Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Alberni and Quito

For one person, living is cheaper in Quito: $978 a month against $1,670 in Port Alberni, rent and utilities included – about $8,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Port Alberni
🇨🇦 Canada
$1,670
/mo nomad
Quito
🇪🇨 Ecuador
$978
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,670 in Port Alberni versus $978 in Quito.

  • Port Alberni $1,670
  • Quito $978

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,790 in Port Alberni versus $1,586 in Quito.

  • Port Alberni $2,790
  • Quito $1,586

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,911 in Port Alberni versus $2,194 in Quito.

  • Port Alberni $3,911
  • Quito $2,194

Living in Port Alberni is roughly 71% more expensive than in Quito, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Port Alberni is 24% above, Quito is 28% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Port Alberni
Quito
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.48 CA$24.85
$6.08 $6.08
187.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.2 CA$87.0
$55.5 $55.5
10.39%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.46 CA$14.87
$7.61 $7.61
37.45%
Cappuccino
$3.89 CA$5.54
$3.40 $3.40
14.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.04 CA$2.90
$1.37 $1.37
48.91%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 CA$1.97
$1.09 $1.09
26.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.44 CA$4.89
$3.43 $3.43
0.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.40 CA$7.68
$6.06 $6.06
-10.89%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Port Alberni
Quito
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.14 CA$3.04
$1.14 $1.14
87.72%
White Bread (500g)
$2.28 CA$3.24
$1.60 $1.60
42.50%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.73 CA$3.88
$1.58 $1.58
72.78%
Eggs
$3.93 CA$5.59
$2.12 $2.12
85.38%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.94 CA$12.70
$6.58 $6.58
35.87%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.09 CA$5.81
$5.51 $5.51
-25.77%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.41 CA$27.58
$7.65 $7.65
153.73%
Apples (1kg)
$2.73 CA$3.87
$2.24 $2.24
21.87%
Banana (1kg)
$1.06 CA$1.51
$1.19 $1.19
-10.92%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.40 CA$4.83
$1.33 $1.33
155.64%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.59 CA$5.10
$1.13 $1.13
217.70%
Potato (1kg)
$2.07 CA$2.94
$1.24 $1.24
66.94%
Onion (1kg)
$1.85 CA$2.63
$1.02 $1.02
81.37%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.16 CA$3.07
$0.92 $0.92
134.78%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.68 CA$0.97
$1.05 $1.05
-35.24%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.54 CA$14.98
$6.16 $6.16
71.10%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.33 CA$14.69
$10.07 $10.07
2.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.51 CA$3.56
$1.58 $1.58
58.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.86 CA$4.07
$3.09 $3.09
-7.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Port Alberni
Quito
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.42 CA$2.02
$0.36 $0.36
294.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$33.09 CA$47.03
$21.37 $21.37
54.84%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.68 CA$3.81
$1.53 $1.53
75.16%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.56 CA$2.21
$1.49 $1.49
4.70%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$31.01 CA$44.07
$9.84 $9.84
215.14%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.20 CA$1.70
$0.81 $0.81
48.15%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.5K CA$39.1K
$21.3K $21.3K
29.61%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.5K CA$27.7K
$27.9K $27.9K
-30.04%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Port Alberni
Quito
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$81.8 CA$116
$28.75 $28.75
184.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$36.45 CA$51.8
$17.86 $17.86
104.09%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.0 CA$72.5
$28.20 $28.20
80.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Port Alberni
Quito
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.83 CA$60.9
$46.08 $46.08
-7.05%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.76 $17.76
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.16 CA$17.28
$6.34 $6.34
91.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Port Alberni
Quito
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,087 CA$1,545
$739 $739
47.07%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$19.9K CA$28.3K
$8,909 $8,909
123.63%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Port Alberni
Quito
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.2 CA$82.7
$71.0 $71.0
-18.05%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.34 CA$45.96
$50.4 $50.4
-35.88%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$95.4 CA$136
$114 $114
-16.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$93.7 CA$133
$107 $107
-12.60%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Port Alberni
Quito
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$790 CA$1,122
$491 $491
60.95%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$705 CA$1,002
$309 $309
128.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,660 CA$2,359
$932 $932
78.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,673 CA$2,378
$540 $540
209.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$1,759 $1,759
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$715 $715
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Port Alberni
Quito
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,045 CA$4,328
$594 $594
412.94%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.28
10.12
-57.71%

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

Last update for Port Alberni: 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
Port Alberni
$705
Quito
$309 56.2% $396
Groceries & Markets
Port Alberni
$293
Quito
$198 32.5% $95
Eating Out
Port Alberni
$260
Quito
$151 41.7% $108
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Port Alberni
$169
Quito
$75 55.8% $94
Clothing & Footwear
Port Alberni
$126
Quito
$154 22.6% $28
Sport & Entertainment
Port Alberni
$67
Quito
$59 12.5% $8.4
Getting Around
Port Alberni
$49
Quito
$32 35.5% $17

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $790 in Port Alberni and $491 in Quito. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Port Alberni pays 413% 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: $61.0 in Port Alberni vs $55.0 in Quito for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $198 per month, with Quito cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Port Alberni
🇪🇨 Quito
🕒 Local time
22:53 10:53 PM
00:53 12:53 AM
2 h ahead of Port Alberni
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
17,743
2,671,191 Capital
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 CAD (1 CAD = 0.704 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.628 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.893 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Port Alberni Quito 7,050 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Port Alberni
  • 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
Port Alberni vs Quito: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Quito cheaper than Port Alberni?
Quito is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 71% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Port Alberni or Quito?
Average pay runs 413% higher in Port Alberni, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Port Alberni and Quito?
Rent for a central apartment: $790 in Port Alberni versus $491 in Quito. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Port Alberni or in Quito?
Dining out is cheaper in Quito – a meal for two runs $55.0 versus $61.0 in Port Alberni. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Port Alberni and in Quito?
All in, you'll spend $1,670 per month in Port Alberni versus $978 in Quito – a 71% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Port Alberni or in Quito?
At $978 in Quito versus $1,670 in Port Alberni, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Quito but tight or insufficient in Port Alberni. The gap between the two cities makes Quito the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Port Alberni or Quito more family-friendly?
For families, Quito is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Port Alberni, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Quito gentler on the wallet – expenses run 71% less than in Port Alberni. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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