Cost of Living Comparison Between Ibarra and Quito Cost of Living Comparison Between Ibarra and Quito

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $618 in Ibarra versus $953 in Quito.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $957 in Ibarra versus $1,457 in Quito.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,295 in Ibarra versus $1,962 in Quito.

Living in Ibarra costs roughly 35% less than in Quito, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ibarra 54% lower, Quito 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.95 $2.95

$4.54 $4.54

-35.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.70 $24.70

$32.41 $32.41

-23.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.81 $5.81

$7.23 $7.23

-19.64%

Cappuccino

$2.23 $2.23

$2.82 $2.82

-20.92%

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

$0.76 $0.76

$1.10 $1.10

-30.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 $0.45

$0.72 $0.72

-37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.98 $1.98

-50.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$3.94 $3.94

-50.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.10 $1.10

-14.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.49 $1.49

-22.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.87 $1.87

-9.63%

Eggs

$1.42 $1.42

$2.30 $2.30

-38.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$8.44 $8.44

-66.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$7.70 $7.70

-61.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.10 $6.10

$8.11 $8.11

-24.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.06 $2.06

-25.24%

Banana (1kg)

$0.64 $0.64

$1.16 $1.16

-44.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.07 $1.07

0.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.77 $0.77

$1.34 $1.34

-42.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.43 $0.43

$1.43 $1.43

-69.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.06 $1.06

-3.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 $0.57

$0.86 $0.86

-33.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.03 $1.03

-1.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.14 $6.14

$6.08 $6.08

0.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.86 $9.86

$10.07 $10.07

-2.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.52 $1.52

-0.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 $1.47

$2.84 $2.84

-48.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 $0.43

$0.33 $0.33

30.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.07 $5.07

$26.63 $26.63

-80.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 $1.47

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.52 $1.52

-27.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.95 $4.95

$9.82 $9.82

-49.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 $0.61

$0.72 $0.72

-15.28%

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

$19.8K $19.8K

$19.9K $19.9K

-0.53%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$25.6K $25.6K

-1.99%

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

$34.75 $34.75

$34.30 $34.30

1.31%

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

$14.32 $14.32

$14.52 $14.52

-1.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.52 $28.52

$29.20 $29.20

-2.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.77 $29.77

$40.67 $40.67

-26.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.26 $15.26

$16.65 $16.65

-8.35%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 $4.10

$6.83 $6.83

-39.97%

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

$91.2 $91.2

$273 $273

-66.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,676 $8,676

$8,601 $8,601

0.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.5 $56.5

$58.0 $58.0

-2.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.90 $32.90

$42.61 $42.61

-22.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.8 $68.8

$100 $100

-31.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 $75.9

$87.1 $87.1

-12.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$185 $185

$455 $455

-59.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$168 $168

$322 $322

-47.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$247 $247

$765 $765

-67.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$246 $246

$494 $494

-50.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$746 $746

$1,716 $1,716

-56.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$624 $624

$753 $753

-17.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$598 $598

$632 $632

-5.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.19

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

Last update for Ibarra: April 20, 2026

Last update for Quito: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $185 in Ibarra and $455 in Quito. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Quito pays 6% 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: $25 in Ibarra vs $32 in Quito for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $142 vs $215 per month, with Ibarra cheaper across the board.

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

Ibarra vs Quito: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ibarra wins on cost – living expenses run 54% lower than in Quito. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ibarra the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Quito earns 6% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $185 in Ibarra versus $455 in Quito. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 51% higher in Quito. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Ibarra – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $32.00 in Quito. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $618 in Ibarra versus $953 in Quito, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ibarra but tight or insufficient in Quito. The gap between the two cities makes Ibarra the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ibarra delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $618 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ibarra hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Ibarra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Quito. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.