Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dawson City and Quito

For one person, living is cheaper in Quito: $978 a month against $1,888 in Dawson City, rent and utilities included – about $10,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Dawson City
🇨🇦 Canada
$1,888
/mo nomad
Quito
🇪🇨 Ecuador
$978
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,888 per month in Dawson City vs $978 in Quito, rent included.

  • Dawson City $1,888
  • Quito $978

A couple spends around $3,267 per month in Dawson City vs $1,586 in Quito, rent included.

  • Dawson City $3,267
  • Quito $1,586

A family of three spends $4,647 per month in Dawson City vs $2,194 in Quito, rent included.

  • Dawson City $4,647
  • Quito $2,194

Dawson City costs about 93% more than Quito, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Dawson City sits 40% above the global median, while Quito is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Dawson City
Quito
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$24.14 CA$34.12
$6.08 $6.08
297.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$102 CA$144
$55.5 $55.5
83.14%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.41 CA$14.71
$7.61 $7.61
36.79%
Cappuccino
$3.74 CA$5.29
$3.40 $3.40
10.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.78 CA$2.52
$1.37 $1.37
29.93%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57 CA$2.22
$1.09 $1.09
44.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.19 CA$7.34
$3.43 $3.43
51.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.55 CA$7.84
$6.06 $6.06
-8.42%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Dawson City
Quito
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.62 CA$3.70
$1.14 $1.14
129.82%
White Bread (500g)
$4.11 CA$5.81
$1.60 $1.60
156.88%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.95 CA$6.99
$1.58 $1.58
213.29%
Eggs
$5.00 CA$7.06
$2.12 $2.12
135.85%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.66 CA$13.66
$6.58 $6.58
46.81%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.61 CA$20.65
$5.51 $5.51
165.15%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.38 CA$20.33
$7.65 $7.65
87.97%
Apples (1kg)
$4.00 CA$5.65
$2.24 $2.24
78.57%
Banana (1kg)
$1.48 CA$2.09
$1.19 $1.19
24.37%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.95 CA$5.59
$1.33 $1.33
196.99%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.06 CA$5.73
$1.13 $1.13
259.29%
Potato (1kg)
$2.43 CA$3.43
$1.24 $1.24
95.97%
Onion (1kg)
$2.21 CA$3.12
$1.02 $1.02
116.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.42 CA$3.42
$0.92 $0.92
163.04%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.55 CA$2.19
$1.05 $1.05
47.62%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.27 CA$20.17
$6.16 $6.16
131.66%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.76 CA$18.05
$10.07 $10.07
26.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.52 CA$3.57
$1.58 $1.58
59.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97 CA$4.20
$3.09 $3.09
-3.88%
🚌 Getting Around
Dawson City
Quito
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.98 CA$2.80
$0.36 $0.36
450.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$61.4 CA$86.8
$21.37 $21.37
187.27%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.23 CA$4.57
$1.53 $1.53
111.11%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.64 CA$2.32
$1.49 $1.49
10.07%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$23.68 CA$33.48
$9.84 $9.84
140.65%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.18 CA$1.67
$0.81 $0.81
45.68%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K CA$39.5K
$21.3K $21.3K
31.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.0K CA$25.5K
$27.9K $27.9K
-35.40%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dawson City
Quito
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$136 CA$193
$28.75 $28.75
374.40%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$37.51 CA$53.0
$17.86 $17.86
110.02%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.3 CA$75.4
$28.20 $28.20
89.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Dawson City
Quito
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.06 CA$58.1
$46.08 $46.08
-10.89%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.56 CA$24.82
$17.76 $17.76
-1.13%
Cinema Ticket
$12.54 CA$17.73
$6.34 $6.34
97.79%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Dawson City
Quito
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$848 CA$1,199
$739 $739
14.76%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.6K CA$17.8K
$8,909 $8,909
41.34%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Dawson City
Quito
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.2 CA$89.4
$71.0 $71.0
-10.91%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.70 CA$53.3
$50.4 $50.4
-25.26%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$66.3 CA$93.7
$114 $114
-41.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$100 CA$142
$107 $107
-6.44%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Dawson City
Quito
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,224 CA$1,730
$491 $491
149.44%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$672 CA$951
$309 $309
117.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,931 CA$2,729
$932 $932
107.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,710 CA$2,418
$540 $540
216.42%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,427 CA$6,258
$1,759 $1,759
151.65%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,172 CA$4,484
$715 $715
343.87%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Dawson City
Quito
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,819 CA$3,986
$594 $594
374.88%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.66
10.12
-53.95%

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

Last update for Dawson City: October 13, 2026

Last update for Quito: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Dawson City
$672
Quito
$309 54.1% $364
Groceries & Markets
Dawson City
$401
Quito
$198 50.7% $203
Eating Out
Dawson City
$320
Quito
$151 52.6% $168
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dawson City
$227
Quito
$75 67.1% $152
Clothing & Footwear
Dawson City
$120
Quito
$154 28.1% $34
Getting Around
Dawson City
$81
Quito
$32 60.6% $49
Sport & Entertainment
Dawson City
$66
Quito
$59 11.2% $7.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,224 in Dawson City versus $491 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 run about 375% higher in Dawson City, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $102 in Dawson City versus $55.0 in Quito. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $401 vs $198 – making Quito the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Dawson City
🇪🇨 Quito
🕒 Local time
07:44 7:44 AM
09:44 9:44 AM
2 h ahead of Dawson City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,375
2,671,191 Capital
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Dawson City Quito 8,670 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Dawson City
  • 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
Dawson City vs Quito: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Quito cheaper than Dawson City?
Yes – Dawson City is pricier by about 93%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,832 per month in Dawson City and $1,467 in Quito. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Quito, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $848 per month in Dawson City and $739 in Quito. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Dawson City and in Quito?
Groceries cost about 103% more in Dawson City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Dawson City or in Quito?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Quito, where all-in costs run around $978, than in Dawson City at $1,888. In Quito it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dawson City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Dawson City or Quito more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Quito. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dawson City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Dawson City vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?