Cost of Living Comparison Between Vilcabamba and Cumbaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Vilcabamba and Cumbaya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $945 per month in Vilcabamba vs $947 in Cumbaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,437 per month in Vilcabamba vs $1,425 in Cumbaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,928 per month in Vilcabamba vs $1,904 in Cumbaya, rent included.

Vilcabamba and Cumbaya have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Vilcabamba and Cumbaya are more affordable than the global median – Vilcabamba 29% lower, Cumbaya 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.16 $3.16

$4.62 $4.62

-31.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.39 $35.39

$32.36 $32.36

9.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.56 $7.56

$6.02 $6.02

25.58%

Cappuccino

$2.14 $2.14

$2.84 $2.84

-24.65%

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

$1.03 $1.03

$1.12 $1.12

-8.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 $0.91

$0.72 $0.72

26.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 $2.02

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 $3.53

$4.01 $4.01

-11.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.09 $1.09

-11.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.49 $1.49

30.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.87 $1.87

-31.55%

Eggs

$2.27 $2.27

$2.24 $2.24

1.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.28 $7.28

$8.69 $8.69

-16.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.96 $5.96

$7.93 $7.93

-24.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.96 $6.96

$8.29 $8.29

-16.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.01 $2.01

26.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.21 $1.21

5.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.07 $1.07

68.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.29 $1.29

-16.28%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.44 $1.44

-32.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.11 $1.11

-8.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 $0.77

$0.84 $0.84

-8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.10 $6.10

$5.95 $5.95

2.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.79 $10.79

$8.60 $8.60

25.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 $1.53

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.86 $2.86

-15.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 $0.36

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.89 $23.89

$23.76 $23.76

0.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 $1.47

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.48 $1.48

-35.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.15 $10.15

$10.08 $10.08

0.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 $0.70

$0.67 $0.67

4.48%

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

$19.8K $19.8K

$20.0K $20.0K

-1.17%

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

$26.9K $26.9K

$25.8K $25.8K

4.06%

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

$56.2 $56.2

$34.29 $34.29

63.75%

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

$13.55 $13.55

$14.10 $14.10

-3.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.77 $34.77

$29.50 $29.50

17.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.39 $30.39

$30.60 $30.60

-0.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.37 $14.37

$14.67 $14.67

-2.04%

Cinema Ticket

$7.16 $7.16

$7.14 $7.14

0.28%

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

$255 $255

$274 $274

-6.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,605 $5,605

$5,677 $5,677

-1.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.7 $79.7

$56.6 $56.6

40.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.24 $20.24

$42.97 $42.97

-52.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 $95.4

$101 $101

-5.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.8 $74.8

$85.7 $85.7

-12.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$337 $337

$345 $345

-2.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$321 $321

$316 $316

1.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$614 $614

$637 $637

-3.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$584 $584

$503 $503

16.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,195 $1,195

$1,266 $1,266

-5.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$777 $777

$767 $767

1.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$461 $461

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.6

32.50%

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

Last update for Vilcabamba: July 12, 2026

Last update for Cumbaya: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $337 in Vilcabamba versus $345 in Cumbaya. 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 $35.00 in Vilcabamba versus $32.00 in Cumbaya. Groceries tell a different story – $203 in Vilcabamba vs $214 in Cumbaya – so Vilcabamba wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Cumbaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,418 per month in Vilcabamba and $1,421 in Cumbaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Vilcabamba, 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 $35.00 in Vilcabamba and $32.00 in Cumbaya. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 1% less in Vilcabamba. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Vilcabamba, where all-in costs run around $945, than in Cumbaya at $947. In Vilcabamba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cumbaya it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Vilcabamba costs $945 versus $947 in Cumbaya. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Vilcabamba. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cumbaya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.