Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fresno, CA and Quito

For one person, living is cheaper in Quito: $979 a month against $2,894 in Fresno, CA, rent and utilities included – about $23,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Fresno, CA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,894
/mo nomad
Quito
🇪🇨 Ecuador
$979
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,894 per month in Fresno, CA vs $979 in Quito, rent included.

  • Fresno, CA $2,894
  • Quito $979

A couple spends around $4,460 per month in Fresno, CA vs $1,607 in Quito, rent included.

  • Fresno, CA $4,460
  • Quito $1,607

A family of three spends $6,026 per month in Fresno, CA vs $2,234 in Quito, rent included.

  • Fresno, CA $6,026
  • Quito $2,234

Fresno, CA costs about 196% more than Quito, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Fresno, CA sits 116% above the global median, while Quito is 27% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Fresno, CA
Quito
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.18 $20.18
$6.14 $6.14
228.66%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.5 $70.5
$53.9 $53.9
30.84%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.12 $14.12
$7.81 $7.81
80.79%
Cappuccino
$5.15 $5.15
$3.42 $3.42
50.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.02 $3.02
$1.44 $1.44
109.72%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 $2.14
$1.14 $1.14
87.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.79 $6.79
$3.48 $3.48
95.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.11 $9.11
$5.89 $5.89
54.67%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Fresno, CA
Quito
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.12 $1.12
$1.14 $1.14
-1.75%
White Bread (500g)
$2.67 $2.67
$1.54 $1.54
73.38%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.67 $4.67
$1.51 $1.51
209.27%
Eggs
$5.38 $5.38
$2.16 $2.16
149.07%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.02 $11.02
$6.40 $6.40
72.19%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.57 $9.57
$5.48 $5.48
74.64%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.58 $15.58
$7.81 $7.81
99.49%
Apples (1kg)
$5.06 $5.06
$2.33 $2.33
117.17%
Banana (1kg)
$2.03 $2.03
$1.24 $1.24
63.71%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.34 $4.34
$1.31 $1.31
231.30%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.25 $3.25
$1.14 $1.14
185.09%
Potato (1kg)
$7.93 $7.93
$1.21 $1.21
555.37%
Onion (1kg)
$2.72 $2.72
$1.02 $1.02
166.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.44 $2.44
$0.93 $0.93
162.37%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$3.03 $3.03
$1.05 $1.05
188.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.19 $12.19
$6.02 $6.02
102.49%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.06 $18.06
$9.93 $9.93
81.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.19 $2.19
$1.59 $1.59
37.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.40 $6.40
$3.08 $3.08
107.79%
🚌 Getting Around
Fresno, CA
Quito
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.21 $1.21
$0.37 $0.37
227.03%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$47.99 $47.99
$20.95 $20.95
129.07%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.14 $4.14
$1.54 $1.54
168.83%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.52 $1.52
$1.53 $1.53
-0.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$27.90 $27.90
$10.01 $10.01
178.72%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.46 $1.46
$0.87 $0.87
67.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.5K $37.5K
$21.0K $21.0K
78.60%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.6K $30.6K
$28.6K $28.6K
7.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Fresno, CA
Quito
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$238 $238
$28.97 $28.97
721.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$53.3 $53.3
$17.57 $17.57
203.13%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$76.8 $76.8
$28.14 $28.14
172.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Fresno, CA
Quito
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.32 $38.32
$46.48 $46.48
-17.56%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$41.97 $41.97
$17.70 $17.70
137.12%
Cinema Ticket
$17.44 $17.44
$6.38 $6.38
173.35%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Fresno, CA
Quito
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,206 $1,206
$746 $746
61.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.9K $12.9K
$9,015 $9,015
42.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Fresno, CA
Quito
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$60.3 $60.3
$68.8 $68.8
-12.33%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.19 $43.19
$50.4 $50.4
-14.22%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$97.3 $97.3
$117 $117
-17.19%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$174 $174
$109 $109
59.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Fresno, CA
Quito
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,712 $1,712
$478 $478
257.95%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,462 $1,462
$313 $313
366.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,183 $3,183
$967 $967
229.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,902 $2,902
$549 $549
428.41%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,700 $2,700
$1,763 $1,763
53.17%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,120 $3,120
$720 $720
333.36%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Fresno, CA
Quito
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,687 $3,687
$597 $597
517.83%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.4
10.12
-36.76%

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

Last update for Fresno, CA: October 3, 2026

Last update for Quito: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Fresno, CA
$1.5K
Quito
$313 78.6% $1.1K
Groceries & Markets
Fresno, CA
$412
Quito
$198 52.1% $214
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Fresno, CA
$368
Quito
$75 79.7% $293
Eating Out
Fresno, CA
$338
Quito
$153 54.8% $185
Clothing & Footwear
Fresno, CA
$169
Quito
$156 7.8% $13
Sport & Entertainment
Fresno, CA
$73
Quito
$59 19.1% $14
Getting Around
Fresno, CA
$65
Quito
$32 51% $33

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,712 in Fresno, CA 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 518% higher in Fresno, CA, 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 $71.0 in Fresno, CA versus $54.0 in Quito. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $412 vs $198 – making Quito the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Fresno, CA
🇪🇨 Quito
🕒 Local time
19:27 7:27 PM
21:27 9:27 PM
2 h ahead of Fresno, CA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
520,052
2,671,191 Capital
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Fresno, CA Quito 5,910 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Fresno, 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
Fresno, CA vs Quito: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Quito cheaper than Fresno, CA?
Yes – Fresno, CA is pricier by about 196%, 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 $4,341 per month in Fresno, CA and $1,468 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.
Is eating out cheaper in Fresno, CA or in Quito?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Fresno, CA and $54.0 in Quito. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Fresno, CA and in Quito?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,894 in Fresno, CA and $979 in Quito. That's a gap of about 196%.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Fresno, CA or in Quito?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Quito, where all-in costs run around $979, than in Fresno, CA at $2,894. In Quito it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fresno, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Fresno, CA 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, Fresno, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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