Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between North Vancouver and Quito

For one person, living is cheaper in Quito: $978 a month against $2,736 in North Vancouver, rent and utilities included – about $21,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

134

Cost of Living Index in North Vancouver
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North Vancouver Living Index
48

Cost of Living Index in Quito
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Quito Living Index

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North Vancouver

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,736

/mo nomad

Quito

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$978

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,736 in North Vancouver versus $978 in Quito.

North Vancouver $2,736
Quito $978

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,277 in North Vancouver versus $1,586 in Quito.

North Vancouver $4,277
Quito $1,586

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,818 in North Vancouver versus $2,194 in Quito.

North Vancouver $5,818
Quito $2,194

Living in North Vancouver is roughly 180% more expensive than in Quito, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: North Vancouver is 103% above, Quito is 28% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.85 CA$29.48

$6.08 $6.08

242.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.3 CA$88.1

$55.5 $55.5

12.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.03 CA$12.76

$7.61 $7.61

18.66%

Cappuccino

$4.18 CA$5.90

$3.40 $3.40

22.94%

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

$2.23 CA$3.15

$1.37 $1.37

62.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.45

$1.09 $1.09

59.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.80 CA$6.79

$3.43 $3.43

39.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.82 CA$8.22

$6.06 $6.06

-3.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 CA$2.82

$1.14 $1.14

75.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 CA$3.92

$1.60 $1.60

73.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 CA$4.76

$1.58 $1.58

113.29%

Eggs

$3.23 CA$4.57

$2.12 $2.12

52.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.61 CA$19.23

$6.58 $6.58

106.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.55 CA$19.16

$5.51 $5.51

145.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.52 CA$21.94

$7.65 $7.65

102.88%

Apples (1kg)

$4.07 CA$5.75

$2.24 $2.24

81.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 CA$2.05

$1.19 $1.19

21.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.23 CA$5.97

$1.33 $1.33

218.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.97 CA$5.62

$1.13 $1.13

251.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 CA$3.91

$1.24 $1.24

122.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 CA$4.00

$1.02 $1.02

177.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.68 CA$3.79

$0.92 $0.92

191.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 CA$2.98

$1.05 $1.05

100.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.04 CA$19.85

$6.16 $6.16

127.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.06 CA$19.88

$10.07 $10.07

39.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 CA$2.95

$1.58 $1.58

32.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 CA$3.94

$3.09 $3.09

-9.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.87 CA$4.05

$0.36 $0.36

697.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.6 CA$139

$21.37 $21.37

361.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 CA$3.63

$1.53 $1.53

67.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 CA$2.10

$1.49 $1.49

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.23 CA$38.49

$9.84 $9.84

176.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 CA$1.82

$0.81 $0.81

59.26%

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

$28.3K CA$39.9K

$21.3K $21.3K

32.93%

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

$18.9K CA$26.7K

$27.9K $27.9K

-32.20%

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

$128 CA$182

$28.75 $28.75

346.61%

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

$37.29 CA$52.7

$17.86 $17.86

108.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.5 CA$72.8

$28.20 $28.20

82.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.86 CA$42.21

$46.08 $46.08

-35.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.65 CA$33.43

$17.76 $17.76

33.16%

Cinema Ticket

$11.85 CA$16.75

$6.34 $6.34

86.91%

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

$1,049 CA$1,483

$739 $739

42.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K CA$14.8K

$8,909 $8,909

17.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 CA$88.0

$71.0 $71.0

-12.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.14 CA$52.5

$50.4 $50.4

-26.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 CA$114

$114 $114

-29.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$155

$107 $107

2.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,759 CA$2,487

$491 $491

258.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 CA$2,163

$309 $309

395.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,049 CA$4,310

$932 $932

227.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,089 CA$4,366

$540 $540

471.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,065 CA$11.4K

$1,759 $1,759

358.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,724 CA$9,506

$715 $715

841.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,119 CA$4,409

$594 $594

425.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.69

10.12

-53.66%

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

Last update for North Vancouver: October 12, 2026

Last update for Quito: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

North Vancouver

$1.5K 55.9%

Quito

$309 31.6% 79.8% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

North Vancouver

$389 14.2%

Quito

$198 20.3% 49.1% $191

Eating Out

North Vancouver

$296 10.8%

Quito

$151 15.5% 48.8% $144

Monthly Utilities & Internet

North Vancouver

$217 7.9%

Quito

$75 7.7% 65.6% $142

Clothing & Footwear

North Vancouver

$130 4.8%

Quito

$154 15.8% 18.4% $24

Getting Around

North Vancouver

$120 4.4%

Quito

$32 3.3% 73.5% $88

Sport & Entertainment

North Vancouver

$54 2%

Quito

$59 6% 9.7% $5.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,759 in North Vancouver and $491 in Quito. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

North Vancouver pays 425% 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: $62.0 in North Vancouver vs $55.0 in Quito for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $389 vs $198 per month, with Quito cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇦 North Vancouver

🇪🇨 Quito

🕒 Local time

12:51 12:51 PM

14:51 2:51 PM

2 h ahead of North Vancouver

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

48,200

2,671,191 Capital

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

North Vancouver Quito 6,950 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

North Vancouver
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

North Vancouver vs Quito: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

North Vancouver and Quito differ by about 180% in total monthly costs ($2,736 vs $978 including rent). Quito is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 425% higher in North Vancouver, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,759 in North Vancouver versus $491 in Quito. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Quito – a meal for two runs $55.0 versus $62.0 in North Vancouver. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,736 per month in North Vancouver versus $978 in Quito – a 180% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $978 in Quito versus $2,736 in North Vancouver, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Quito but tight or insufficient in North Vancouver. The gap between the two cities makes Quito the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, North Vancouver 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.

Expats usually find Quito gentler on the wallet – expenses run 180% less than in North Vancouver. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.