thomas vs $1,895 in Cuenca, rent included.

St. Thomas costs about 147% more than Cuenca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

St. Thomas sits 71% above the global median, while Cuenca is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.89 CA$30.19

$3.44 $3.44

536.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.2 CA$88.6

$30.33 $30.33

111.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 CA$15.71

$7.89 $7.89

44.36%

Cappuccino

$3.39 CA$4.68

$2.56 $2.56

32.42%

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

$2.22 CA$3.06

$0.69 $0.69

221.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 CA$2.15

$0.62 $0.62

151.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.13 CA$7.07

$2.03 $2.03

152.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.18 CA$8.53

$3.08 $3.08

100.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 CA$3.01

$1.05 $1.05

107.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.66 CA$3.67

$1.54 $1.54

72.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.86 CA$5.32

$1.80 $1.80

114.44%

Eggs

$3.30 CA$4.55

$2.20 $2.20

50.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.52 CA$13.13

$5.37 $5.37

77.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.10 CA$22.20

$5.48 $5.48

193.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.55 CA$26.96

$6.99 $6.99

179.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.92 CA$5.41

$1.91 $1.91

105.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 CA$1.83

$1.08 $1.08

23.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.68 CA$5.08

$1.65 $1.65

123.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 CA$5.52

$1.19 $1.19

236.13%

Potato (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.68

$1.54 $1.54

120.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.05

$1.02 $1.02

188.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.98 CA$4.11

$0.62 $0.62

380.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 CA$2.16

$1.08 $1.08

44.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.06 CA$15.25

$5.22 $5.22

111.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.58 CA$17.35

$10.04 $10.04

25.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 CA$3.46

$1.56 $1.56

60.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 CA$3.92

$3.32 $3.32

-14.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.50 CA$3.45

$0.30 $0.30

733.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.3 CA$98.4

$23.32 $23.32

205.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.49 CA$3.43

$0.99 $0.99

151.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 CA$2.36

$1.07 $1.07

59.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.91 CA$31.59

$11.16 $11.16

105.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 CA$1.58

$0.82 $0.82

40.24%

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

$28.1K CA$38.7K

$25.3K $25.3K

10.96%

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

$20.8K CA$28.7K

$29.9K $29.9K

-30.28%

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

$125 CA$173

$36.60 $36.60

241.86%

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

$44.17 CA$60.9

$12.17 $12.17

262.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.4 CA$77.8

$26.61 $26.61

112.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.00 CA$49.65

$28.88 $28.88

24.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.70 CA$25.78

$5.15 $5.15

263.11%

Cinema Ticket

$10.95 CA$15.10

$7.33 $7.33

49.39%

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

$424 CA$585

$217 $217

95.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K CA$24.1K

$6,919 $6,919

153.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 CA$73.8

$68.4 $68.4

-21.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.33 CA$51.5

$46.11 $46.11

-19.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.5 CA$114

$111 $111

-25.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 CA$126

$74.9 $74.9

21.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,187 CA$1,637

$468 $468

153.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 CA$1,494

$362 $362

199.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 CA$2,785

$664 $664

204.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,980 CA$2,731

$566 $566

249.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,287 CA$5,912

$1,248 $1,248

243.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,655 CA$5,041

$851 $851

329.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,073 CA$4,237

$563 $563

446.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.99

10.95

-54.43%

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

Last update for St. Thomas: August 30, 2026

Last update for Cuenca: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,187 in St. Thomas versus $468 in Cuenca. 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 446% higher in St. Thomas, 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 $64.0 in St. Thomas versus $30.00 in Cuenca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $397 vs $192 – making Cuenca the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

St. Thomas vs Cuenca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – St. Thomas is pricier by about 147%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,515 per month in St. Thomas and $1,425 in Cuenca. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64.0 in St. Thomas and $30.00 in Cuenca. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,344 in St. Thomas and $950 in Cuenca. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cuenca, where all-in costs run around $950, than in St. Thomas at $2,344. In Cuenca it covers expenses comfortably, while in St. Thomas it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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