Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bakersfield, CA and Quito

For one person, living is cheaper in Quito: $979 a month against $3,146 in Bakersfield, CA, rent and utilities included – about $26,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Bakersfield, CA
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Bakersfield, CA Living Index
48

Cost of Living Index in Quito
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Quito Living Index

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Bakersfield, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,146

/mo nomad

Quito

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$979

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,146 in Bakersfield, CA versus $979 in Quito.

Bakersfield, CA $3,146
Quito $979

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,361 in Bakersfield, CA versus $1,607 in Quito.

Bakersfield, CA $4,361
Quito $1,607

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,575 in Bakersfield, CA versus $2,234 in Quito.

Bakersfield, CA $5,575
Quito $2,234

Living in Bakersfield, CA is roughly 221% more expensive than in Quito, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bakersfield, CA is 135% above, Quito is 27% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.87 $18.87

$6.14 $6.14

207.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.2 $64.2

$53.9 $53.9

19.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.91 $13.91

$7.81 $7.81

78.10%

Cappuccino

$6.05 $6.05

$3.42 $3.42

76.90%

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

$2.67 $2.67

$1.44 $1.44

85.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.14 $1.14

78.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.14 $6.14

$3.48 $3.48

76.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.14 $1.14

-5.26%

White Bread (500g)

$4.16 $4.16

$1.54 $1.54

170.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$1.51 $1.51

250.99%

Eggs

$3.42 $3.42

$2.16 $2.16

58.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.83 $12.83

$6.40 $6.40

100.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.26 $13.26

$5.48 $5.48

141.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.95 $15.95

$7.81 $7.81

104.23%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 $4.14

$2.33 $2.33

77.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.24 $1.24

66.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.96 $3.96

$1.31 $1.31

202.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$1.14 $1.14

235.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.21 $1.21

80.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.41 $2.41

$1.02 $1.02

136.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 $2.13

$0.93 $0.93

129.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.05 $1.05

124.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.95 $9.95

$6.02 $6.02

65.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.72 $17.72

$9.93 $9.93

78.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.59 $1.59

19.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 $4.76

$3.08 $3.08

54.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.75 $1.75

$0.37 $0.37

372.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.5 $57.5

$20.95 $20.95

174.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 $3.01

$1.54 $1.54

95.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.08 $2.08

$1.53 $1.53

35.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.01 $10.01

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 $1.51

$0.87 $0.87

73.56%

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

$37.4K $37.4K

$21.0K $21.0K

78.08%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$28.6K $28.6K

-7.82%

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

$400 $400

$28.97 $28.97

1282.02%

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

$60.0 $60.0

$17.57 $17.57

241.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.3 $74.3

$28.14 $28.14

164.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.76 $38.76

$46.48 $46.48

-16.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.77 $24.77

$17.70 $17.70

39.94%

Cinema Ticket

$15.05 $15.05

$6.38 $6.38

135.89%

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

$1,482 $1,482

$746 $746

98.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,015 $9,015

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 $61.5

$68.8 $68.8

-10.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.13 $48.13

$50.4 $50.4

-4.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.7 $99.7

$117 $117

-15.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 $123

$109 $109

12.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,694 $1,694

$478 $478

254.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,567 $1,567

$313 $313

400.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,401 $2,401

$967 $967

148.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,511 $2,511

$549 $549

357.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,496 $2,496

$1,763 $1,763

41.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,464 $2,464

$720 $720

242.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,646 $3,646

$597 $597

510.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

10.12

-36.46%

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

Last update for Bakersfield, CA: October 6, 2026

Last update for Quito: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bakersfield, CA

$1.6K 50%

Quito

$313 31.8% 80% $1.3K

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bakersfield, CA

$535 17.1%

Quito

$75 7.6% 86% $460

Groceries & Markets

Bakersfield, CA

$411 13.1%

Quito

$198 20.1% 51.9% $213

Eating Out

Bakersfield, CA

$327 10.4%

Quito

$153 15.5% 53.1% $173

Clothing & Footwear

Bakersfield, CA

$150 4.8%

Quito

$156 15.8% 4% $5.9

Getting Around

Bakersfield, CA

$78 2.5%

Quito

$32 3.2% 59.4% $46

Sport & Entertainment

Bakersfield, CA

$69 2.2%

Quito

$59 6% 14% $9.6

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,694 in Bakersfield, CA and $478 in Quito. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bakersfield, CA pays 511% 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: $64.0 in Bakersfield, CA vs $54.0 in Quito for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $411 vs $198 per month, with Quito cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Bakersfield, CA

🇪🇨 Quito

🕒 Local time

23:08 11:08 PM

01:08 1:08 AM

2 h ahead of Bakersfield, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

373,640

2,671,191 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Bakersfield, CA Quito 5,770 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Bakersfield, CA
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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

Bakersfield, CA vs Quito: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Quito is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 221% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 511% higher in Bakersfield, CA, 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: $1,694 in Bakersfield, CA 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 $64.0 in Bakersfield, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,146 per month in Bakersfield, CA versus $979 in Quito – a 221% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $979 in Quito versus $3,146 in Bakersfield, CA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Quito but tight or insufficient in Bakersfield, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Quito the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Quito is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Bakersfield, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Quito gentler on the wallet – expenses run 221% less than in Bakersfield, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.