Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fairbanks, AK and Quito

For one person, living is cheaper in Quito: $979 a month against $2,975 in Fairbanks, AK, rent and utilities included – about $24,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Fairbanks, AK
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Fairbanks, AK Living Index
48

Cost of Living Index in Quito
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Quito Living Index

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Fairbanks, AK

🇺🇸 United States

$2,975

/mo nomad

Quito

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$979

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,975 per month in Fairbanks, AK vs $979 in Quito, rent included.

Fairbanks, AK $2,975
Quito $979

A couple spends around $4,357 per month in Fairbanks, AK vs $1,607 in Quito, rent included.

Fairbanks, AK $4,357
Quito $1,607

A family of three spends $5,739 per month in Fairbanks, AK vs $2,234 in Quito, rent included.

Fairbanks, AK $5,739
Quito $2,234

Fairbanks, AK costs about 204% more than Quito, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Fairbanks, AK sits 122% above the global median, while Quito is 27% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.15 $25.15

$6.14 $6.14

309.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 $102

$53.9 $53.9

88.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.25 $15.25

$7.81 $7.81

95.26%

Cappuccino

$6.12 $6.12

$3.42 $3.42

78.95%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$1.44 $1.44

90.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.14 $1.14

71.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.79 $6.79

$3.48 $3.48

95.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.85 $9.85

$5.89 $5.89

67.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.14 $1.14

-0.88%

White Bread (500g)

$5.37 $5.37

$1.54 $1.54

248.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.68 $4.68

$1.51 $1.51

209.93%

Eggs

$4.23 $4.23

$2.16 $2.16

95.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.64 $21.64

$6.40 $6.40

238.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.08 $9.08

$5.48 $5.48

65.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.45 $20.45

$7.81 $7.81

161.84%

Apples (1kg)

$7.64 $7.64

$2.33 $2.33

227.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.24 $1.24

68.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.91 $5.91

$1.31 $1.31

351.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.18 $6.18

$1.14 $1.14

442.11%

Potato (1kg)

$3.70 $3.70

$1.21 $1.21

205.79%

Onion (1kg)

$3.64 $3.64

$1.02 $1.02

256.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.75 $2.75

$0.93 $0.93

195.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.05 $1.05

85.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.17 $12.17

$6.02 $6.02

102.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.01 $12.01

$9.93 $9.93

20.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.59 $1.59

10.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 $3.08

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$0.37 $0.37

316.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.97 $39.97

$20.95 $20.95

90.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 $3.60

$1.54 $1.54

133.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.53 $1.53

39.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.48 $45.48

$10.01 $10.01

354.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.87 $0.87

47.13%

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

$21.0K $21.0K

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

$28.6K $28.6K

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

$209 $209

$28.97 $28.97

622.71%

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

$63.2 $63.2

$17.57 $17.57

259.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$142 $142

$28.14 $28.14

405.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 $98.7

$46.48 $46.48

112.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.70 $17.70

Cinema Ticket

$18.05 $18.05

$6.38 $6.38

182.92%

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

$1,826 $1,826

$746 $746

144.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,015 $9,015

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 $59.1

$68.8 $68.8

-14.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.69 $40.69

$50.4 $50.4

-19.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 $119

$117 $117

1.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$109 $109

9.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 $1,596

$478 $478

233.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,379 $1,379

$313 $313

340.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,605 $2,605

$967 $967

169.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,197 $2,197

$549 $549

300.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,984 $1,984

$1,763 $1,763

12.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,029 $2,029

$720 $720

181.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,943 $3,943

$597 $597

560.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.71

10.12

-33.70%

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

Last update for Fairbanks, AK: October 5, 2026

Last update for Quito: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Fairbanks, AK

$1.4K 46%

Quito

$313 31.8% 77.3% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Fairbanks, AK

$463 * 15.5%

Quito

$198 20.1% 57.3% $266

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Fairbanks, AK

$415 13.8%

Quito

$75 7.6% 82% $340

Eating Out

Fairbanks, AK

$393 13.1%

Quito

$153 15.5% 61% $240

Clothing & Footwear

Fairbanks, AK

$152 5.1%

Quito

$156 15.8% 2.4% $3.7

Sport & Entertainment

Fairbanks, AK

$135 4.5%

Quito

$59 6% 56.1% $76

Getting Around

Fairbanks, AK

$60 2%

Quito

$32 3.2% 47.6% $29

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,596 in Fairbanks, AK versus $478 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 561% higher in Fairbanks, AK, 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 Fairbanks, AK versus $54.0 in Quito. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $463 vs $198 – making Quito the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Fairbanks, AK

🇪🇨 Quito

🕒 Local time

17:11 5:11 PM

20:11 8:11 PM

3 h ahead of Fairbanks, AK

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

32,515

2,671,191 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Fairbanks, AK Quito 9,060 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Fairbanks, AK
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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

Fairbanks, AK vs Quito: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Fairbanks, AK is pricier by about 204%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,462 per month in Fairbanks, AK and $1,468 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 134% more in Fairbanks, AK, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $102 in Fairbanks, AK and $54.0 in Quito. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Quito, where all-in costs run around $979, than in Fairbanks, AK at $2,975. In Quito it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fairbanks, AK 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, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Fairbanks, AK makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.