Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Durango, CO and Quito

For one person, living is cheaper in Quito: $1,014 a month against $3,013 in Durango, CO, rent and utilities included – about $24,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Durango, CO, United States
Quito, Ecuador
Durango, CO
🇺🇸 United States
$3,013
/mo nomad
Quito
🇪🇨 Ecuador
$1,014
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,013 in Durango, CO versus $1,014 in Quito.

  • Durango, CO $3,013
  • Quito $1,014

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,117 in Durango, CO versus $1,641 in Quito.

  • Durango, CO $4,117
  • Quito $1,641

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,221 in Durango, CO versus $2,269 in Quito.

  • Durango, CO $5,221
  • Quito $2,269

Living in Durango, CO is roughly 197% more expensive than in Quito, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Durango, CO is 123% above, Quito is 25% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Durango, CO
Quito
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.85 $14.85
$5.55 $5.55
167.57%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$59.7 $59.7
$54.6 $54.6
9.17%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.13 $8.13
$7.63 $7.63
6.55%
Cappuccino
$4.79 $4.79
$3.33 $3.33
43.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.94 $2.94
$1.36 $1.36
116.18%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.44 $2.44
$1.14 $1.14
114.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.84 $5.84
$3.69 $3.69
58.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.83 $6.83
$6.16 $6.16
10.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Durango, CO
Quito
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.92 $0.92
$1.15 $1.15
-20.00%
White Bread (500g)
$3.29 $3.29
$1.61 $1.61
104.35%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.24 $3.24
$1.51 $1.51
114.57%
Eggs
$4.83 $4.83
$2.15 $2.15
124.65%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.93 $11.93
$6.47 $6.47
84.39%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.72 $9.72
$5.33 $5.33
82.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.07 $11.07
$7.77 $7.77
42.47%
Apples (1kg)
$4.35 $4.35
$2.23 $2.23
95.07%
Banana (1kg)
$1.42 $1.42
$1.24 $1.24
14.52%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.22 $4.22
$1.27 $1.27
232.28%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.15 $5.15
$1.08 $1.08
376.85%
Potato (1kg)
$3.12 $3.12
$1.24 $1.24
151.61%
Onion (1kg)
$3.35 $3.35
$1.06 $1.06
216.04%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.02 $2.02
$0.91 $0.91
121.98%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.89 $2.89
$0.98 $0.98
194.90%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.88 $10.88
$5.95 $5.95
82.86%
Wine (Bottle)
$4.08 $4.08
$8.35 $8.35
-51.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.40 $2.40
$1.52 $1.52
57.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.53 $3.53
$3.20 $3.20
10.31%
🚌 Getting Around
Durango, CO
Quito
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.33 $0.33
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.92 $29.92
$21.42 $21.42
39.68%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.91 $3.91
$1.53 $1.53
155.56%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.15 $2.15
$1.53 $1.53
40.52%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.08 $35.08
$10.01 $10.01
250.45%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.84 $0.84
$0.85 $0.85
-1.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.8K $29.8K
$22.7K $22.7K
31.14%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.0K $25.0K
$29.6K $29.6K
-15.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Durango, CO
Quito
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$160 $160
$28.99 $28.99
452.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$52.3 $52.3
$17.94 $17.94
191.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$68.3 $68.3
$28.85 $28.85
136.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Durango, CO
Quito
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$18.87 $18.87
$45.09 $45.09
-58.15%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.78 $17.78
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.89 $11.89
$6.75 $6.75
76.15%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Durango, CO
Quito
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,344 $1,344
$743 $743
80.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.3K $23.3K
$8,223 $8,223
183.66%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Durango, CO
Quito
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.9 $53.9
$69.8 $69.8
-22.78%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.79 $42.79
$50.3 $50.3
-14.98%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 $104
$113 $113
-8.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120 $120
$107 $107
12.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Durango, CO
Quito
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,355 $2,355
$542 $542
334.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,885 $1,885
$354 $354
432.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,431 $3,431
$1,141 $1,141
200.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,754 $2,754
$638 $638
332.02%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,960 $4,960
$1,636 $1,636
203.23%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,885 $4,885
$663 $663
637.13%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Durango, CO
Quito
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,720 $4,720
$603 $603
682.63%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.36
10.12
-37.15%

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

Last update for Durango, CO: November 3, 2026

Last update for Quito: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Durango, CO
$1.9K
Quito
$354 81.2% $1.5K
Groceries & Markets
Durango, CO
$351
Quito
$193 45.1% $158
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Durango, CO
$281
Quito
$76 73% $205
Eating Out
Durango, CO
$265
Quito
$148 44.1% $117
Clothing & Footwear
Durango, CO
$144
Quito
$153 6.1% $8.8
Getting Around
Durango, CO
$45 *
Quito
$32 28.4% $13
Sport & Entertainment
Durango, CO
$43
Quito
$59 37.4% $16

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,355 in Durango, CO and $542 in Quito. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Durango, CO pays about 7.8 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $60 in Durango, CO vs $55 in Quito for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $351 vs $193 per month, with Quito cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Durango, CO
🇪🇨 Quito
🕒 Local time
17:55 5:55 PM
19:55 7:55 PM
2 h ahead of Durango, CO
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
19,071
2,671,191 Capital
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.891 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Durango, CO Quito 5,150 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Durango, CO
  • 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
Durango, CO vs Quito: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Quito cheaper than Durango, CO?
Quito is about 66% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Durango, CO or Quito?
Average pay in Durango, CO is about 7.8 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Durango, CO and Quito?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,355 in Durango, CO versus $542 in Quito. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Quito runs roughly 28% less than in Durango, CO. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $1,344 in Durango, CO versus $743 in Quito. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Durango, CO or in Quito?
At $1,014 in Quito versus $3,013 in Durango, CO, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Quito but tight or insufficient in Durango, CO. The gap between the two cities makes Quito the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Durango, CO or in Quito?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Quito gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Durango, CO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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