Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Anchorage, AK and Quito

For one person, living is cheaper in Quito: $979 a month against $3,251 in Anchorage, AK, rent and utilities included – about $27,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

159

Cost of Living Index in Anchorage, AK
Learn more

Anchorage, AK Living Index
48

Cost of Living Index in Quito
Learn more

Quito Living Index

Jump to prices

Anchorage, AK

🇺🇸 United States

$3,251

/mo nomad

Quito

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$979

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,251 in Anchorage, AK versus $979 in Quito.

Anchorage, AK $3,251
Quito $979

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,799 in Anchorage, AK versus $1,607 in Quito.

Anchorage, AK $4,799
Quito $1,607

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,346 in Anchorage, AK versus $2,234 in Quito.

Anchorage, AK $6,346
Quito $2,234

Living in Anchorage, AK is roughly 232% more expensive than in Quito, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Anchorage, AK is 143% above, Quito is 27% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.37 $25.37

$6.14 $6.14

313.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 $102

$53.9 $53.9

88.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.88 $14.88

$7.81 $7.81

90.52%

Cappuccino

$6.80 $6.80

$3.42 $3.42

98.83%

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

$3.28 $3.28

$1.44 $1.44

127.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.14 $1.14

124.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.83 $7.83

$3.48 $3.48

125.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.73 $9.73

$5.89 $5.89

65.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 $1.19

$1.14 $1.14

4.39%

White Bread (500g)

$4.80 $4.80

$1.54 $1.54

211.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.33 $6.33

$1.51 $1.51

319.21%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$2.16 $2.16

100.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.83 $13.83

$6.40 $6.40

116.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.52 $12.52

$5.48 $5.48

128.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.84 $21.84

$7.81 $7.81

179.64%

Apples (1kg)

$7.99 $7.99

$2.33 $2.33

242.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.24 $1.24

82.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.58 $5.58

$1.31 $1.31

325.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.23 $6.23

$1.14 $1.14

446.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.94 $2.94

$1.21 $1.21

142.98%

Onion (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.02 $1.02

199.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 $2.76

$0.93 $0.93

196.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.05 $1.05

124.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.79 $12.79

$6.02 $6.02

112.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 $17.74

$9.93 $9.93

78.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.59 $1.59

6.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 $3.37

$3.08 $3.08

9.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.37 $0.37

429.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.9 $60.9

$20.95 $20.95

190.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.54 $1.54

81.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.53 $1.53

22.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.99 $41.99

$10.01 $10.01

319.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 $1.30

$0.87 $0.87

49.43%

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

$33.5K $33.5K

$21.0K $21.0K

59.72%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$28.6K $28.6K

-9.99%

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

$409 $409

$28.97 $28.97

1312.98%

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

$90.2 $90.2

$17.57 $17.57

413.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$137 $137

$28.14 $28.14

386.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.3 $89.3

$46.48 $46.48

92.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.86 $39.86

$17.70 $17.70

125.20%

Cinema Ticket

$15.28 $15.28

$6.38 $6.38

139.50%

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

$1,227 $1,227

$746 $746

64.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K $10.6K

$9,015 $9,015

17.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.59 $49.59

$68.8 $68.8

-27.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.89 $45.89

$50.4 $50.4

-8.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 $112

$117 $117

-4.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 $122

$109 $109

11.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,788 $1,788

$478 $478

274.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,410 $1,410

$313 $313

350.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,845 $2,845

$967 $967

194.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,437 $2,437

$549 $549

343.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,006 $4,006

$1,763 $1,763

127.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,789 $2,789

$720 $720

287.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,681 $4,681

$597 $597

684.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

10.12

-35.87%

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

Last update for Anchorage, AK: October 3, 2026

Last update for Quito: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Anchorage, AK

$1.4K 42.9%

Quito

$313 31.8% 77.8% $1.1K

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Anchorage, AK

$637 19.3%

Quito

$75 7.6% 88.3% $562

Groceries & Markets

Anchorage, AK

$484 14.7%

Quito

$198 20.1% 59.2% $287

Eating Out

Anchorage, AK

$411 12.5%

Quito

$153 15.5% 62.8% $258

Clothing & Footwear

Anchorage, AK

$148 4.5%

Quito

$156 15.8% 5% $7.4

Sport & Entertainment

Anchorage, AK

$120 3.6%

Quito

$59 6% 50.6% $61

Getting Around

Anchorage, AK

$81 2.5%

Quito

$32 3.2% 60.9% $49

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,788 in Anchorage, AK and $478 in Quito. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Anchorage, AK pays 684% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $102 in Anchorage, AK vs $54.0 in Quito for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $484 vs $198 per month, with Quito cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Anchorage, AK

🇪🇨 Quito

🕒 Local time

17:57 5:57 PM

20:57 8:57 PM

3 h ahead of Anchorage, AK

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

289,600

2,671,191 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Anchorage, AK Quito 9,040 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Anchorage, AK
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

Anchorage, AK vs Quito: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Quito wins on cost – living expenses run 232% lower than in Anchorage, AK. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Quito the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 684% higher in Anchorage, AK, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,788 in Anchorage, AK versus $478 in Quito. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Quito – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $102 in Anchorage, AK. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,251 per month in Anchorage, AK versus $979 in Quito – a 232% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $979 in Quito versus $3,251 in Anchorage, AK, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Quito but tight or insufficient in Anchorage, AK. The gap between the two cities makes Quito the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Quito delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $979 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Quito hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Quito gentler on the wallet – expenses run 232% less than in Anchorage, AK. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.