Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Modesto, CA and Quito

For one person, living is cheaper in Quito: $979 a month against $2,634 in Modesto, CA, rent and utilities included – about $19,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

128

Cost of Living Index in Modesto, CA
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Modesto, CA Living Index
48

Cost of Living Index in Quito
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Quito Living Index

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Modesto, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,634

/mo nomad

Quito

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$979

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,634 per month in Modesto, CA vs $979 in Quito, rent included.

Modesto, CA $2,634
Quito $979

A couple spends around $3,994 per month in Modesto, CA vs $1,607 in Quito, rent included.

Modesto, CA $3,994
Quito $1,607

A family of three spends $5,354 per month in Modesto, CA vs $2,234 in Quito, rent included.

Modesto, CA $5,354
Quito $2,234

Modesto, CA costs about 169% more than Quito, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Modesto, CA sits 97% above the global median, while Quito is 27% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.85 $14.85

$6.14 $6.14

141.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.9 $78.9

$53.9 $53.9

46.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.02 $9.02

$7.81 $7.81

15.49%

Cappuccino

$5.56 $5.56

$3.42 $3.42

62.57%

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

$2.57 $2.57

$1.44 $1.44

78.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.14 $1.14

43.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.01 $5.01

$3.48 $3.48

43.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.16 $7.16

$5.89 $5.89

21.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.14 $1.14

-3.51%

White Bread (500g)

$3.55 $3.55

$1.54 $1.54

130.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.22 $4.22

$1.51 $1.51

179.47%

Eggs

$5.55 $5.55

$2.16 $2.16

156.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.00 $13.00

$6.40 $6.40

103.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.57 $13.57

$5.48 $5.48

147.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.45 $19.45

$7.81 $7.81

149.04%

Apples (1kg)

$5.40 $5.40

$2.33 $2.33

131.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.24 $1.24

55.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$1.31 $1.31

308.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$1.14 $1.14

371.93%

Potato (1kg)

$3.60 $3.60

$1.21 $1.21

197.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.02 $1.02

185.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.44 $2.44

$0.93 $0.93

162.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.05 $1.05

134.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.69 $11.69

$6.02 $6.02

94.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.74 $14.74

$9.93 $9.93

48.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.59 $1.59

20.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.08 $3.08

6.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.37 $0.37

427.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.63 $40.63

$20.95 $20.95

93.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 $3.47

$1.54 $1.54

125.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.04 $3.04

$1.53 $1.53

98.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.63 $29.63

$10.01 $10.01

196.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 $1.40

$0.87 $0.87

60.92%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$21.0K $21.0K

72.33%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$28.6K $28.6K

-9.79%

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

$262 $262

$28.97 $28.97

805.56%

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

$47.75 $47.75

$17.57 $17.57

171.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.4 $69.4

$28.14 $28.14

146.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.66 $41.66

$46.48 $46.48

-10.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.14 $15.14

$17.70 $17.70

-14.46%

Cinema Ticket

$10.81 $10.81

$6.38 $6.38

69.44%

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

$1,792 $1,792

$746 $746

140.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.5K $40.5K

$9,015 $9,015

349.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.10 $48.10

$68.8 $68.8

-30.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.40 $39.40

$50.4 $50.4

-21.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.5 $94.5

$117 $117

-19.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 $120

$109 $109

9.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,425 $1,425

$478 $478

197.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 $1,293

$313 $313

312.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,438 $2,438

$967 $967

151.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,403 $2,403

$549 $549

337.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,151 $3,151

$1,763 $1,763

78.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,185 $3,185

$720 $720

342.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,038 $4,038

$597 $597

576.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

10.12

-39.72%

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

Last update for Modesto, CA: 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

Modesto, CA

$1.3K 48.9%

Quito

$313 31.8% 75.8% $980

Groceries & Markets

Modesto, CA

$439 16.6%

Quito

$198 20.1% 55% $242

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Modesto, CA

$380 14.3%

Quito

$75 7.6% 80.3% $305

Eating Out

Modesto, CA

$269 10.2%

Quito

$153 15.5% 43.1% $116

Clothing & Footwear

Modesto, CA

$136 5.1%

Quito

$156 15.8% 14.5% $20

Getting Around

Modesto, CA

$67 2.5%

Quito

$32 3.2% 52.9% $35

Sport & Entertainment

Modesto, CA

$63 2.4%

Quito

$59 6% 6.4% $4.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,425 in Modesto, 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 577% higher in Modesto, 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 $79.0 in Modesto, CA versus $54.0 in Quito. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $439 vs $198 – making Quito the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Modesto, CA

🇪🇨 Quito

🕒 Local time

05:44 5:44 AM

07:44 7:44 AM

2 h ahead of Modesto, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

211,266

2,671,191 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Modesto, CA Quito 6,050 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Modesto, 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

Modesto, CA vs Quito: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Modesto, CA costs about 169% 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 $3,952 per month in Modesto, CA 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,634 in Modesto, CA and $979 in Quito. That's a gap of about 169%.

Public transport costs about 94% less in Quito. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Quito, where all-in costs run around $979, than in Modesto, CA at $2,634. In Quito it covers expenses comfortably, while in Modesto, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Quito costs $979 versus $2,634 in Modesto, CA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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