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City comparison

Quito vs Cuenca

In short

Calculated from the figures below, with no overall “who wins” score.

  • Rent

    in Cuenca cheaper — −36%

  • Family groceries

    ≈ about equal$372$372 and $362$362 per month

  • Ready-made house

    in Quito cheaper — −22%

In numbers

Exchange rate as of the date each figure was checked.

  • House or apartment rent

    per month
    Quito$460–1,200$460–1,200
    Cuenca$350–720$350–720
    cheaper by 36%
  • Family groceries

    per month
    almost equal
    Quito$372$372
    Cuenca$362$362
  • Family budget

    per month
    Quito$369.6$369.6
    Cuenca$369.6$369.6

    One figure for the whole country, not calculated per city

  • Internet

    per month
    Quito$33.93$33.93
    Cuenca$33.93$33.93

    One figure for the whole country, not calculated per city

  • Winter

    average
    Quito10–22 °C10–22 °C
    Cuenca10–19 °C10–19 °C
  • Precipitation

    per year
    Quito1,098 mm1,098 mm
    Cuenca876 mm876 mm
  • Ready-made house

    purchase
    Quito$85–230k$85–230k
    cheaper by 22%
    Cuenca$121,250–284,750$121,250–284,750

By topic

A quick look at each city. Details and sources are on the city page.

Housing

Quito

Long-term rent

An apartment with three or more bedrooms on RE/MAX listings is mostly 460-1200 dollars a month, median 690. In the north by La Carolina park and Quito Tenis the median is 1200.

SpecialistRE/MAX Ecuador: all active listings of apartments for rent (the site's open data) · checked 6 Oct 2026

Buying a house

A house with three or more bedrooms in the canton of Quito on RE/MAX listings is mostly 85-230k dollars, median 138k. An apartment with three or more bedrooms: median 112k.

SpecialistRE/MAX Ecuador: all active listings of houses for sale (the site's open data) · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about housing in Quito →

Cuenca

Buying a house

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

Long-term rent

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

Everything about housing in Cuenca →

Money and prices

Quito

Groceries for a family

In INEC's official basket for a family of four in Quito, food and drinks cost 372 dollars a month (August 2026), of which 48 is eating out.

OfficialINEC: basic family consumption basket (CFBC) by city, August 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Family budget per month

INEC's poverty line for a family of four is 370 dollars a month. INEC's basic basket for four in Quito is 846, including 175 for rent.

OfficialINEC: bulletin on income poverty, ENEMDU, December 2025 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about money and prices in Quito →

Cuenca

Groceries for a family

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

Family budget per month

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

Everything about money and prices in Cuenca →

Healthcare

Quito

Hospitals in the city

The public Eugenio Espejo hospital has 416 beds and 110 specialist consulting rooms. The Baca Ortiz children's hospital has 361 beds, paediatric ICU and neonatal intensive care.

OfficialEcuadorian Ministry of Public Health: Hospital de Especialidades Eugenio Espejo · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about healthcare in Quito →

Cuenca

Social security hospital

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

Everything about healthcare in Cuenca →

Transport

Quito

Airport

Mariscal Sucre international airport is in Tababela, 24 km from the city. From December 2026 Air Canada flies direct to Montreal and Toronto.

SpecialistQuiport: about the Quito airport concessionaire · checked 6 Oct 2026

Metro

Quito has a metro line with 15 stations. In July 2026 it carried 5.4 million trips, and 154 million since opening.

OfficialMetro de Quito: home page, "Metro en cifras" · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about transport in Quito →

Cuenca

Airport in the city

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

Everything about transport in Cuenca →

Climate

Quito

Winter climate

There is no winter as a season: all year round it is about 10 degrees at night and 21-22 by day. In June-August nights are 9.4-9.8 and days 21-22; this is the dry season.

OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals of Quito 1981-2010 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Precipitation and seasons

About 1100 mm a year. Dry in June-August, 22-40 mm and 7-10 rainy days a month. The wettest month is April: 171 mm and 20 days with rain.

OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals of Quito 1981-2010 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about climate in Quito →

Cuenca

Winter climate

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

Precipitation and seasons

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

Everything about climate in Cuenca →

Safety

Quito

Volcanoes

Guagua Pichincha, 12 km to the west, covered Quito in ash in 1999-2000. Cotopaxi, 45 km away, could send mudflows into the Los Chillos valley.

OfficialIG-EPN: Guagua Pichincha volcano · checked 6 Oct 2026

Street crime

Pichincha with Quito is on the list of provinces under a state of emergency from 15 Sep 2026. Pickpocketing and muggings are common, especially in the old town and at stations.

OfficialUK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office: travel advice for Ecuador · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about safety in Quito →

Cuenca

Safety and risks

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

Everything about safety in Cuenca →

Internet and phone

Quito

Fibre-optic internet

Netlife sells 850 Mbit/s fibre for 33.93 dollars a month including tax, 16.96 for the first 9 months. The provider has 16 service points in Quito.

SpecialistNetlife: home fibre-optic internet plans · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about internet and phone service in Quito →

Cuenca

Fibre-optic internet

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

Everything about internet and phone service in Cuenca →

Services

Quito

Electricity at the EEQ tariff

Electricity is 0.078-0.105 dollars per kWh by block plus 1.41 a month. 300 kWh comes to about 28 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 from EPMAPS

As of 2024, a cubic metre of water in Quito cost 0.31 dollars for use up to 8 m³ and 0.40 at 16-30 m³. We could not open the utility's full tariff schedule.

SpecialistPrimicias: Quito municipality discusses a water tariff increase · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about services in Quito →

Cuenca

Electricity at CENTROSUR tariff

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 and sewerage, ETAPA

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

Everything about services in Cuenca →

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