Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Alamos, Sonora and Quito

For one person, living is cheaper in Quito: $979 a month against $1,169 in Alamos, Sonora, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Alamos, Sonora
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,169
/mo nomad
Quito
🇪🇨 Ecuador
$979
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Alamos, Sonora and in Quito

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Alamos, Sonora and in Quito actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,169 per month in Alamos, Sonora vs $979 in Quito, rent included.

  • Alamos, Sonora $1,169
  • Quito $979

A couple spends around $1,871 per month in Alamos, Sonora vs $1,607 in Quito, rent included.

  • Alamos, Sonora $1,871
  • Quito $1,607

A family of three spends $2,573 per month in Alamos, Sonora vs $2,234 in Quito, rent included.

  • Alamos, Sonora $2,573
  • Quito $2,234

Alamos, Sonora costs about 19% more than Quito, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Alamos, Sonora and Quito are more affordable than the global median – Alamos, Sonora 13% lower, Quito 27% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Alamos, Sonora
Quito
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.17 MX$203
$6.14 $6.14
81.92%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.19 MX$804
$53.9 $53.9
-18.00%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.40 MX$153
$7.81 $7.81
7.55%
Cappuccino
$3.65 MX$66.5
$3.42 $3.42
6.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 MX$25.68
$1.44 $1.44
-2.08%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03 MX$18.72
$1.14 $1.14
-9.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.69 MX$49.00
$3.48 $3.48
-22.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.05 MX$73.7
$5.89 $5.89
-31.24%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Alamos, Sonora
Quito
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.65 MX$30.08
$1.14 $1.14
44.74%
White Bread (500g)
$2.62 MX$47.59
$1.54 $1.54
70.13%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.68 MX$30.54
$1.51 $1.51
11.26%
Eggs
$2.56 MX$46.65
$2.16 $2.16
18.52%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.27 MX$150
$6.40 $6.40
29.22%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.35 MX$152
$5.48 $5.48
52.37%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.75 MX$214
$7.81 $7.81
50.45%
Apples (1kg)
$2.73 MX$49.65
$2.33 $2.33
17.17%
Banana (1kg)
$1.54 MX$27.96
$1.24 $1.24
24.19%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.98 MX$35.93
$1.31 $1.31
51.15%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.79 MX$32.60
$1.14 $1.14
57.02%
Potato (1kg)
$1.99 MX$36.15
$1.21 $1.21
64.46%
Onion (1kg)
$1.91 MX$34.73
$1.02 $1.02
87.25%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.44 MX$26.11
$0.93 $0.93
54.84%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09 MX$19.87
$1.05 $1.05
3.81%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.36 MX$79.4
$6.02 $6.02
-27.57%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.36 MX$188
$9.93 $9.93
4.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 MX$31.97
$1.59 $1.59
10.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.11 MX$56.5
$3.08 $3.08
0.97%
🚌 Getting Around
Alamos, Sonora
Quito
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.69 MX$12.56
$0.37 $0.37
86.49%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$20.95 $20.95
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.57 MX$46.83
$1.54 $1.54
66.88%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.98 MX$36.01
$1.53 $1.53
29.41%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.17 MX$203
$10.01 $10.01
11.59%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 MX$27.14
$0.87 $0.87
71.26%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.7K MX$395.2K
$21.0K $21.0K
3.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.8K MX$451.8K
$28.6K $28.6K
-13.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Alamos, Sonora
Quito
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$61.1 MX$1,112
$28.97 $28.97
111.05%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.63 MX$412
$17.57 $17.57
28.80%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.53 MX$555
$28.14 $28.14
8.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Alamos, Sonora
Quito
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$34.41 MX$626
$46.48 $46.48
-25.97%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.52 MX$373
$17.70 $17.70
15.93%
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$93.5
$6.38 $6.38
-19.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Alamos, Sonora
Quito
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$222 MX$4,038
$746 $746
-70.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,726 MX$86.0K
$9,015 $9,015
-47.58%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Alamos, Sonora
Quito
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.8 MX$996
$68.8 $68.8
-20.38%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.36 MX$771
$50.4 $50.4
-15.87%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 MX$1,844
$117 $117
-13.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.2 MX$1,660
$109 $109
-16.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Alamos, Sonora
Quito
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$627 MX$11.4K
$478 $478
31.11%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$387 MX$7,044
$313 $313
23.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,063 MX$19.3K
$967 $967
9.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$785 MX$14.3K
$549 $549
43.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,904 MX$34.6K
$1,763 $1,763
8.04%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,181 MX$21.5K
$720 $720
64.00%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Alamos, Sonora
Quito
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$597 $597
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.3
10.12
11.66%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Alamos, Sonora: October 4, 2026

Last update for Quito: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Alamos, Sonora
$387
Quito
$313 19.1% $74
Groceries & Markets
Alamos, Sonora
$266
Quito
$198 25.6% $68
Eating Out
Alamos, Sonora
$190
Quito
$153 19.4% $37
Clothing & Footwear
Alamos, Sonora
$130
Quito
$156 19.3% $25
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Alamos, Sonora
$114
Quito
$75 34.7% $40
Sport & Entertainment
Alamos, Sonora
$45
Quito
$59 32.5% $15
Getting Around
Alamos, Sonora
$15 *
Quito
$32 108% $16

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $627 in Alamos, Sonora versus $478 in Quito. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Alamos, Sonora versus $54.0 in Quito. Groceries tell a different story – $266 in Alamos, Sonora vs $198 in Quito – so Quito wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Alamos, Sonora
🇪🇨 Quito
🕒 Local time
20:43 8:43 PM
22:43 10:43 PM
2 h ahead of Alamos, Sonora
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
10,961
2,671,191 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 18.19 MXN (100 MXN = 5.5 USD). 1 EUR = 20.4 MXN (100 MXN = 4.9 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Alamos, Sonora Quito 4,440 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Alamos, Sonora
  • Quito

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Alamos, Sonora vs Quito: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Quito cheaper than Alamos, Sonora?
Yes – Alamos, Sonora is pricier by about 19%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,753 per month in Alamos, Sonora and $1,468 in Quito. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Quito, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Alamos, Sonora or in Quito?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Alamos, Sonora and $54.0 in Quito. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Alamos, Sonora and in Quito?
Groceries cost about 34% more in Alamos, Sonora, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Alamos, Sonora or in Quito?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Quito, where all-in costs run around $979, than in Alamos, Sonora at $1,169. In Quito it covers expenses comfortably, while in Alamos, Sonora it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Alamos, Sonora or Quito more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Quito – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Alamos, Sonora or Quito?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Quito. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Alamos, Sonora makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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