Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lakewood, WA and Quito

For one person, living is cheaper in Quito: $984 a month against $3,284 in Lakewood, WA, rent and utilities included – about $27,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Lakewood, WA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,284
/mo nomad
Quito
🇪🇨 Ecuador
$984
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,284 in Lakewood, WA versus $984 in Quito.

  • Lakewood, WA $3,284
  • Quito $984

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,777 in Lakewood, WA versus $1,587 in Quito.

  • Lakewood, WA $4,777
  • Quito $1,587

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,270 in Lakewood, WA versus $2,189 in Quito.

  • Lakewood, WA $6,270
  • Quito $2,189

Living in Lakewood, WA is roughly 234% more expensive than in Quito, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lakewood, WA is 142% above, Quito is 27% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lakewood, WA
Quito
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.09 $18.09
$6.07 $6.07
198.02%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.6 $67.6
$53.8 $53.8
25.74%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.71 $12.71
$7.45 $7.45
70.60%
Cappuccino
$5.20 $5.20
$3.34 $3.34
55.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.98 $2.98
$1.39 $1.39
114.39%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05 $2.05
$1.15 $1.15
78.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.90 $3.90
$3.45 $3.45
13.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.10 $6.10
$5.98 $5.98
2.01%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lakewood, WA
Quito
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.02 $1.02
$1.10 $1.10
-7.27%
White Bread (500g)
$3.68 $3.68
$1.53 $1.53
140.52%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.24 $4.24
$1.49 $1.49
184.56%
Eggs
$3.92 $3.92
$2.09 $2.09
87.56%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.72 $13.72
$6.33 $6.33
116.75%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.69 $8.69
$5.58 $5.58
55.73%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.21 $11.21
$7.57 $7.57
48.08%
Apples (1kg)
$4.38 $4.38
$2.23 $2.23
96.41%
Banana (1kg)
$1.94 $1.94
$1.24 $1.24
56.45%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.16 $4.16
$1.28 $1.28
225.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.52 $4.52
$1.13 $1.13
300.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.97 $1.97
$1.18 $1.18
66.95%
Onion (1kg)
$2.15 $2.15
$1.08 $1.08
99.07%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.02 $2.02
$0.93 $0.93
117.20%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.49 $2.49
$1.02 $1.02
144.12%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.36 $12.36
$5.91 $5.91
109.14%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.84 $15.84
$10.06 $10.06
57.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.98 $1.98
$1.52 $1.52
30.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.15 $4.15
$3.20 $3.20
29.69%
🚌 Getting Around
Lakewood, WA
Quito
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.04 $2.04
$0.37 $0.37
451.35%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$197 $197
$21.25 $21.25
826.07%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.02 $2.02
$1.48 $1.48
36.49%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.64 $0.64
$1.52 $1.52
-57.89%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$27.31 $27.31
$10.08 $10.08
170.93%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.34 $1.34
$0.81 $0.81
65.43%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.1K $28.1K
$22.8K $22.8K
23.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.3K $26.3K
$30.6K $30.6K
-13.97%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lakewood, WA
Quito
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$289 $289
$28.20 $28.20
923.87%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$74.0 $74.0
$17.65 $17.65
319.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$89.5 $89.5
$28.83 $28.83
210.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lakewood, WA
Quito
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.00 $41.00
$46.91 $46.91
-12.60%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.97 $24.97
$18.10 $18.10
37.96%
Cinema Ticket
$18.08 $18.08
$6.58 $6.58
174.77%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lakewood, WA
Quito
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,965 $1,965
$744 $744
164.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.7K $25.7K
$9,068 $9,068
182.99%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lakewood, WA
Quito
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.1 $50.1
$70.1 $70.1
-28.58%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.11 $38.11
$49.81 $49.81
-23.49%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100 $100
$115 $115
-12.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$136 $136
$110 $110
24.05%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lakewood, WA
Quito
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,961 $1,961
$481 $481
307.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,733 $1,733
$317 $317
446.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,365 $3,365
$950 $950
254.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,047 $3,047
$546 $546
457.72%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,359 $2,359
$1,775 $1,775
32.89%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,606 $2,606
$722 $722
261.04%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lakewood, WA
Quito
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$597 $597
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.81
10.12
-32.71%

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

Last update for Lakewood, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Quito: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Lakewood, WA
$1.7K
Quito
$317 81.7% $1.4K
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lakewood, WA
$452
Quito
$75 83.5% $378
Groceries & Markets
Lakewood, WA
$369
Quito
$195 47% $173
Eating Out
Lakewood, WA
$297
Quito
$150 49.4% $147
Getting Around
Lakewood, WA
$210
Quito
$32 84.9% $178
Clothing & Footwear
Lakewood, WA
$146
Quito
$155 6.2% $9.1
Sport & Entertainment
Lakewood, WA
$77
Quito
$60 22.2% $17

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,961 in Lakewood, WA and $481 in Quito. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $68.0 in Lakewood, WA vs $54.0 in Quito for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $369 vs $195 per month, with Quito cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Lakewood, WA
🇪🇨 Quito
🕒 Local time
03:23 3:23 AM
05:23 5:23 AM
2 h ahead of Lakewood, WA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
140,024
2,671,191 Capital
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Lakewood, WA Quito 6,770 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Lakewood, WA
  • 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
Lakewood, WA vs Quito: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lakewood, WA and in Quito?
Lakewood, WA and Quito differ by about 234% in total monthly costs ($3,284 vs $984 including rent). Quito is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Lakewood, WA compared to Quito?
You'd need roughly $4,926 in Lakewood, WA and $1,477 in Quito to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Lakewood, WA and in Quito?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,961 in Lakewood, WA versus $481 in Quito. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Quito – a meal for two runs $54.0 versus $68.0 in Lakewood, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Lakewood, WA or Quito?
All in, you'll spend $3,284 per month in Lakewood, WA versus $984 in Quito – a 234% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $984 in Quito versus $3,284 in Lakewood, WA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Quito but tight or insufficient in Lakewood, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Quito the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lakewood, WA and 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.
Is Lakewood, WA or Quito safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lakewood, WA and Quito are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Lakewood, WA or Quito?
Expats usually find Quito gentler on the wallet – expenses run 234% less than in Lakewood, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Lakewood, WA vs other spots: cost of living compared

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