Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Las Cruces, NM and Quito

For one person, living is cheaper in Quito: $1,014 a month against $2,085 in Las Cruces, NM, rent and utilities included – about $12,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

99

Cost of Living Index in Las Cruces, NM
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Las Cruces, NM Living Index
49

Cost of Living Index in Quito
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Quito Living Index

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Las Cruces, NM

🇺🇸 United States

$2,085

/mo nomad

Quito

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$1,014

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,085 per month in Las Cruces, NM vs $1,014 in Quito, rent included.

Las Cruces, NM $2,085
Quito $1,014

A couple spends around $3,045 per month in Las Cruces, NM vs $1,641 in Quito, rent included.

Las Cruces, NM $3,045
Quito $1,641

A family of three spends $4,004 per month in Las Cruces, NM vs $2,269 in Quito, rent included.

Las Cruces, NM $4,004
Quito $2,269

Las Cruces, NM costs about 106% more than Quito, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Las Cruces, NM sits 54% above the global median, while Quito is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.44 $17.44

$5.55 $5.55

214.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.67 $44.67

$54.6 $54.6

-18.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.08 $12.08

$7.63 $7.63

58.32%

Cappuccino

$5.80 $5.80

$3.33 $3.33

74.17%

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

$2.51 $2.51

$1.36 $1.36

84.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.14 $1.14

84.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.51 $6.51

$3.69 $3.69

76.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.19 $9.19

$6.16 $6.16

49.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 $0.79

$1.15 $1.15

-31.30%

White Bread (500g)

$3.61 $3.61

$1.61 $1.61

124.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.71 $3.71

$1.51 $1.51

145.70%

Eggs

$4.69 $4.69

$2.15 $2.15

118.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.32 $13.32

$6.47 $6.47

105.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.95 $11.95

$5.33 $5.33

124.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.43 $17.43

$7.77 $7.77

124.32%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 $4.30

$2.23 $2.23

92.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.24 $1.24

63.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.35 $3.35

$1.27 $1.27

163.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.87 $3.87

$1.08 $1.08

258.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.24 $1.24

80.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.42 $2.42

$1.06 $1.06

128.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$0.91 $0.91

94.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$0.98 $0.98

87.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.82 $10.82

$5.95 $5.95

81.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.96 $14.96

$8.35 $8.35

79.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$1.52 $1.52

53.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 $3.49

$3.20 $3.20

9.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 $0.33

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.42 $21.42

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.53 $1.53

49.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.31 $2.31

$1.53 $1.53

50.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.01 $10.01

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$0.85 $0.85

9.41%

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

$27.8K $27.8K

$22.7K $22.7K

22.53%

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

$24.3K $24.3K

$29.6K $29.6K

-17.94%

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

$171 $171

$28.99 $28.99

488.41%

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

$59.0 $59.0

$17.94 $17.94

228.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.7 $87.7

$28.85 $28.85

204.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.18 $44.18

$45.09 $45.09

-2.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.91 $10.91

$17.78 $17.78

-38.64%

Cinema Ticket

$9.97 $9.97

$6.75 $6.75

47.70%

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

$680 $680

$743 $743

-8.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,476 $6,476

$8,223 $8,223

-21.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 $60.0

$69.8 $69.8

-14.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.32 $32.32

$50.3 $50.3

-35.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 $84.6

$113 $113

-25.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.4 $99.4

$107 $107

-6.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$857 $857

$542 $542

58.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$865 $865

$354 $354

144.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,521 $1,521

$1,141 $1,141

33.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,447 $1,447

$638 $638

126.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,279 $2,279

$1,636 $1,636

39.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,900 $1,900

$663 $663

186.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,635 $3,635

$603 $603

502.76%

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 Las Cruces, NM: November 1, 2026

Last update for Quito: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Las Cruces, NM

$865 41.5%

Quito

$354 34.9% 59.1% $511

Groceries & Markets

Las Cruces, NM

$385 18.5%

Quito

$193 19% 50% $193

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Las Cruces, NM

$317 15.2%

Quito

$76 7.5% 76.1% $241

Eating Out

Las Cruces, NM

$315 15.1%

Quito

$148 14.6% 52.9% $167

Clothing & Footwear

Las Cruces, NM

$124 6%

Quito

$153 15.1% 23% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Las Cruces, NM

$64 3.1%

Quito

$59 5.8% 8.6% $5.5

Getting Around

Las Cruces, NM

$14 * 0.7%

Quito

$32 3.2% 131% $18

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $857 in Las Cruces, NM versus $542 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 in Las Cruces, NM are about 6 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45 in Las Cruces, NM versus $55 in Quito. Groceries tell a different story – $385 in Las Cruces, NM vs $193 in Quito – so Quito wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Las Cruces, NM

🇪🇨 Quito

🕒 Local time

05:51 5:51 AM

07:51 7:51 AM

2 h ahead of Las Cruces, NM

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

111,385

2,671,191 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Las Cruces, NM Quito 4,680 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Las Cruces, NM
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

Las Cruces, NM vs Quito: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Las Cruces, NM costs about 106% more than Quito, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,127 per month in Las Cruces, NM and $1,521 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $542 there versus $857 in Las Cruces, NM.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45 in Las Cruces, NM and $55 in Quito. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 100% more in Las Cruces, NM, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Quito, where all-in costs run around $1,014, than in Las Cruces, NM at $2,085. In Quito it covers expenses comfortably, while in Las Cruces, NM it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Quito has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,014 in Quito to $2,085 in Las Cruces, NM. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Quito. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Las Cruces, NM makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.