Cost of Living Comparison Between Vilcabamba and Quevedo Cost of Living Comparison Between Vilcabamba and Quevedo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $949 in Vilcabamba versus $824 in Quevedo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,433 in Vilcabamba versus $1,423 in Quevedo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,917 in Vilcabamba versus $2,022 in Quevedo.

Living in Vilcabamba is roughly 15% more expensive than in Quevedo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Vilcabamba 31% lower, Quevedo 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.49 $3.49

$5.57 $5.57

-37.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.81 $29.81

$55.0 $55.0

-45.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 $7.83

$7.98 $7.98

-1.88%

Cappuccino

$2.19 $2.19

$3.41 $3.41

-35.78%

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

$1.02 $1.02

$1.39 $1.39

-26.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.09 $1.09

-4.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 $2.04

$3.58 $3.58

-43.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 $3.47

$5.60 $5.60

-38.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.15 $1.15

-9.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.58 $1.58

1.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.49 $1.49

5.37%

Eggs

$2.49 $2.49

$2.20 $2.20

13.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.47 $8.47

$6.56 $6.56

29.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$5.74 $5.74

-10.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.31 $7.31

$7.70 $7.70

-5.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.28 $2.28

-25.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.24 $1.24

-13.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.27 $1.27

-9.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.08 $1.08

6.48%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.20 $1.20

-22.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.07 $1.07

0.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 $0.71

$0.85 $0.85

-16.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.07 $1.07

-7.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.11 $5.11

$6.16 $6.16

-17.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.92 $10.92

$9.92 $9.92

10.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.56 $1.56

4.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 $2.69

$3.10 $3.10

-13.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 $0.35

$0.40 $0.40

-12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.23 $16.23

$19.93 $19.93

-18.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.47 $1.47

-8.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.11 $1.11

$1.53 $1.53

-27.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.05 $10.05

$9.82 $9.82

2.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 $0.70

$0.86 $0.86

-18.60%

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

$21.3K $21.3K

$21.2K $21.2K

0.25%

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

$28.4K $28.4K

$28.8K $28.8K

-1.39%

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

$37.48 $37.48

$28.71 $28.71

30.55%

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

$13.36 $13.36

$17.82 $17.82

-25.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.80 $35.80

$28.66 $28.66

24.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.59 $30.59

$29.75 $29.75

2.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.40 $17.40

$18.07 $18.07

-3.71%

Cinema Ticket

$7.39 $7.39

$6.95 $6.95

6.33%

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

$205 $205

$215 $215

-4.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,463 $6,463

$8,825 $8,825

-26.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.5 $54.5

$64.2 $64.2

-15.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.64 $42.64

$49.17 $49.17

-13.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 $96.7

$114 $114

-15.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.1 $71.1

$109 $109

-34.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$386 $386

$256 $256

50.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 $388

$184 $184

111.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 $616

$609 $609

1.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$565 $565

$433 $433

30.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,180 $1,180

$1,064 $1,064

10.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$764 $764

$749 $749

2.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$454 $454

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.05

10.12

-0.69%

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

Last update for Vilcabamba: September 12, 2026

Last update for Quevedo: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $386 in Vilcabamba and $256 in Quevedo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $30.00 in Vilcabamba vs $55.0 in Quevedo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $196 vs $199 per month, with Vilcabamba cheaper across the board.

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 Quevedo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vilcabamba and Quevedo differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($949 vs $824 including rent). Quevedo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,423 in Vilcabamba and $1,237 in Quevedo 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: $386 in Vilcabamba versus $256 in Quevedo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Quevedo runs roughly 23% less than in Vilcabamba. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $205 in Vilcabamba versus $215 in Quevedo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $824 in Quevedo versus $949 in Vilcabamba, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Quevedo but tight or insufficient in Vilcabamba. The gap between the two cities makes Quevedo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Quevedo 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 Quevedo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Vilcabamba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.