Florianópolis vs Cuenca
In short
Calculated from the figures below, with no overall “who wins” score.
Rent
✓in Cuenca cheaper — −50%
Family groceries
✓in Cuenca cheaper — −26%
Internet
✓in Florianópolis cheaper — −44%
In numbers
Exchange rate as of the date each figure was checked.
House or apartment rent
per monthFlorianópolis≈ $864–1,270R$4,500–6,621✓Cuenca$350–720$350–720cheaper by 50%Family groceries
per monthFlorianópolis≈ $490R$2,553✓Cuenca$362$362cheaper by 26%Internet
per month✓Florianópolis≈ $15–23R$79.9–119.8cheaper by 44%Cuenca$33.93$33.93Winter
averageFlorianópolis13–20 °C13–20 °CCuenca10–19 °C10–19 °CPrecipitation
per yearFlorianópolis1,544 mm1,544 mmCuenca876 mm876 mmReady-made house
purchaseFlorianópolis≈ $288–653kR$1.5–3.4M✓Cuenca$121,250–284,750$121,250–284,750cheaper by 57%
By topic
A quick look at each city. Details and sources are on the city page.
Daily life
Florianópolis
According to the IBGE estimate, Florianópolis has 598 thousand residents in 2026, almost 11 thousand more in a year. The 2022 census counted 537 thousand.
OfficialIBGE: Florianópolis population estimate, 2024-2026 · checked 29 Sep 2026
Cuenca
Nothing yet
Housing
Florianópolis
By listings, a two-room apartment in Centro is about 4,500 reais a month, in Lagoa 4,500, in Itacorubi 5,700, in Campeche 6,600. The building fee (condomínio) and tax are on top.
SpecialistQuintoAndar: apartments for rent with two or more bedrooms, Centro · checked 29 Sep 2026
61.19 reais per m² a month in August 2026, fifth place among 22 capitals. Most expensive are Agronômica and Centro, cheaper are Ingleses and Capoeiras.
SpecialistFipeZAP Index: residential rent, August 2026 report, Florianópolis page · checked 29 Sep 2026
An apartment averages 13,531 reais per m² (August 2026), a two-room apartment 12,993. That is more than São Paulo; prices rose 8.2% over the year.
SpecialistFipeZAP Index: historical series of sale and rent prices by city, Florianópolis sheet · checked 29 Sep 2026
A house in Campeche by listings is 1.5–3.4 million reais (nine out of ten), one for 6.4 million. In total the results include 341 listings with three or more bedrooms.
SpecialistQuintoAndar: homes for sale with three or more bedrooms, Campeche · checked 29 Sep 2026
Cuenca
A house with three or more bedrooms in the canton of Cuenca on RE/MAX listings is mostly 121-285k dollars, median 180k. An apartment with three or more bedrooms: median 192k.
SpecialistRE/MAX Ecuador: all active listings of houses for sale (the site's open data) · checked 6 Oct 2026
A three-bedroom apartment on RE/MAX listings is 350-540 dollars a month, a furnished two-bedroom up to 720. There are few listings, only 8 apartments.
SpecialistRE/MAX Ecuador: all active listings of apartments for rent (the site's open data) · checked 6 Oct 2026
Money and prices
Florianópolis
DIEESE's basic basket in August 2026 is 850.90 reais per adult. For a family of two adults and two children, about 2,550 a month.
SpecialistDIEESE: national basic food basket survey, August 2026 · checked 29 Sep 2026
DIEESE calculates that a family of four needed 7,566 reais a month in August 2026. The figure is one for the whole country and already includes housing; it does not reflect Florianópolis rents.
SpecialistDIEESE: nominal and necessary minimum wage by month · checked 29 Sep 2026
Cuenca
In INEC's official basket for a family of four in Cuenca, food and drinks cost 362 dollars a month (August 2026), of which 42 is eating out.
OfficialINEC: basic family consumption basket (CFBC) by city, August 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026
INEC's poverty line for a family of four is 370 dollars a month. INEC's basic basket for four in Cuenca is 894, the dearest in the country, with 219 for rent.
OfficialINEC: bulletin on income poverty, ENEMDU, December 2025 · checked 6 Oct 2026
Family and kids
Florianópolis
In 2025, 150 schools with primary and secondary grades; more than half of the schools with younger grades are private. 37.5% of schoolchildren attend private schools.
OfficialIBGE Cidades based on INEP school census data: schools, students and teachers in Florianópolis, 2025 · checked 29 Sep 2026
Three well-known schools in the city (Energia, Catarinense, Bom Jesus): 1,544–3,033 reais a month according to Procon for 2023. Today it is more.
OfficialProcon Santa Catarina: survey of monthly school fees, 2023 (Florianópolis, São José, Palhoça, Biguaçu) · checked 30 Sep 2026
Cuenca
Nothing yet
Healthcare
Florianópolis
Public: the Carmela Dutra maternity hospital in Centro and the university hospital in Trindade with a neonatal intensive care unit. A private option is Ilha Hospital in Pantanal.
OfficialBrazil's Ministry of Health, open data "Hospitals and Beds": entry for Maternidade Carmela Dutra · checked 29 Sep 2026
Cuenca
The IESS social security Hospital José Carrasco Arteaga is a third-level hospital with adult and paediatric ICU. It treats IESS members and patients of the public network.
OfficialIESS: Hospital de Especialidades José Carrasco Arteaga, home page · checked 6 Oct 2026
Transport
Florianópolis
A trip paid in cash or by QR is 7.70 reais, with a resident card 6.20, with a tourist card 7.20. The express bus is 20 reais.
SpecialistConsórcio Fênix, city bus operator: fares and FAQ · checked 29 Sep 2026
Cuenca
Mariscal La Mar airport is right in the city, on Avenida España. The flight to Quito takes about 55 minutes, to Guayaquil 35. Runway 1900 m at about 2530 m altitude.
OfficialCuenca airport (CORPAC): technical data · checked 6 Oct 2026
Climate
Florianópolis
July is the coolest month: on average from 13.3°C at night to 20.4°C by day. No frost, but not beach weather either, and it rains 9 days a month.
OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Florianópolis · checked 29 Sep 2026
February is the warmest month: on average from 21.8°C at night to 28.4°C by day. It is also the rainiest month, almost 200 mm.
OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Florianópolis · checked 29 Sep 2026
About 1,540 mm a year and 144 days with rain. It pours most in summer, from January to March, and is driest in June.
OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals for Florianópolis · checked 29 Sep 2026
Cuenca
In June-August nights are 9-10 degrees and days 19-20. These are the coolest months; the rest of the year days are 20-22 and nights 10-11.
OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals of Cuenca 1981-2010 · checked 6 Oct 2026
About 880 mm a year, and it rains often: 12 to 21 days a month. Driest in July-August (20-28 mm), wettest in March-April.
OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals of Cuenca 1981-2010 · checked 6 Oct 2026
Safety
Florianópolis
25 homicides in 2025 against 31 in 2024. For 587 thousand residents that is about 4 per 100 thousand.
OfficialSSP-SC: monthly indicators bulletin, December 2025, homicides by municipality · checked 29 Sep 2026
Cuenca
Cuenca is not in the state of emergency zone from 15 Sep 2026: in Azuay province only the canton of Camilo Ponce Enríquez is included. Forest fires are frequent in Azuay.
OfficialUK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office: travel advice for Ecuador · checked 6 Oct 2026
Internet and phone
Florianópolis
Fiber of 350–1000 Mbps costs about 80–120 reais a month: Claro 600 Mbps, 99.90; Vivo 700, 100.00. The average measured speed in the city is 202 Mbps.
SpecialistMinha Conexão: internet in Florianópolis, provider ranking and cheapest plans · checked 1 Oct 2026
Cuenca
Netlife sells 850 Mbit/s fibre for 33.93 dollars a month including tax, 16.96 on promotion. The municipal ETAPA sells plans from 19.99 dollars plus taxes.
SpecialistNetlife: home fibre-optic internet plans · checked 6 Oct 2026
Services
Florianópolis
Water is supplied by CASAN. On 2–3 September 2026, because of a burst water main, 28 districts, including Centro and Trindade, were left without normal supply.
OfficialARESC, state regulator: notice of a water main break in Florianópolis, 3 September 2026 · checked 29 Sep 2026
The SCGás network in the center is only being built (since 16 July 2026); tariff 7.14 reais per m³. A 13 kg cylinder averages 127 reais according to ANP (6 points).
OfficialSCGás: residential gas tariff from 1 July 2026, single tier · checked 30 Sep 2026
CASAN water: 29.49 reais a month fixed plus 1.96 / 9.11 / 12.18 / 15.32 per m³ by band. At 15 m³ water is 94.64, with sewage 189.28 reais.
OfficialARESC: CASAN water and sewerage bill calculation file (residential tariff) · checked 30 Sep 2026
CELESC from 22 August 2026: 0.760 reais per kWh before taxes. For 300 kWh this is 227.93 reais before taxes, about 299 with taxes by the calculator site's estimate.
SpecialistEnergy calculator: CELESC tariff for a home from 22 August 2026 (based on ANEEL data) · checked 30 Sep 2026
Cuenca
Electricity is 0.091-0.105 dollars per kWh by block plus 1.41 a month. 300 kWh comes to about 30 dollars before the street lighting and fire service charges.
OfficialRegistro Oficial No. 380, 9th supplement: resolution ARCONEL-009/2026, electricity tariffs for October-December 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026
Water is 0.60 dollars per m³ up to 10 m³, then 0.70, plus 3.32 a month; sewerage is half the water bill. 15 m³ comes to about 19 dollars (2024 tariff).
OfficialETAPA EP: water and sewerage tariffs 2024 (brochure "Conoce nuestras tarifas") · checked 6 Oct 2026

