Quick facts
Cuenca overview
Cuenca (orange) and the other large cities of Ecuador
Cuenca lies in Azuay in Ecuador at 2.9°S, 79°W, about 2,484 m above sea level. The local time zone is America/Guayaquil (UTC-5); GeoNames classifies it as a regional capital.
It is smaller than Guayaquil (2,723,665) and larger than Santo Domingo de los Colorados (458,580). The largest city in Ecuador is Quito with 2,781,641 people; the capital, Quito, has 2,781,641.
The national capital, Quito, is about 301 km away; the nearest large city is Pasaje, 102 km from Cuenca.
Ecuador as a whole has a live population of 18,491,304 (+0.8% a year) and ranks #72 of 238 countries — see the Ecuador population page for the full statistics and the Ecuador atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Cuenca
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Pasaje El Oro | 102 km | 44,860 |
| Milagro Guayas | 108 km | 133,508 |
| Machala El Oro | 114 km | 289,141 |
| Eloy Alfaro Guayas | 124 km | 315,724 |
| Santa Rosa El Oro | 124 km | 41,816 |
| Loja Loja | 124 km | 274,112 |
| Guayaquil Guayas | 126 km | 2,723,665 |
| Babahoyo Los Ríos | 135 km | 76,279 |
Largest cities in Ecuador
| # | City | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | QuitoCapital | Pichincha | 2,781,641 |
| 2 | Guayaquil | Guayas | 2,723,665 |
| 3 | Cuenca | Azuay | 636,996 |
| 4 | Santo Domingo de los Colorados | Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas | 458,580 |
| 5 | Ambato | Tungurahua Province | 387,309 |
| 6 | Portoviejo | Manabí | 321,800 |
| 7 | Eloy Alfaro | Guayas | 315,724 |
| 8 | Machala | El Oro | 289,141 |
| 9 | Loja | Loja | 274,112 |
| 10 | Manta | Manabí | 264,281 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Cuenca?
Cuenca has about 636,996 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Cuenca the capital of Ecuador?
No. The capital of Ecuador is Quito (2,781,641 people), about 301 km away. Cuenca is the 3rd largest city of the country and a regional capital.
How big is Cuenca compared with the rest of Ecuador?
Its 636,996 residents are 3.4% of the 18,491,304 people living in Ecuador today. Quito is larger with 2,781,641 people.
Where is Cuenca?
In Azuay, Ecuador, at latitude -2.9 and longitude -79, 2,484 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Pasaje (102 km), Milagro (108 km), Machala (114 km).
Explore more
Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Cuenca Population 2026 — Ecuador. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/ecuador/cuenca/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/ecuador/cuenca/">Cuenca Population 2026 — Ecuador</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.