There are three cities in Ecuador that have the largest number of inhabitants according to the last census conducted in 2022.
These are Guayaquil, Quito and Cuenca, where there is also intense commercial activity.
Living in these cities also requires a larger budget than can be found in other regions of the country. Despite the development at the institutional level, they are not the ones who pay the highest on average.
After ten months, inflation in Ecuador is again negative
According to the Statistical Register of Companies of the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses (Inec), San Cristóbal in the Galapagos is the canton with the highest average salary, followed by Yantzaza, El Pangui, Santa Cruz and Isabela.
The Metropolitan District of Quito is in sixth place with $906.01, Cuenca in 16th with $823.46 and Guayaquil in 34th with $778.83.
The entity details the price of the basic family basket on a monthly basis, which until October of last year amounted to USD 784.02. The value also varies in each city.
Almost half of Ecuadorians are single: which cities have more of them?
The basket includes food and drink, housing, clothing and miscellaneous items. They represent the basic needs of a family of four, more than one of whom receives the basic wage ($450).
Guayaquil
As for Guayaquil, the basic basket is $801.04, and the most important item is miscellaneous ($289.27). These include health care, personal care and items, recreation and reading materials, tobacco, education and transportation.
For housing, the entity states that the cost is $206.14 (including lighting and fuel, rent, laundry and maintenance, and other household appliances).
Although the value is low compared to residential sectors located in the north or in the center of the city, the subject stated that the space being built is an apartment.
While $256.85 is spent on food and drinks.
Quito
As for the capital of Ecuador, the base basket is at $821.66. In contrast to Guayaquil, here the area where the most money is allocated is related to food and drinks with $287.57.
$275.23 was allocated to miscellaneous items, while the assessed value for housing was $195.30.
According to the Plusvalía portal, rent in an area like Concepción could be around $265, which corresponds to a two-bedroom apartment.
Swimming pool
Inec calculated that the basic basket for the capital of the province of Azuay amounts to 814.33 dollars. As in Quito, the most important item was food and drink at $260.85.
For housing, a value of $243.54 was assigned, while $256.84 was invested in miscellaneous items.
Source: Eluniverso

Alia is a professional author and journalist, working at 247 news agency. She writes on various topics from economy news to general interest pieces, providing readers with relevant and informative content. With years of experience, she brings a unique perspective and in-depth analysis to her work.