Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Portoviejo

For one person, living is cheaper in Portoviejo: $879 a month against $2,683 in Vancouver, rent and utilities included – about $21,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Vancouver, Canada
Portoviejo, Ecuador
Vancouver
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,683
/mo nomad
Portoviejo
🇪🇨 Ecuador
$879
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Vancouver and in Portoviejo

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Vancouver and in Portoviejo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,683 in Vancouver versus $879 in Portoviejo.

  • Vancouver $2,683
  • Portoviejo $879

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,963 in Vancouver versus $1,436 in Portoviejo.

  • Vancouver $3,963
  • Portoviejo $1,436

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,244 in Vancouver versus $1,992 in Portoviejo.

  • Vancouver $5,244
  • Portoviejo $1,992

Living in Vancouver is roughly 205% more expensive than in Portoviejo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Vancouver is 98% above, Portoviejo is 35% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Vancouver
Portoviejo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.10 CA$25.45
$4.06 $4.06
345.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$71.0 CA$99.8
$52.0 $52.0
36.42%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.57 CA$14.86
$9.17 $9.17
15.27%
Cappuccino
$3.97 CA$5.58
$2.79 $2.79
42.29%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07 CA$2.91
$0.86 $0.86
140.70%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.85 CA$2.60
$0.70 $0.70
164.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.67 CA$7.97
$3.06 $3.06
85.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.61 CA$9.30
$4.31 $4.31
53.36%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Vancouver
Portoviejo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.16 CA$3.03
$1.20 $1.20
80.00%
White Bread (500g)
$2.58 CA$3.63
$1.98 $1.98
30.30%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.30 CA$6.04
$1.42 $1.42
202.82%
Eggs
$4.09 CA$5.76
$2.04 $2.04
100.49%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.12 CA$17.04
$7.06 $7.06
71.67%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.28 CA$18.68
$5.14 $5.14
158.37%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.11 CA$28.28
$8.93 $8.93
125.20%
Apples (1kg)
$3.96 CA$5.58
$1.47 $1.47
169.39%
Banana (1kg)
$1.43 CA$2.01
$1.15 $1.15
24.35%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.71 CA$5.21
$0.99 $0.99
274.75%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.92 CA$5.52
$0.97 $0.97
304.12%
Potato (1kg)
$2.87 CA$4.03
$1.22 $1.22
135.25%
Onion (1kg)
$2.98 CA$4.19
$0.97 $0.97
207.22%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.61 CA$3.68
$0.88 $0.88
196.59%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.63 CA$2.30
$0.96 $0.96
69.79%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$15.94 CA$22.42
$6.09 $6.09
161.74%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.25 CA$20.04
$12.22 $12.22
16.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.52 CA$3.55
$1.51 $1.51
66.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.87 CA$4.04
$2.19 $2.19
31.05%
🚌 Getting Around
Vancouver
Portoviejo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.57 CA$3.61
$0.36 $0.36
613.89%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$84.4 CA$119
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.74 CA$3.86
$2.77 $2.77
-1.08%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.63 CA$2.29
$1.73 $1.73
-5.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$31.90 CA$44.86
$12.22 $12.22
161.05%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.46 CA$2.05
$0.88 $0.88
65.91%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.7K CA$37.6K
$22.7K $22.7K
17.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.0K CA$29.6K
$31.0K $31.0K
-32.09%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vancouver
Portoviejo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$88.2 CA$124
$34.52 $34.52
155.62%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$36.72 CA$51.6
$15.13 $15.13
142.70%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$49.81 CA$70.1
$26.35 $26.35
89.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Vancouver
Portoviejo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.34 CA$63.8
$29.67 $29.67
52.81%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.13 CA$17.06
$16.47 $16.47
-26.35%
Cinema Ticket
$12.55 CA$17.65
$7.44 $7.44
68.68%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Vancouver
Portoviejo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,055 CA$1,484
$369 $369
185.65%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$28.5K CA$40.1K
$5,664 $5,664
402.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Vancouver
Portoviejo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.4 CA$79.3
$64.5 $64.5
-12.57%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.37 CA$48.34
$41.20 $41.20
-16.58%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.8 CA$126
$125 $125
-28.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$94.3 CA$133
$92.1 $92.1
2.39%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Vancouver
Portoviejo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,738 CA$2,444
$423 $423
310.73%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,528 CA$2,150
$277 $277
451.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,107 CA$4,369
$811 $811
283.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,547 CA$3,582
$502 $502
407.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,540 CA$12.0K
$982 $982
769.63%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,328 CA$8,899
$787 $787
704.18%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Vancouver
Portoviejo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,770 CA$5,302
$327 $327
1051.50%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.24
10.05
-57.81%

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

Last update for Vancouver: November 2, 2026

Last update for Portoviejo: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Vancouver
$1.5K
Portoviejo
$277 81.9% $1.3K
Groceries & Markets
Vancouver
$398
Portoviejo
$199 49.9% $199
Eating Out
Vancouver
$281
Portoviejo
$124 56.1% $158
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Vancouver
$175
Portoviejo
$76 56.5% $99
Clothing & Footwear
Vancouver
$124
Portoviejo
$145 17.5% $22
Getting Around
Vancouver
$106
Portoviejo
$13 * 87.8% $93
Sport & Entertainment
Vancouver
$70
Portoviejo
$45 36.8% $26

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,738 in Vancouver and $423 in Portoviejo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vancouver pays about 12 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $71 in Vancouver vs $52 in Portoviejo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $398 vs $199 per month, with Portoviejo cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Vancouver
🇪🇨 Portoviejo
🕒 Local time
12:09 12:09 PM
14:09 2:09 PM
2 h ahead of Vancouver
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
631,486
180,641
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.711 USD). 1 EUR = 1.58 CAD (1 CAD = 0.633 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Vancouver Portoviejo 6,920 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Vancouver
  • Portoviejo

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
Vancouver vs Portoviejo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Vancouver or Portoviejo?
Portoviejo wins on cost – living expenses run 67% lower than in Vancouver. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Portoviejo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Vancouver or in Portoviejo?
Average pay in Vancouver is about 12 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Vancouver compared to Portoviejo?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,738 in Vancouver versus $423 in Portoviejo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Vancouver or in Portoviejo?
Supermarket bills run roughly 100% higher in Vancouver. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Vancouver compared to Portoviejo?
All in, you’ll spend $2,683 per month in Vancouver versus $879 in Portoviejo – Portoviejo is about 67% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Can you live on $800/month in Vancouver or in Portoviejo?
Both cities are expensive relative to $800. Portoviejo is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Vancouver or Portoviejo?
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.
Should I move to Vancouver or to Portoviejo?
It comes down to priorities – Portoviejo wins on affordability, Vancouver on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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