Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Vilcabamba and Chone

For one person, living is cheaper in Chone: $732 a month against $968 in Vilcabamba, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

47

Cost of Living Index in Vilcabamba
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Vilcabamba Living Index
36

Cost of Living Index in Chone
Learn more

Chone Living Index

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Vilcabamba

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$968

/mo nomad

Chone

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$732

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Vilcabamba and in Chone

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $968 in Vilcabamba versus $732 in Chone.

Vilcabamba $968
Chone $732

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,435 in Vilcabamba versus $1,240 in Chone.

Vilcabamba $1,435
Chone $1,240

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,903 in Vilcabamba versus $1,748 in Chone.

Vilcabamba $1,903
Chone $1,748

Living in Vilcabamba is roughly 32% more expensive than in Chone, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Vilcabamba 28% lower, Chone 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.60 $3.60

$3.77 $3.77

-4.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.17 $30.17

$31.29 $31.29

-3.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.16 $8.16

$5.91 $5.91

38.07%

Cappuccino

$2.22 $2.22

$2.48 $2.48

-10.48%

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

$0.99 $0.99

$0.86 $0.86

15.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 $1.06

$0.69 $0.69

53.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.07 $2.07

-2.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 $3.58

$4.08 $4.08

-12.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.12 $1.12

-9.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.52 $1.52

1.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.57 $1.57

-3.18%

Eggs

$2.50 $2.50

$2.00 $2.00

25.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 $8.16

$6.64 $6.64

22.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.28 $5.28

$4.55 $4.55

16.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.20 $7.20

$6.32 $6.32

13.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.55 $1.55

10.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 $1.06

$0.97 $0.97

9.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 $1.18

$1.04 $1.04

13.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.03 $1.03

4.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.13 $1.13

-19.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.03 $1.03

-2.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 $0.74

$0.71 $0.71

4.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.08 $1.08

-4.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.11 $5.11

$5.01 $5.01

2.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.10 $11.10

$8.56 $8.56

29.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.63 $1.63

0.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.76 $2.76

-0.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 $0.34

$0.31 $0.31

9.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.13 $19.13

$17.28 $17.28

10.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.32 $1.32

-0.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.23 $1.23

-19.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.16 $10.16

$8.58 $8.58

18.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 $0.65

$0.86 $0.86

-24.42%

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

$21.3K $21.3K

$21.7K $21.7K

-1.67%

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

$28.6K $28.6K

$33.0K $33.0K

-13.23%

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

$39.15 $39.15

$41.43 $41.43

-5.50%

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

$13.28 $13.28

$13.59 $13.59

-2.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.25 $36.25

$25.32 $25.32

43.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.43 $30.43

$33.32 $33.32

-8.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 $18.73

$15.43 $15.43

21.39%

Cinema Ticket

$6.71 $6.71

$6.33 $6.33

6.00%

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

$212 $212

$207 $207

2.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,076 $5,076

$5,025 $5,025

1.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.5 $54.5

$55.5 $55.5

-1.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.74 $41.74

$47.21 $47.21

-11.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$109 $109

-6.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.6 $71.6

$79.7 $79.7

-10.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 $387

$319 $319

21.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 $387

$169 $169

129.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$634 $634

$788 $788

-19.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$581 $581

$451 $451

28.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,199 $1,199

$1,272 $1,272

-5.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$782 $782

$807 $807

-3.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$462 $462

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.05

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

Last update for Vilcabamba: October 11, 2026

Last update for Chone: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Vilcabamba

$387 40%

Chone

$169 23.1% 56.4% $218

Groceries & Markets

Vilcabamba

$195 20.2%

Chone

$177 24.2% 9.2% $18

Clothing & Footwear

Vilcabamba

$121 12.6%

Chone

$131 17.9% 8% $9.7

Eating Out

Vilcabamba

$105 10.9%

Chone

$102 14% 2.8% $3

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Vilcabamba

$89 9.2%

Chone

$80 11% 9.4% $8.3

Sport & Entertainment

Vilcabamba

$44 4.5%

Chone

$46 6.3% 4.9% $2.1

Getting Around

Vilcabamba

$27 2.8%

Chone

$26 3.6% 3% $0.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $387 in Vilcabamba and $319 in Chone. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $30.00 in Vilcabamba vs $31.00 in Chone. Groceries flip the comparison at $195 vs $177, with Chone cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇪🇨 Vilcabamba

🇪🇨 Chone

🕒 Local time

10:09 10:09 AM

Same time as Vilcabamba

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

44,751

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Vilcabamba Chone 410 km

From you

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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

Vilcabamba vs Chone: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chone wins on cost – living expenses run 32% lower than in Vilcabamba. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Chone the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,452 in Vilcabamba and $1,097 in Chone to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $387 in Vilcabamba versus $319 in Chone. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $968 per month in Vilcabamba versus $732 in Chone – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chone runs roughly 11% less than in Vilcabamba. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Chone gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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.

Safety-wise, Vilcabamba and Chone are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Chone gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Vilcabamba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.