How Ecuador compares across key indices
Cost of Living
45 vs NYC
100 = NYC
Safety Index
37/100
Healthcare
65/100
Quality of Life
95/200
How far your money goes in Ecuador
Cost of Living
45
100 = NYC baseline
Rent Index
34
100 = NYC rent
Groceries
45
100 = NYC groceries
Restaurant Prices
47
100 = NYC dining
How safe residents feel in Ecuador - based on surveys of people living there
Safety Index
37/100
Crime Index
100/100
Lower is better
0 point drop from day to night
Ecuador has 71 modeled cities; this view starts with 40 curated or popular options. Monthly costs for a single person range from $891 in El Empalme to $1,200 in Quito. El Empalme leads on safety, scoring 41/100. El Empalme ranks highest for quality of life at 101/200.
El Empalme
$891/mo
El Empalme
41/100
El Empalme
101/200
Quito
79/100
| City | Monthly Cost | Safety | Quality of Life | Healthcare | Pollution |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quito | $1,200 | 30/100 | 96/200 | 79/100 | 44 |
| Guayaquil | $1,081 | 32/100 | 96/200 | 74/100 | 41 |
| Cuenca | $1,012 | 35/100 | 98/200 | 69/100 | 35 |
| Santo Domingo de los Colorados | $996 | 36/100 | 98/200 | 68/100 | 34 |
| Ambato | $989 | 36/100 | 99/200 | 68/100 | 33 |
| Portoviejo | $980 | 37/100 | 99/200 | 67/100 | 33 |
| Eloy Alfaro | $979 | 37/100 | 99/200 | 67/100 | 33 |
| Machala | $975 | 37/100 | 99/200 | 67/100 | 32 |
| Loja | $972 | 37/100 | 99/200 | 67/100 | 32 |
| Manta | $971 | 37/100 | 99/200 | 67/100 | 32 |
| Riobamba | $970 | 37/100 | 99/200 | 67/100 | 32 |
| Ibarra | $962 | 37/100 | 99/200 | 66/100 | 31 |
| Esmeraldas | $962 | 37/100 | 99/200 | 66/100 | 31 |
| Quevedo | $960 | 37/100 | 99/200 | 66/100 | 31 |
| Latacunga | $959 | 38/100 | 99/200 | 66/100 | 31 |
| Daule | $950 | 38/100 | 100/200 | 65/100 | 30 |
| Milagro | $938 | 38/100 | 100/200 | 64/100 | 29 |
| Tulcán | $917 | 39/100 | 100/200 | 63/100 | 28 |
| Babahoyo | $911 | 40/100 | 100/200 | 63/100 | 27 |
| La Libertad | $911 | 40/100 | 101/200 | 63/100 | 27 |
| El Empalme | $891 | 41/100 | 101/200 | 61/100 | 25 |
| Puerto Francisco de Orellana | $891 | 41/100 | 101/200 | 61/100 | 25 |
| Pasaje | $891 | 41/100 | 101/200 | 61/100 | 25 |
| Chone | $891 | 41/100 | 101/200 | 61/100 | 25 |
| Salinas | $891 | 41/100 | 101/200 | 61/100 | 25 |
| Santa Elena | $891 | 41/100 | 101/200 | 61/100 | 25 |
| Rosa Zarate | $891 | 41/100 | 101/200 | 61/100 | 25 |
| Santa Rosa | $891 | 41/100 | 101/200 | 61/100 | 25 |
| Balzar | $891 | 41/100 | 101/200 | 61/100 | 25 |
| Huaquillas | $891 | 41/100 | 101/200 | 61/100 | 25 |
| Ventanas | $891 | 41/100 | 101/200 | 61/100 | 25 |
| Bahía de Caráquez | $891 | 41/100 | 101/200 | 61/100 | 25 |
| La Troncal | $891 | 41/100 | 101/200 | 61/100 | 25 |
| Jipijapa | $891 | 41/100 | 101/200 | 61/100 | 25 |
| Azogues | $891 | 41/100 | 101/200 | 61/100 | 25 |
| Naranjito | $891 | 41/100 | 101/200 | 61/100 | 25 |
| Vinces | $891 | 41/100 | 101/200 | 61/100 | 25 |
| Otavalo | $891 | 41/100 | 101/200 | 61/100 | 25 |
| El Triunfo | $891 | 41/100 | 101/200 | 61/100 | 25 |
| Naranjal | $891 | 41/100 | 101/200 | 61/100 | 25 |
Freedom Abroad estimates are modeled for a single person including rent. Pollution: lower score = cleaner air. Click column headers to sort.
Compare Cities Side by Side
Detailed comparison of cost of living, safety, and quality of life
Verified school profiles for families comparing language model, grade range, credentials, and admissions next steps in Ecuador. Tuition appears only when published in verified public sources.
90
Verified records
4
Cities covered
7
Credential signals
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Ages and grades
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Ages and grades
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Ages and grades
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Ages and grades
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Ages and grades
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Primary, Middle school, High school
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Ages and grades
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Primary, Middle school, High school
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Ages and grades
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Ages and grades
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Tuition
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Ages and grades
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Primary, Middle school, High school
Tuition
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Ages and grades
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Primary, Middle school, High school
Tuition
Contact school
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Ages and grades
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Primary, Middle school, High school
Tuition
Contact school
Confirm current fees directly with the school.
Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
Primary, Middle school, High school
Tuition
Contact school
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Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
Primary, Middle school, High school
Tuition
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Ages and grades
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Primary, Middle school, High school
Tuition
Contact school
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Ages and grades
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Primary, High school
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Ages and grades
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Ages and grades
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Quito
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Ages and grades
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Ages and grades
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Quito
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Quito
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Samborondon
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Quito
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Guayaquil
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Quito
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Ages and grades
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International curriculum
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Ages and grades
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Ages and grades
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Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
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Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
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Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
High school
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Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
High school
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Contact school
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Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
High school
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Contact school
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Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
High school
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Contact school
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Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
High school
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Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
High school
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Contact school
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Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
High school
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Contact school
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Ages and grades
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High school
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Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
High school
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Ages and grades
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High school
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Ages and grades
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High school
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Ages and grades
Ages vary by program
High school
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Contact school
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Ages and grades
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High school
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Contact school
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Ages and grades
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High school
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Contact school
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Ages and grades
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High school
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Ages and grades
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Tumbaco
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School records are maintained from direct school pages, public credential directories, public registry claims, and carefully labeled directory/community sources. Admissions, seat availability, and tuition can change quickly, so Freedom Abroad treats unpublished costs as “Contact school” instead of estimating.
Healthcare system overview for Ecuador
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Air quality, water, and environmental conditions in Ecuador
Pollution Index
33/100
Lower is better
PM2.5
16.7ug/m3
Moderate
Based on 0 survey responses. Perception scores are 0–100 where higher is better unless noted.
Common questions about living in Ecuador, answered with data
Ecuador has a cost of living index of 45 relative to New York City (100). It is moderately affordable compared to the US. Monthly costs for a single person start around $938 in Milagro and reach $1,200 in Quito.
Milagro is the most affordable city in Ecuador in Freedom Abroad estimates, with estimated monthly costs of $938 for a single person including rent. Daule is the next most affordable at $950/mo.
Ecuador has a safety index of 37/100, making it worth researching carefully before committing for expats and travellers. Among cities with data, Milagro scores highest on safety at 38/100.
Milagro ranks highest for quality of life in Ecuador, scoring 100/200 in Freedom Abroad's modeled quality-of-life estimate. Monthly costs there run around $938/mo for a single person.
Ecuador scores 65/100 in Freedom Abroad's modeled healthcare estimate, making it good by global standards. This estimate reflects open public indicators for health outcomes and system capacity.
Yes. Ecuador's cost of living is roughly 55% lower than New York City and generally cheaper than most major US cities. Rent specifically is around 66% cheaper. This makes it a popular destination for remote workers looking to stretch their dollar.
Ecuador has a pollution index of 33/100 (lower = cleaner). This is relatively clean by global standards, making it appealing for those prioritising air quality and outdoor lifestyle.
Your pre-departure checklist for Ecuador
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Compare Countries
Side-by-side breakdown of cost of living, safety, healthcare, and more.
Cost of Living
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Cost of living, safety, school, and quality-of-life figures on this page are Freedom Abroad estimates or verified public records modeled from open sources. Data sources
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