Cost of Living Comparison Between Montanita and Quito Cost of Living Comparison Between Montanita and Quito

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $874 in Montanita versus $981 in Quito.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,345 in Montanita versus $1,579 in Quito.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,816 in Montanita versus $2,178 in Quito.

Living in Montanita costs roughly 11% less than in Quito, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Montanita 37% lower, Quito 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.53 $3.53

$4.90 $4.90

-27.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.69 $27.69

$55.1 $55.1

-49.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 $7.53

$7.70 $7.70

-2.21%

Cappuccino

$2.47 $2.47

$3.44 $3.44

-28.20%

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

$0.84 $0.84

$1.44 $1.44

-41.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 $0.63

$1.14 $1.14

-44.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 $1.96

$3.44 $3.44

-43.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 $3.56

$5.62 $5.62

-36.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.14 $1.14

-0.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.58 $1.58

2.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.56 $1.56

0.64%

Eggs

$2.12 $2.12

$2.16 $2.16

-1.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.40 $5.40

$6.32 $6.32

-14.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.53 $5.53

$5.49 $5.49

0.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.38 $6.38

$7.61 $7.61

-16.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.33 $2.33

-13.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.18 $1.18

3.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.33 $1.33

-18.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.09 $1.09

-5.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.19 $1.19

20.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.07 $1.07

0.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 $0.52

$0.85 $0.85

-38.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.03 $1.03

-1.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.13 $6.13

$6.03 $6.03

1.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.90 $9.90

$9.92 $9.92

-0.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.51 $1.51

-1.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$3.18 $3.18

-19.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 $0.36

$0.33 $0.33

9.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.16 $24.16

$21.41 $21.41

12.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 $1.47

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.53 $1.53

-35.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.94 $9.94

$10.07 $10.07

-1.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.62 $0.62

$0.80 $0.80

-22.50%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$21.0K $21.0K

20.84%

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

$28.6K $28.6K

$28.0K $28.0K

2.13%

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

$40.45 $40.45

$28.09 $28.09

44.00%

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

$13.87 $13.87

$17.68 $17.68

-21.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.29 $31.29

$28.57 $28.57

9.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.66 $29.66

$45.71 $45.71

-35.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.36 $14.36

$18.28 $18.28

-21.44%

Cinema Ticket

$7.49 $7.49

$6.69 $6.69

11.96%

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

$253 $253

$749 $749

-66.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,615 $5,615

$9,098 $9,098

-38.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 $55.7

$64.5 $64.5

-13.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.80 $43.80

$49.34 $49.34

-11.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$114 $114

-11.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.3 $76.3

$107 $107

-28.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$345 $345

$485 $485

-28.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 $313

$312 $312

0.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 $621

$949 $949

-34.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$502 $502

$551 $551

-9.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,249 $1,249

$1,787 $1,787

-30.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$991 $991

$705 $705

40.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 $595

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.12

-1.19%

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

Last update for Montanita: September 7, 2026

Last update for Quito: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $345 in Montanita and $485 in Quito. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $28.00 in Montanita vs $55.0 in Quito for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $185 vs $196 per month, with Montanita 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

Montanita vs Quito: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montanita is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,312 in Montanita and $1,471 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $345 in Montanita versus $485 in Quito. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $253 in Montanita versus $749 in Quito. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Quito. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $874 in Montanita versus $981 in Quito, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Montanita but tight or insufficient in Quito. The gap between the two cities makes Montanita the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Montanita is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Quito, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Montanita gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Quito. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.