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Country guide
Overview
Ecuador🇪🇨
At a Glance
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
Cost of Living
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
Safety & Crime
Higher RiskHow safe residents feel in Ecuador - based on surveys of people living there
Safety Index
37/100
Crime Index
100/100
Lower is better
Walking Safety
Daytime100
Nighttime100
0 point drop from day to night
Cities in Ecuador
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.
đź’¸Most Affordable
El Empalme
$891/mo
Safest
El Empalme
41/100
Best Quality of Life
El Empalme
101/200
Best Healthcare
Quito
79/100
City filter
Featured
Curated and popular cities first.
40 of 71 shown| 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 |
| BahĂa 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
Families
Schools
90 verified school profiles across 1 city in Ecuador — language model, grade range, credentials, and published tuition. A sample is shown here; filter the full set in the School Finder.
Colegio Americano de Quito
Verified
Location variesAges varyContact school
International Curriculum
Ib Diploma
Ib Middle Years
Ib Primary Years
Colegio Experimental Británico Internacional
Verified
Location variesAges varyContact school
International Curriculum
Ib Diploma
Ib Middle Years
Ib Primary Years
Colegio Internacional Rudolf Steiner
Verified
Location variesAges varyContact school
International Curriculum
Ib Diploma
Ib Middle Years
Ib Primary Years
Colegio Internacional SEK Los Valles
Verified
Location variesAges varyContact school
International Curriculum
Ib Diploma
Ib Middle Years
Ib Primary Years
Colegio Letort
Verified
Location variesAges varyContact school
International Curriculum
Ib Diploma
Ib Middle Years
Ib Primary Years
66 more verified schools in Ecuador are available in the School Finder, with filters for city, age, language, credentials, and tuition.
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
Healthcare system overview for Ecuador
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Environment
CleanAir quality, water, and environmental conditions in Ecuador
Pollution Index
33/100
Lower is better
PM2.5
16.7ug/m3
Moderate
Environmental Quality
Air Quality100/100
Based on 0 survey responses. Perception scores are 0–100 where higher is better unless noted.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about living in Ecuador, answered with data
What is the cost of living in Ecuador?
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.
What is the cheapest city in Ecuador for expats?
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.
Is Ecuador safe for expats?
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.
What is the best city in Ecuador for expats and digital nomads?
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.
How good is healthcare in Ecuador?
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.
Is Ecuador cheaper than the United States?
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.
What is the air quality and pollution like in Ecuador?
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.
Before You Go
Core tools and insurance next steps for planning a move to Ecuador
Plan Your Move
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Compare Countries
Side-by-side breakdown of cost of living, safety, healthcare, and more.
Cost of Living
Model monthly costs with Freedom Abroad estimates before you narrow the shortlist.
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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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