Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Quito and Bethel, AK

For one person, living is cheaper in Quito: $984 a month against $2,380 in Bethel, AK, rent and utilities included – about $16,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

48

Cost of Living Index in Quito
Learn more

Quito Living Index
124

Cost of Living Index in Bethel, AK
Learn more

Bethel, AK Living Index

Jump to prices

Quito

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$984

/mo nomad

Bethel, AK

🇺🇸 United States

$2,380

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Quito and in Bethel, AK

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Quito and in Bethel, AK actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $984 in Quito versus $2,380 in Bethel, AK.

Quito $984
Bethel, AK $2,380

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,587 in Quito versus $3,720 in Bethel, AK.

Quito $1,587
Bethel, AK $3,720

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,189 in Quito versus $5,060 in Bethel, AK.

Quito $2,189
Bethel, AK $5,060

Living in Quito costs roughly 59% less than in Bethel, AK, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Quito is 27% below, Bethel, AK is 76% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.07 $6.07

$19.36 $19.36

-68.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 $53.8

$70.7 $70.7

-23.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.45 $7.45

$11.78 $11.78

-36.76%

Cappuccino

$3.34 $3.34

$4.91 $4.91

-31.98%

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

$1.39 $1.39

$2.49 $2.49

-44.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 $1.15

$2.16 $2.16

-46.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 $3.45

$6.60 $6.60

-47.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.98 $5.98

$6.31 $6.31

-5.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$0.97 $0.97

13.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 $1.53

$3.94 $3.94

-61.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 $1.49

$4.74 $4.74

-68.57%

Eggs

$2.09 $2.09

$4.35 $4.35

-51.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.33 $6.33

$11.54 $11.54

-45.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.58 $5.58

$13.23 $13.23

-57.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.57 $7.57

$18.29 $18.29

-58.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$5.62 $5.62

-60.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.42 $1.42

-12.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 $1.28

$4.08 $4.08

-68.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 $1.13

$5.14 $5.14

-78.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 $1.18

$3.14 $3.14

-62.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 $1.08

$2.64 $2.64

-59.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 $0.93

$2.45 $2.45

-62.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.95 $1.95

-47.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.91 $5.91

$8.64 $8.64

-31.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.06 $10.06

$13.68 $13.68

-26.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 $1.52

$2.06 $2.06

-26.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 $3.20

$3.48 $3.48

-8.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 $0.37

$1.83 $1.83

-79.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.25 $21.25

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 $1.48

$2.82 $2.82

-47.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.99 $1.99

-23.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.08 $10.08

$28.49 $28.49

-64.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.00 $1.00

-19.00%

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

$22.8K $22.8K

$26.0K $26.0K

-12.26%

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

$30.6K $30.6K

$27.2K $27.2K

12.32%

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

$28.20 $28.20

$175 $175

-83.88%

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

$17.65 $17.65

$53.8 $53.8

-67.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.83 $28.83

$72.5 $72.5

-60.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.91 $46.91

$43.66 $43.66

7.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.10 $18.10

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 $6.58

$15.58 $15.58

-57.77%

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

$744 $744

$1,600 $1,600

-53.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,068 $9,068

$21.0K $21.0K

-56.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.1 $70.1

$53.8 $53.8

30.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.81 $49.81

$41.07 $41.07

21.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 $115

$95.3 $95.3

20.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$123 $123

-11.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$481 $481

$1,742 $1,742

-72.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$317 $317

$1,117 $1,117

-71.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 $950

$2,259 $2,259

-57.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$546 $546

$2,265 $2,265

-75.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,775 $1,775

$3,049 $3,049

-41.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$722 $722

$2,332 $2,332

-69.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$597 $597

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.12

6.57

54.03%

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

Last update for Quito: October 17, 2026

Last update for Bethel, AK: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Quito

$317 32.2%

Bethel, AK

$1.1K 46.9% 252% $800

Groceries & Markets

Quito

$195 19.9%

Bethel, AK

$412 17.3% 111% $217

Clothing & Footwear

Quito

$155 15.8%

Bethel, AK

$141 5.9% 9% $14

Eating Out

Quito

$150 15.3%

Bethel, AK

$313 13.2% 108% $163

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Quito

$75 7.6%

Bethel, AK

$301 12.7% 303% $227

Sport & Entertainment

Quito

$60 6.1%

Bethel, AK

$75 3.1% 24.6% $15

Getting Around

Quito

$32 3.2%

Bethel, AK

$20 * 0.8% 36.8% $12

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $481 in Quito and $1,742 in Bethel, AK. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Quito vs $71.0 in Bethel, AK for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 vs $412 per month, with Quito cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇪🇨 Quito

🇺🇸 Bethel, AK

🕒 Local time

16:46 4:46 PM

13:46 1:46 PM

3 h behind Quito

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,671,191 Capital

6,300

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Quito Bethel, AK 9,660 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Quito
Bethel, AK

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

Quito vs Bethel, AK: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Quito and Bethel, AK differ by about 142% in total monthly costs ($984 vs $2,380 including rent). Quito is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,477 in Quito and $3,570 in Bethel, AK 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: $481 in Quito versus $1,742 in Bethel, AK. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 111% higher in Bethel, AK. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $984 per month in Quito versus $2,380 in Bethel, AK – a 142% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $984 in Quito versus $2,380 in Bethel, AK, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Quito but tight or insufficient in Bethel, AK. 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.

Expats usually find Quito gentler on the wallet – expenses run 142% less than in Bethel, AK. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.