Cost of Living Comparison Between Banos and Quito Cost of Living Comparison Between Banos and Quito

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $876 in Banos versus $953 in Quito.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,327 in Banos versus $1,457 in Quito.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,778 in Banos versus $1,962 in Quito.

Living in Banos costs roughly 8% less than in Quito, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Banos 35% lower, Quito 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.76 $2.76

$4.54 $4.54

-39.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.29 $30.29

$32.41 $32.41

-6.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 $4.93

$7.23 $7.23

-31.81%

Cappuccino

$2.59 $2.59

$2.82 $2.82

-8.16%

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

$0.90 $0.90

$1.10 $1.10

-18.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 $0.61

$0.72 $0.72

-15.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.98 $1.98

48.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$3.94 $3.94

-47.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.10 $1.10

-3.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.49 $1.49

18.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.87 $1.87

-50.27%

Eggs

$1.48 $1.48

$2.30 $2.30

-35.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$8.44 $8.44

-29.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.02 $5.02

$7.70 $7.70

-34.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.12 $6.12

$8.11 $8.11

-24.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.06 $2.06

2.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.16 $1.16

-6.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.07 $1.07

-2.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.34 $1.34

-21.64%

Potato (1kg)

$0.52 $0.52

$1.43 $1.43

-63.64%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.06 $1.06

-8.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 $0.48

$0.86 $0.86

-44.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.03 $1.03

-1.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.94 $5.94

$6.08 $6.08

-2.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.88 $11.88

$10.07 $10.07

17.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.52 $1.52

1.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.84 $2.84

-22.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 $0.36

$0.33 $0.33

9.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.46 $23.46

$26.63 $26.63

-11.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.47 $1.47

-17.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.52 $1.52

-35.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.97 $9.97

$9.82 $9.82

1.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.68 $0.68

$0.72 $0.72

-5.56%

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

$24.6K $24.6K

$19.9K $19.9K

23.88%

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

$29.8K $29.8K

$25.6K $25.6K

16.46%

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

$36.97 $36.97

$34.30 $34.30

7.78%

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

$13.91 $13.91

$14.52 $14.52

-4.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.33 $31.33

$29.20 $29.20

7.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.81 $29.81

$40.67 $40.67

-26.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.53 $14.53

$16.65 $16.65

-12.73%

Cinema Ticket

$7.77 $7.77

$6.83 $6.83

13.76%

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

$319 $319

$273 $273

16.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,906 $5,906

$8,601 $8,601

-31.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 $51.9

$58.0 $58.0

-10.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.25 $43.25

$42.61 $42.61

1.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$100 $100

2.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 $111

$87.1 $87.1

27.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$345 $345

$455 $455

-24.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$320 $320

$322 $322

-0.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$624 $624

$765 $765

-18.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$492 $492

$494 $494

-0.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,716 $1,716

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$798 $798

$753 $753

6.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$632 $632

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.35

11.19

-16.44%

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

Last update for Banos: April 20, 2026

Last update for Quito: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $345 in Banos and $455 in Quito. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $30 in Banos vs $32 in Quito for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $179 vs $215 per month, with Banos cheaper across the board.

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

Banos vs Quito: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Banos wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Quito. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Banos the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,314 in Banos and $1,429 in Quito to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $345 in Banos versus $455 in Quito. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Quito. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Banos – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $32.00 in Quito. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $876 in Banos versus $953 in Quito, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Banos but tight or insufficient in Quito. The gap between the two cities makes Banos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Banos delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $876 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Banos hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Banos and Quito are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Banos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Quito. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.