Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tena and Guayaquil

For one person, living is cheaper in Tena: $891 a month against $1,281 in Guayaquil, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Tena, Ecuador
Guayaquil, Ecuador
Tena
🇪🇨 Ecuador
$891
/mo nomad
Guayaquil
🇪🇨 Ecuador
$1,281
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $891 per month in Tena vs $1,281 in Guayaquil, rent included.

  • Tena $891
  • Guayaquil $1,281

A couple spends around $1,475 per month in Tena vs $1,944 in Guayaquil, rent included.

  • Tena $1,475
  • Guayaquil $1,944

A family of three spends $2,060 per month in Tena vs $2,607 in Guayaquil, rent included.

  • Tena $2,060
  • Guayaquil $2,607

Tena is about 30% cheaper than Guayaquil, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Tena and Guayaquil are more affordable than the global median – Tena 34% lower, Guayaquil 5% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tena
Guayaquil
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.63 $5.63
$4.10 $4.10
37.32%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$54.8 $54.8
$50.2 $50.2
9.10%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.58 $7.58
$8.92 $8.92
-15.02%
Cappuccino
$3.34 $3.34
$2.72 $2.72
22.79%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43 $1.43
$0.84 $0.84
70.24%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.05 $1.05
$0.64 $0.64
64.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.43 $3.43
$3.02 $3.02
13.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.12 $6.12
$4.35 $4.35
40.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tena
Guayaquil
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.14 $1.14
$1.17 $1.17
-2.56%
White Bread (500g)
$1.60 $1.60
$2.01 $2.01
-20.40%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 $1.51
$1.45 $1.45
4.14%
Eggs
$2.08 $2.08
$2.06 $2.06
0.97%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.51 $6.51
$6.78 $6.78
-3.98%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.42 $5.42
$5.10 $5.10
6.27%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.67 $7.67
$9.45 $9.45
-18.84%
Apples (1kg)
$2.33 $2.33
$1.53 $1.53
52.29%
Banana (1kg)
$1.22 $1.22
$1.18 $1.18
3.39%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.27 $1.27
$0.98 $0.98
29.59%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.13 $1.13
$0.95 $0.95
18.95%
Potato (1kg)
$1.19 $1.19
$1.28 $1.28
-7.03%
Onion (1kg)
$1.08 $1.08
$0.91 $0.91
18.68%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.87 $0.87
$0.83 $0.83
4.82%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.00 $1.00
$0.94 $0.94
6.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.93 $5.93
$5.87 $5.87
1.02%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.27 $8.27
$12.21 $12.21
-32.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 $1.58
$1.54 $1.54
2.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10 $3.10
$2.20 $2.20
40.91%
🚌 Getting Around
Tena
Guayaquil
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.33 $0.33
$0.36 $0.36
-8.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$26.28 $26.28
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.53 $1.53
$2.82 $2.82
-45.74%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.75 $0.75
$1.53 $1.53
-50.98%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$9.91 $9.91
$12.06 $12.06
-17.83%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.86 $0.86
$0.80 $0.80
7.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.4K $23.4K
$22.7K $22.7K
3.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.1K $30.1K
$30.7K $30.7K
-2.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tena
Guayaquil
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$28.50 $28.50
$130 $130
-78.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.84 $17.84
$14.70 $14.70
21.36%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.34 $28.34
$25.68 $25.68
10.36%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tena
Guayaquil
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$29.89 $29.89
$44.56 $44.56
-32.92%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.69 $16.69
$27.30 $27.30
-38.86%
Cinema Ticket
$6.50 $6.50
$7.52 $7.52
-13.56%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tena
Guayaquil
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$729 $729
$368 $368
98.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,064 $9,064
$9,002 $9,002
0.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tena
Guayaquil
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$71.3 $71.3
$65.8 $65.8
8.38%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.4 $50.4
$39.98 $39.98
26.06%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$116 $116
$125 $125
-7.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109 $109
$93.4 $93.4
16.98%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tena
Guayaquil
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$422 $422
$653 $653
-35.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$270 $270
$545 $545
-50.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$802 $802
$976 $976
-17.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$507 $507
$940 $940
-46.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,009 $2,009
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,201 $1,201
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tena
Guayaquil
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$613 $613
-
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 Tena: November 3, 2026

Last update for Guayaquil: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Tena
$270
Guayaquil
$545 102% $274
Groceries & Markets
Tena
$193
Guayaquil
$200 3.8% $7.2
Clothing & Footwear
Tena
$156
Guayaquil
$146 6.6% $10
Eating Out
Tena
$147
Guayaquil
$122 17.1% $25
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tena
$75
Guayaquil
$171 129% $96
Sport & Entertainment
Tena
$43
Guayaquil
$60 39% $17
Getting Around
Tena
$6.6 *
Guayaquil
$38 477% $32

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $422 in Tena versus $653 in Guayaquil. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55 in Tena versus $50 in Guayaquil. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Tena vs $200 in Guayaquil – so Tena wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇪🇨 Tena
🇪🇨 Guayaquil
🕒 Local time
13:56 1:56 PM
13:56 1:56 PM
Same time as Tena
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
16,669
3,500,000
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.893 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Tena Guayaquil 290 km
From you
  • Tena
  • Guayaquil

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
Tena vs Guayaquil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tena cheaper than Guayaquil?
Yes – Guayaquil is pricier by about 44%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,336 per month in Tena and $1,922 in Guayaquil. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Tena, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $422 there versus $653 in Guayaquil.
Is eating out cheaper in Tena or in Guayaquil?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $55 in Tena and $50 in Guayaquil. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Tena and in Guayaquil?
Groceries cost about 4% more in Guayaquil, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Tena or in Guayaquil?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tena, where all-in costs run around $891, than in Guayaquil at $1,281. In Tena it covers expenses comfortably, while in Guayaquil it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Tena or in Guayaquil?
It depends on your priorities. Guayaquil has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $891 in Tena to $1,281 in Guayaquil. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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