Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Boise, ID and Quito

For one person, living is cheaper in Quito: $1,014 a month against $2,599 in Boise, ID, rent and utilities included – about $19,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

125

Cost of Living Index in Boise, ID
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Boise, ID Living Index
49

Cost of Living Index in Quito
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Quito Living Index

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Boise, ID

🇺🇸 United States

$2,599

/mo nomad

Quito

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$1,014

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,599 per month in Boise, ID vs $1,014 in Quito, rent included.

Boise, ID $2,599
Quito $1,014

A couple spends around $3,659 per month in Boise, ID vs $1,641 in Quito, rent included.

Boise, ID $3,659
Quito $1,641

A family of three spends $4,718 per month in Boise, ID vs $2,269 in Quito, rent included.

Boise, ID $4,718
Quito $2,269

Boise, ID costs about 156% more than Quito, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Boise, ID sits 92% above the global median, while Quito is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.93 $18.93

$5.55 $5.55

241.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.0 $71.0

$54.6 $54.6

29.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.13 $13.13

$7.63 $7.63

72.08%

Cappuccino

$6.17 $6.17

$3.33 $3.33

85.29%

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

$2.85 $2.85

$1.36 $1.36

109.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.14 $1.14

78.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.71 $6.71

$3.69 $3.69

81.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.31 $6.31

$6.16 $6.16

2.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.15 $1.15

-20.87%

White Bread (500g)

$3.96 $3.96

$1.61 $1.61

145.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.02 $6.02

$1.51 $1.51

298.68%

Eggs

$4.23 $4.23

$2.15 $2.15

96.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.90 $15.90

$6.47 $6.47

145.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.08 $11.08

$5.33 $5.33

107.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.65 $17.65

$7.77 $7.77

127.16%

Apples (1kg)

$4.88 $4.88

$2.23 $2.23

118.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.24 $1.24

50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$1.27 $1.27

218.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 $4.88

$1.08 $1.08

351.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$1.24 $1.24

132.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$1.06 $1.06

155.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 $2.41

$0.91 $0.91

164.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$0.98 $0.98

147.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.64 $8.64

$5.95 $5.95

45.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.33 $15.33

$8.35 $8.35

83.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.52 $1.52

33.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$3.20 $3.20

4.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 $1.48

$0.33 $0.33

348.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.34 $42.34

$21.42 $21.42

97.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.53 $1.53

71.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.53 $1.53

-4.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.34 $24.34

$10.01 $10.01

143.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 $1.19

$0.85 $0.85

40.00%

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

$33.9K $33.9K

$22.7K $22.7K

49.23%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$29.6K $29.6K

-11.05%

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

$170 $170

$28.99 $28.99

487.58%

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

$57.2 $57.2

$17.94 $17.94

218.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.9 $75.9

$28.85 $28.85

163.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.23 $39.23

$45.09 $45.09

-13.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.85 $37.85

$17.78 $17.78

112.88%

Cinema Ticket

$12.36 $12.36

$6.75 $6.75

83.11%

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

$1,096 $1,096

$743 $743

47.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K $19.5K

$8,223 $8,223

136.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.5 $54.5

$69.8 $69.8

-21.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.37 $41.37

$50.3 $50.3

-17.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.0 $89.0

$113 $113

-21.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 $109

$107 $107

1.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,688 $1,688

$542 $542

211.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,289 $1,289

$354 $354

263.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,588 $2,588

$1,141 $1,141

126.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,800 $1,800

$638 $638

182.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,828 $6,828

$1,636 $1,636

317.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,041 $3,041

$663 $663

358.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,416 $4,416

$603 $603

632.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.65

10.12

-34.29%

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

Last update for Boise, ID: November 1, 2026

Last update for Quito: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Boise, ID

$1.3K 49.6%

Quito

$354 34.9% 72.5% $934

Groceries & Markets

Boise, ID

$422 16.2%

Quito

$193 19% 54.4% $230

Eating Out

Boise, ID

$331 12.7%

Quito

$148 14.6% 55.2% $183

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Boise, ID

$303 11.7%

Quito

$76 7.5% 75% $228

Clothing & Footwear

Boise, ID

$132 5.1%

Quito

$153 15.1% 15.6% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Boise, ID

$64 2.5%

Quito

$59 5.8% 8.4% $5.4

Getting Around

Boise, ID

$58 2.2%

Quito

$32 3.2% 45.1% $26

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,688 in Boise, ID 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 Boise, ID are about 7.3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71 in Boise, ID versus $55 in Quito. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $422 vs $193 – making Quito the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Boise, ID

🇪🇨 Quito

🕒 Local time

20:53 8:53 PM

22:53 10:53 PM

2 h ahead of Boise, ID

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

235,684

2,671,191 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.891 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Boise, ID Quito 6,140 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Boise, ID
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

Boise, ID vs Quito: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Boise, ID costs about 156% 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 $3,899 per month in Boise, ID 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 $1,688 in Boise, ID.

Kindergarten costs $1,096 per month in Boise, ID and $743 in Quito. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 119% more in Boise, ID, 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 Boise, ID at $2,599. In Quito it covers expenses comfortably, while in Boise, ID 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, Boise, ID makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.