Cost Of Living For a Student in Cuenca 2024
Average Monthly Expenditure
Currency: USD
Average monthly spending for students in Cuenca
How much money does a student need in a month to survive in Cuenca?
Students in Cuenca spend around 520 USD per month on average. Depending on the lifestyle, a student can survive with a monthly budget as low as 79 USD or as high as 3,500 USD. Location is a very important factor and has a huge influence on expenditure and budget.
Prices and cost of goods and services in Cuenca
Dining, food, and beverages costs
Fast food combo meal
Restaurant meal for one
Fine dining meal for one
Cappuccino or latte
Grocery and market costs
Milk large bottle
12 eggs
Fresh whole chicken
Pack of beef
Medium bag of rice
| 0.55 USD | 0.75 USD | 1.1 USD |
Bag of tomatos
| 0.20 USD | 0.27 USD | 0.51 USD |
Bag of apples
| 0.36 USD | 0.48 USD | 0.78 USD |
Commute, travel, and transportation costs
20 minutes taxi ride
Average car full tank
Average car 1-day rental
Average car price
| 2,500 USD | 5,100 USD | 6,800 USD |
Bus ticket one way
| 0.18 USD | 0.27 USD | 0.53 USD |
Car Service
Utility cost (monthly)
Utility Bill - Student
Internet and cable
Mobile phone charges
Leisure and activities costs
Movie ticket
One month gym membership
Cloths and accessories costs
Pair of jeans or pants
Woman dress
Woman shoes
Men's shoes
Men suit
Regular t-shirt
Housing costs / monthly rent
Studio apartment
1-bedroom apartment
2-bedroom apartment
Housing costs / Buying
Studio apartment
| 18,000 USD | 27,000 USD | 53,000 USD |
1-bedroom apartment
| 21,000 USD | 35,000 USD | 130,000 USD |
2-bedroom apartment
| 35,000 USD | 110,000 USD | 210,000 USD |
Furniture Costs
King Size Bed
Double Bed
Single Bed
Living Room
Dining Table
Sofa or Couch
Electronics and House Appliance Costs
TV Set
Fridge or Freezer
Washing Machine
Stove or Cooker
Mobile Phone
Laptop or Computer
How do students spend their money in Cuenca?
We asked thousands of students about their spending habits and expenditure break down.
Housing and accomodation expenditure for students
Accomodation Cost17%
17% of total expenses on average (12% to 23%)
| LOW | 19 USD |
| AVERAGE | 130 USD |
| HIGH | 840 USD |
| Per Month |
Students in Cuenca typically spend from 12% to 23% of their total monthly expenditure on housing with 17% being the average. The average monthly spend on housing is 130 USD with expenditure ranging from 19 USD to 840 USD. This cost mainly goes for rent but it also includes other accommodation-related expenses.
Electricity, utilities, energy, water, internet, and mobile expenditure for students
Cost of utilities7%
7% of total expenses on average (5% to 11%)
| LOW | 3.2 USD |
| AVERAGE | 21 USD |
| HIGH | 140 USD |
| Per Month |
Utility expenditure like electricity, water, and gas in Cuenca ranges from 5% to 11% of total expenses with 7% being the average for most students. The average monthly cost of utilities is 21 USD with 3.2 USD and 140 USD being the upper and lower limits for a student of four.
Transport, fuel, and commute expenditure for students
Cost of transport and fuel4%
4% of total expenses on average (4% to 10%)
| LOW | 5.6 USD |
| AVERAGE | 37 USD |
| HIGH | 240 USD |
| Per Month |
Fuel consumption and cost of transport depend heavily on whether a student resides near school and work, but roughly speaking a student would expect to spend from 5.6 USD to 240 USD in a month on commuting with 37 USD being the norm for most students. This means that money spent on transport constitutes about 4% of total spending on average but can go as low as 4% or as high as 10%.
Food, groceries, and basic shopping expenditure for students
Food and Groceries Cost23%
23% of total expenses on average (17% to 27%)
| LOW | 16 USD |
| AVERAGE | 100 USD |
| HIGH | 700 USD |
| Per Month |
The average outlay on groceries and basic houshold items for a typical student in a month in Cuenca is 100 USD. The cost of groceries can range between 16 USD to 700 USD. Students spend on average about 23% on food and groceries with upper and lower bounds of 17% and 27% respectively.
Healthcare and medical services expenditure for students
Cost of healthcare9%
9% of total expenses on average (6% to 12%)
| LOW | 4.8 USD |
| AVERAGE | 31 USD |
| HIGH | 210 USD |
| Per Month |
Students in Cuenca allocate 6% to 12% of their total monthly expenditure to healthcare including health insurance and out-of-pocket medical expenses. The average spending on medical services and clinic visits is around 9%. The range of medical expenses range from 4.8 USD to 210 USD with 31 USD being the norm for most students.
Leisure and shopping expenditure for students
Cost of leisure and shopping2%
2% of total expenses on average (2% to 6%)
| LOW | 4 USD |
| AVERAGE | 26 USD |
| HIGH | 170 USD |
| Per Month |
This category mostly contains discretionary or non-essential expenses but also some non-discretionary spending like furniture for example. The monthly expenses range from 4 USD to 170 USD with 26 USD being the average. Speaking of percentages, that equates to 2% to 6% of total expenses with an average of 2% for most students.
Education and schooling expenditure for students
Cost of education and schooling18%
18% of total expenses on average (11% to 23%)
| LOW | 15 USD |
| AVERAGE | 99 USD |
| HIGH | 660 USD |
| Per Month |
Spending on education can vary drastically between different students. On average, education constitutes 18% of the monthly expenditure of students with 11% and 23% being the lower and upper bounds respectively. The average reported education cost is 99 USD per month with 15 USD being the minimum spent amount and 660 USD being the maximum.
Other Expenses19%
19% of total expenses on average (13% to 25%)
| LOW | 12 USD |
| AVERAGE | 78 USD |
| HIGH | 520 USD |
| Per Month |
A typical and healthy budgeting structure
The 50/30/20 rule
Spending among different people can vary significantly based on factors such as their income, lifestyle,
location, and personal preferences. A commonly used guideline for budgeting is the 50/30/20 rule,
which suggests allocating your income into three main categories in the following percentages.
50% for needs and financial obligations
This category includes essential expenses like housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, and healthcare.
30% for wants and discretionary spending
This category covers discretionary spending on non-essential items, such as dining out, entertainment, travel, and other lifestyle choices.
20% for savings and emergency fund
This is the percentage that must be allocated to savings, emergency funds, and retirement accounts.
About financial planning, money management, and household budgeting
The 50/30/20 rule is used as a general guideline but may not be the best choice for all people. There are in fact many budgeting plans out there like the 70/20/10 and the 60/20/20 rules, all claiming to be the best. More important than all of this is to establish financial discipline by creating a budget tailored to your specific financial goals and situation. It is very important that your financial outflow be less than your income to maintain a healthy cash flow.
Affordable living in Cuenca
Income and cost of living compatibility
We asked students one simple question and recorded their answers.
Is it affordable or economical to live in Cuenca?
Around 58% of surveyed students think that living in Cuenca is affordable with proper budgeting while 42% reported that it is just too expensive and not affordable even with frugality and thriftness.
Low-cost alternatives in Cuenca
People are always looking for ways to cut down expenses and reduce expenditures. The hallmark of any affordable place is the availability of discount stores, bargain deals, smart or secondhand shopping, refurbished items, and couponing. We asked students how easily cost-cutting is and the answers were distributed as follows:
Plenty of low-cost options56%
Few low-cost options44%
Based on the survey, 56% of the students living in Cuenca have no problem finding low-cost alternatives to support a frugal lifestyle while 44% think that thriftness is difficult due to scarcity in discount markets and secondhand outlets.
Emergency Funds For Students
An emergency fund is a financial safety net comprised of easily accessible savings set aside to cover unexpected expenses or financial emergencies, typically amounting to three to six months' worth of living expenses. We asked students of Cuenca whether they have an emergency fund and the answers were as follows.
Yes55%
No45%
Based on the survey, 45% of the students living in Cuenca said that they don't have an emergency fund while 55% said that they do.
Financial Literacy in Ecuador
Financial literacy is the knowledge of concepts and principles related to personal finance that allow individuals to make informed decisions regarding their money such as budgeting, saving, investing, borrowing, managing debt, financial risk management, and planning.
Financial Leteracy53%
We asked student guardians and parents in Cuenca whether they acquired any adequate personal financial training in their lives. Approximately 47% of the people who participated in the survey said that they are not well informed about the topics of budgeting, saving, etc., and just manage things based on their own experience, while 53% said that they know about the general principles of personal finance from sources other than their own experience.
Difficulty in Budgeting and Financial Planning
We wanted to understand whether students of Ecuador have problems or difficulties in managing their expenditures and savings so we asked people one simple question: do you struggle with your personal finances? 47% of the participants reported that they indeed struggle in creating budgets and in organizing their finances while 53% said that they have everything under control.
Struggles with finance47%
Easily manages finances53%
Housing costs, accommodation, and housing affordability in Cuenca
Rental costs and house/apartment prices can vary drastically between different areas and locations.
Rent Cost in Cuenca
Monthly Rent Prices
Studio apartment monthly rent cost
1-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
2-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
3-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost
Furnished apartment monthly rent cost
| 420 USD | 1,100 USD | 2,100 USD |
Townhouse monthly rent cost
| 350 USD | 530 USD | 1,500 USD |
House monthly rent cost
| 420 USD | 1,100 USD | 2,100 USD |
Villa monthly rent cost
| 530 USD | 1,300 USD | 2,100 USD |
The monthly rental cost of a studio apartment in Cuenca ranges between 88 USD and 350 USD, meanwhile the cost of monthly rental of a one-bedroom apartment can be anywhere from 130 USD to 530 USD. Two-bedroom rentals rate ranges between 180 USD and 710 USD per month. The monthly rental for a three-bedroom apartment ranges from 210 USD to 970 USD. The average rent of a townhouse in Cuenca is around 530 USD while house rental costs can be as high as 1,100 USD per month. Finally, if you want to rent a villa, expect to pay anywhere from 530 USD to 2,100 USD per month.
Apartment and house prices in Cuenca
Cost of buying a property
Studio apartment price
| 18,000 USD | 27,000 USD | 53,000 USD |
1-bedroom apartment price
| 21,000 USD | 35,000 USD | 130,000 USD |
2-bedroom apartment price
| 35,000 USD | 110,000 USD | 210,000 USD |
3-bedroom apartment price
| 120,000 USD | 180,000 USD | 530,000 USD |
Townhouse price
| 150,000 USD | 350,000 USD | 1.3M USD |
House price
| 180,000 USD | 1.1M USD | 1.5M USD |
Villa price
| 210,000 USD | 1.2M USD | 1.8M USD |
The average price of a studio apartment in Cuenca can range from 18,000 USD to 53,000 USD depending on location. One bedroom cost can be anywhere from 21,000 USD to 130,000 USD. A villa can cost you 1.2M USD on average with prices ranging from 210,000 USD to 1.8M USD.
If you're leasing or purchasing, housing costs in Cuenca will probably constitute your biggest expenditure, yet it's an area where you wield considerable influence. This is due to the substantial variance in housing prices across communities. Keep in mind the location of your workplace and the accessibility of essential amenities to prevent negating the savings from lower rental rates with increased transportation expenses.
House / apartment prices to income ratio
Property price to income ratio
( average property price / average monthly income ) x 100
| 32 | x92 monthly income | 194 |
Property prices in Cuenca can be x92 to x194 multiples of the monthly income depending on the property and the income of the person. On average, property prices are approximately x92 multiples of the average monthly salary in Cuenca.
Rent to income ratio
Rent to income ratio
( monthly rental / monthly income ) x 100
The average rent-to-income ratio in Cuenca is around 29%. This means that people pay 29% of their income for rent. Those figures can range from 19% to 39% depending on the salary, location, and type of property.
The housing-to-income ratio is a very important metric to evaluate and measure how affordable living is in a particular area, city, or country since housing comprises the biggest chunk of expenditure. A higher housing to income ratio means that the place is relatively expensive. The figure by itself does tell much. It only starts to make sense when comparing the housing to income ratio across different locations.
Housing affordability index
The housing affordability index measures how affordable accommodation is in a particular place. This can measured in multiple ways, the most common being housing expenditure to total expenditure ratio and the rent to income ratio. The housing expenditure ratio is a figure reported by individuals on the percentage they allocate for housing. Rent to income ratio is calculated by dividing the average monthly rent by the average income. Because these values are both percentages, we can find their average and get the best of the two worlds.
Housing Affordability Index
26% Property Taxes
Real estate owners pay property taxes to local tax authorities, which are determined by the assessed value of their property. Typically, these taxes are paid once a year. Property tax funds contribute to community development, financing infrastructure improvements, public services, and local education initiatives.
Home Maintenance Costs
Home maintenance costs encompass various expenses associated with the upkeep and repair of a residence. These expenditures include regular tasks such as lawn care, pest control, and HVAC system servicing, as well as occasional repairs and renovations like fixing leaks, painting, or replacing appliances.
Urban vs. rural living costs
Urban living typically entails higher housing and transportation costs due to demand and limited space, while rural areas generally offer lower housing expenses but may have higher prices for goods and services. The differnce in rental rates between urban areas and rural areas can be as high as 300% in some cases.
Monthly costs and expenses of energy and basic utilities in Cuenca
Utilities expenditure can vary slightly between different areas and locations.
Energy, electricity, water, gas, internet, and mobile cost in Cuenca
Utility Bill Cost / Electricity + Water + Gas / Student
Internet and cable cost
Mobile phone bill and charges
Because most utility bills club electricity, water, and gas costs in one bill, we can't provide a breakup for each type of utility and will display electricity, gas, and water as single cost.
The average monthly energy and water consumption of students is around 21 USD. The cost of internet and WiFi ranges from 5.1 USD to 14 USD with 10 USD being the average internet bill. Finally, the average monthly mobile charges is around 6.8 USD but can range between 4.1 USD and 20 USD depending on consumption. Mobile charges include both calling minutes as well as data packages.
Energy / Utility expense to income ratio
( monthly utility expenses / monthly income ) x 100
The average utility-to-income ratio in Cuenca is around 6%. This means that people pay 6% of their income for energy, water, internet, and mobile charges. Those figures can range from 3% to 10% depending on salary and location.
Food Prices, Dining Expenses, and Grocery Costs in Cuenca
Grocery / Food expenditure and prices can vary drastically between different areas and locations.
Prices and cost of goods and services in Cuenca
Dining out, food, and beverages costs. Price variations for common food items.
Fast food combo meal price
The average price of a regular combo meal at a fast food outlet or chain like McDonald's, Pizzahut, or KFC in Cuenca is approximatly 2 USD with meal cost ranging from 1 USD to 3.4 USD. The typical combo meal consists of a burger, french fries, and a drink.
Restaurant meal for one price
If you are planning to have a nice meal at a mid-range restaurant, expect to pay anywhere between 3.5 USD and 10 USD with 5.2 USD being the average price of a plate for one person at a regular restaurant in Cuenca.
Fine dining meal for one price
The price range of a meal at fine-dining restaurant is 6.9 USD to 42 USD with the average cost being 10 USD for one person. This is what you would expect to pay a top-tier diner in Cuenca.
Beverage prices, cappuccino, latte etc..
The average price of a regular beverage like cappuccino or latte at Starbucks, Costa, or similar coffee shops and cafes in Cuenca is around 1.4 USD. Price ranges between 0.85 USD and 2 USD depending on the type of beverage, the size, and optional add-ons.
Grocery and market costs
Large bottle of milk price
The average price of a large bottle of milk in Cuenca is 0.82 USD. The maximum what you would pay for milk is 1 USD and the minimum being 0.68 USD depending on the brand of milk and other properties.
12 eggs price
A dozen eggs costs around 0.68 USD on average with 0.51 USD and 1 USD being the lower and upper limits respectively.
Fresh whole chicken price
The price range of a fresh whole chicken in Cuenca is between 1.2 USD and 2.1 USD depending on the size of the chicken and whether it is oraganic or not. The average price is approximatly 1.5 USD.
Pack of beef price
The price of a regular pack of beef or meat is around 2 USD. A pack of beef contains around 1Kg or 1lb depending on packing.
Medium bag of rice price
| 0.55 USD | 0.75 USD | 1.1 USD |
A bag of rice in Cuenca costs around 0.75 USD on average with prices rangeing between 0.55 USD and 1.1 USD depending on the brand and quality.
Bag of tomatos price
| 0.20 USD | 0.27 USD | 0.51 USD |
A bag of tomatoes costs anywhere from 0.20 USD to 0.51 USD. A bag of tomatoes denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.
Bag of apples price
| 0.36 USD | 0.48 USD | 0.78 USD |
A bag of apples costs 0.48 USD on average. A bag of apples denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.
Grocery and food expenditure to income ratio
( monthly grocery expenses / monthly income ) x 100
The average grocery-to-income ratio in Cuenca is around 27%. This means that students spend 27% of their income on grocery and basic household items. The expenditure can range from 19% to 33% depending on salary and location.
Expenditure on food and grocery for students
Students' spending on grocery ranges from 16 USD to 700 USD with the location, income, and size of the student being the most determinite factors.
