Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chico, CA and Quito

For one person, living is cheaper in Quito: $978 a month against $2,515 in Chico, CA, rent and utilities included – about $18,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

123

Cost of Living Index in Chico, CA
Learn more

Chico, CA Living Index
48

Cost of Living Index in Quito
Learn more

Quito Living Index

Jump to prices

Chico, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,515

/mo nomad

Quito

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$978

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,515 in Chico, CA versus $978 in Quito.

Chico, CA $2,515
Quito $978

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,036 in Chico, CA versus $1,586 in Quito.

Chico, CA $4,036
Quito $1,586

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,556 in Chico, CA versus $2,194 in Quito.

Chico, CA $5,556
Quito $2,194

Living in Chico, CA is roughly 157% more expensive than in Quito, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chico, CA is 86% above, Quito is 28% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.46 $25.46

$6.08 $6.08

318.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.1 $50.1

$55.5 $55.5

-9.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.05 $12.05

$7.61 $7.61

58.34%

Cappuccino

$5.77 $5.77

$3.40 $3.40

69.71%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$1.37 $1.37

91.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.09 $1.09

108.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.34 $7.34

$3.43 $3.43

113.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.22 $8.22

$6.06 $6.06

35.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.14 $1.14

-0.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.99 $2.99

$1.60 $1.60

86.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.51 $3.51

$1.58 $1.58

122.15%

Eggs

$4.86 $4.86

$2.12 $2.12

129.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.12 $11.12

$6.58 $6.58

69.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.12 $12.12

$5.51 $5.51

119.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.12 $23.12

$7.65 $7.65

202.22%

Apples (1kg)

$5.43 $5.43

$2.24 $2.24

142.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.19 $1.19

97.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.81 $3.81

$1.33 $1.33

186.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.64 $5.64

$1.13 $1.13

399.12%

Potato (1kg)

$5.01 $5.01

$1.24 $1.24

304.03%

Onion (1kg)

$3.10 $3.10

$1.02 $1.02

203.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 $2.46

$0.92 $0.92

167.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.05 $1.05

143.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.01 $8.01

$6.16 $6.16

30.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.92 $14.92

$10.07 $10.07

48.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.58 $1.58

10.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 $3.62

$3.09 $3.09

17.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 $2.94

$0.36 $0.36

716.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.74 $34.74

$21.37 $21.37

62.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 $3.22

$1.53 $1.53

110.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 $2.41

$1.49 $1.49

61.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.65 $40.65

$9.84 $9.84

313.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 $1.42

$0.81 $0.81

75.31%

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

$36.3K $36.3K

$21.3K $21.3K

70.81%

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

$24.7K $24.7K

$27.9K $27.9K

-11.36%

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

$185 $185

$28.75 $28.75

542.68%

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

$49.40 $49.40

$17.86 $17.86

176.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.9 $67.9

$28.20 $28.20

140.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.0 $77.0

$46.08 $46.08

67.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.76 $17.76

Cinema Ticket

$13.12 $13.12

$6.34 $6.34

106.94%

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

$1,837 $1,837

$739 $739

148.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.1K $37.1K

$8,909 $8,909

316.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 $51.1

$71.0 $71.0

-28.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.08 $31.08

$50.4 $50.4

-38.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.3 $70.3

$114 $114

-38.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.8 $98.8

$107 $107

-7.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,508 $1,508

$491 $491

207.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,123 $1,123

$309 $309

263.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,933 $2,933

$932 $932

214.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,590 $2,590

$540 $540

379.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,210 $3,210

$1,759 $1,759

82.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,919 $2,919

$715 $715

308.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,832 $3,832

$594 $594

545.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.28

10.12

-37.94%

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

Last update for Chico, CA: October 12, 2026

Last update for Quito: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Chico, CA

$1.1K 44.6%

Quito

$309 31.6% 72.5% $814

Groceries & Markets

Chico, CA

$430 17.1%

Quito

$198 20.3% 54% $232

Eating Out

Chico, CA

$382 15.2%

Quito

$151 15.5% 60.3% $230

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chico, CA

$302 12%

Quito

$75 7.7% 75.2% $227

Clothing & Footwear

Chico, CA

$113 4.5%

Quito

$154 15.8% 36.4% $41

Sport & Entertainment

Chico, CA

$103 4.1%

Quito

$59 6% 43.1% $45

Getting Around

Chico, CA

$62 2.5%

Quito

$32 3.3% 48.6% $30

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,508 in Chico, CA and $491 in Quito. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chico, CA pays 545% 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: $50.0 in Chico, CA vs $55.0 in Quito. Groceries flip the comparison at $430 vs $198, with Quito cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chico, CA

🇪🇨 Quito

🕒 Local time

23:22 11:22 PM

01:22 1:22 AM

2 h ahead of Chico, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

90,316

2,671,191 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chico, CA Quito 6,240 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Chico, CA
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

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

Quito is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 157% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 545% higher in Chico, 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: $1,508 in Chico, CA versus $491 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 $55.0 versus $50.0 in Chico, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,515 per month in Chico, CA versus $978 in Quito – a 157% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $978 in Quito versus $2,515 in Chico, CA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Quito but tight or insufficient in Chico, 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 Chico, 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 157% less than in Chico, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.