Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Albuquerque, NM and Quito

For one person, living is cheaper in Quito: $1,014 a month against $2,253 in Albuquerque, NM, rent and utilities included – about $14,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

109

Cost of Living Index in Albuquerque, NM
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Albuquerque, NM Living Index
49

Cost of Living Index in Quito
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Quito Living Index

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Albuquerque, NM

🇺🇸 United States

$2,253

/mo nomad

Quito

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$1,014

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Albuquerque, NM 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 Albuquerque, NM and in Quito actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,253 per month in Albuquerque, NM vs $1,014 in Quito, rent included.

Albuquerque, NM $2,253
Quito $1,014

A couple spends around $3,296 per month in Albuquerque, NM vs $1,641 in Quito, rent included.

Albuquerque, NM $3,296
Quito $1,641

A family of three spends $4,339 per month in Albuquerque, NM vs $2,269 in Quito, rent included.

Albuquerque, NM $4,339
Quito $2,269

Albuquerque, NM costs about 122% more than Quito, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Albuquerque, NM sits 67% above the global median, while Quito is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.94 $16.94

$5.55 $5.55

205.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.8 $59.8

$54.6 $54.6

9.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.08 $10.08

$7.63 $7.63

32.11%

Cappuccino

$4.97 $4.97

$3.33 $3.33

49.25%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.36 $1.36

117.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.14 $1.14

113.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.95 $5.95

$3.69 $3.69

61.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.16 $8.16

$6.16 $6.16

32.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.15 $1.15

-13.91%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 $3.29

$1.61 $1.61

104.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$1.51 $1.51

193.38%

Eggs

$4.92 $4.92

$2.15 $2.15

128.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 $11.71

$6.47 $6.47

80.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.31 $9.31

$5.33 $5.33

74.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.04 $20.04

$7.77 $7.77

157.92%

Apples (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$2.23 $2.23

112.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.24 $1.24

20.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.20 $4.20

$1.27 $1.27

230.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.36 $5.36

$1.08 $1.08

396.30%

Potato (1kg)

$3.10 $3.10

$1.24 $1.24

150.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.21 $3.21

$1.06 $1.06

202.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.91 $0.91

117.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$0.98 $0.98

183.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.85 $10.85

$5.95 $5.95

82.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.80 $13.80

$8.35 $8.35

65.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$1.52 $1.52

65.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.20 $3.20

9.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 $0.33

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.42 $21.42

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.85 $3.85

$1.53 $1.53

151.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.53 $1.53

38.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.55 $34.55

$10.01 $10.01

245.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$0.85 $0.85

25.88%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$30.1K $30.1K

$22.7K $22.7K

32.35%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.3K $25.3K

$29.6K $29.6K

-14.46%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$155 $155

$28.99 $28.99

434.39%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$64.0 $64.0

$17.94 $17.94

256.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 $71.2

$28.85 $28.85

146.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.87 $39.87

$45.09 $45.09

-11.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.96 $13.96

$17.78 $17.78

-21.48%

Cinema Ticket

$13.19 $13.19

$6.75 $6.75

95.41%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,330 $1,330

$743 $743

79.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.9K $22.9K

$8,223 $8,223

178.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 $53.7

$69.8 $69.8

-23.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.42 $44.42

$50.3 $50.3

-11.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 $105

$113 $113

-6.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 $120

$107 $107

12.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,472 $1,472

$542 $542

171.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,041 $1,041

$354 $354

193.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,582 $2,582

$1,141 $1,141

126.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 $1,677

$638 $638

163.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,712 $2,712

$1,636 $1,636

65.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 $2,095

$663 $663

216.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,829 $3,829

$603 $603

534.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.76

10.12

-33.20%

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

Last update for Albuquerque, NM: November 2, 2026

Last update for Quito: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Albuquerque, NM

$1K 46.2%

Quito

$354 34.9% 66% $687

Groceries & Markets

Albuquerque, NM

$402 17.9%

Quito

$193 19% 52.1% $210

Eating Out

Albuquerque, NM

$293 13%

Quito

$148 14.6% 49.4% $145

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Albuquerque, NM

$290 12.9%

Quito

$76 7.5% 73.9% $214

Clothing & Footwear

Albuquerque, NM

$145 6.5%

Quito

$153 15.1% 5.1% $7.5

Sport & Entertainment

Albuquerque, NM

$66 2.9%

Quito

$59 5.8% 11.6% $7.7

Getting Around

Albuquerque, NM

$14 * 0.6%

Quito

$32 3.2% 121% $18

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,472 in Albuquerque, NM versus $542 in Quito. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Albuquerque, NM are about 6.3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60 in Albuquerque, NM versus $55 in Quito. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $402 vs $193 – making Quito the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Albuquerque, NM

🇪🇨 Quito

🕒 Local time

07:38 7:38 AM

09:38 9:38 AM

2 h ahead of Albuquerque, NM

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

564,559

2,671,191 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Albuquerque, NM Quito 4,890 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Albuquerque, NM
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

Albuquerque, NM vs Quito: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Albuquerque, NM costs about 122% more than Quito, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,379 per month in Albuquerque, NM and $1,521 in Quito. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Quito, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $542 there versus $1,472 in Albuquerque, NM.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60 in Albuquerque, NM and $55 in Quito. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 109% more in Albuquerque, NM, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Quito, where all-in costs run around $1,014, than in Albuquerque, NM at $2,253. In Quito it covers expenses comfortably, while in Albuquerque, NM it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Quito. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Albuquerque, NM makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.