Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Quito and Cerritos, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Quito: $979 a month against $3,104 in Cerritos, CA, rent and utilities included – about $25,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

48

Cost of Living Index in Quito
Learn more

Quito Living Index
151

Cost of Living Index in Cerritos, CA
Learn more

Cerritos, CA Living Index

Jump to prices

Quito

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$979

/mo nomad

Cerritos, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,104

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Quito and in Cerritos, CA

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 Cerritos, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $979 per month in Quito vs $3,104 in Cerritos, CA, rent included.

Quito $979
Cerritos, CA $3,104

A couple spends around $1,607 per month in Quito vs $3,246 in Cerritos, CA, rent included.

Quito $1,607
Cerritos, CA $3,246

A family of three spends $2,234 per month in Quito vs $3,389 in Cerritos, CA, rent included.

Quito $2,234
Cerritos, CA $3,389

Quito is about 68% cheaper than Cerritos, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Quito sits 27% below the global median, while Cerritos, CA is 132% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.14 $6.14

$25.23 $25.23

-75.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 $53.9

$102 $102

-47.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 $7.81

$15.93 $15.93

-50.97%

Cappuccino

$3.42 $3.42

$5.61 $5.61

-39.04%

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

$1.44 $1.44

$3.12 $3.12

-53.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 $1.14

$2.69 $2.69

-57.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 $3.48

$8.20 $8.20

-57.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$9.98 $9.98

-40.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.33 $1.33

-14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 $1.54

$4.90 $4.90

-68.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$4.57 $4.57

-66.96%

Eggs

$2.16 $2.16

$5.78 $5.78

-62.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$11.63 $11.63

-44.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.48 $5.48

$8.87 $8.87

-38.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.81 $7.81

$19.30 $19.30

-59.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.33 $2.33

$4.68 $4.68

-50.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 $1.24

$2.53 $2.53

-50.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 $1.31

$4.50 $4.50

-70.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 $1.14

$5.53 $5.53

-79.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 $1.21

$3.15 $3.15

-61.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 $1.02

$2.90 $2.90

-64.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 $0.93

$2.02 $2.02

-53.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 $1.05

$2.52 $2.52

-58.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.02 $6.02

$11.81 $11.81

-49.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.93 $9.93

$14.89 $14.89

-33.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 $1.59

$2.50 $2.50

-36.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.78 $2.78

10.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 $0.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.95 $20.95

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 $1.54

$3.15 $3.15

-51.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.83 $1.83

-16.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.01 $10.01

$32.22 $32.22

-68.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.61 $1.61

-45.96%

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

$21.0K $21.0K

$36.5K $36.5K

-42.52%

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

$28.6K $28.6K

$25.7K $25.7K

11.31%

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

$28.97 $28.97

$221 $221

-86.88%

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

$17.57 $17.57

$76.4 $76.4

-77.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.14 $28.14

$80.8 $80.8

-65.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.48 $46.48

$119 $119

-60.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.70 $17.70

Cinema Ticket

$6.38 $6.38

$20.17 $20.17

-68.37%

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

$746 $746

$1,157 $1,157

-35.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,015 $9,015

$32.8K $32.8K

-72.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.8 $68.8

$62.7 $62.7

9.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.4 $50.4

$47.80 $47.80

5.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 $117

$114 $114

2.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 $109

$102 $102

6.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$478 $478

$1,968 $1,968

-75.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 $313

$1,624 $1,624

-80.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$967 $967

$3,556 $3,556

-72.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$549 $549

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,763 $1,763

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$720 $720

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$597 $597

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.12

6.31

60.38%

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

Last update for Quito: October 4, 2026

Last update for Cerritos, CA: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Quito

$313 31.8%

Cerritos, CA

$1.6K 51.6% 419% $1.3K

Groceries & Markets

Quito

$198 20.1%

Cerritos, CA

$427 13.6% 116% $229

Clothing & Footwear

Quito

$156 15.8%

Cerritos, CA

$147 4.7% 5.4% $8.5

Eating Out

Quito

$153 15.5%

Cerritos, CA

$401 12.7% 162% $248

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Quito

$75 7.6%

Cerritos, CA

$378 12% 406% $303

Sport & Entertainment

Quito

$59 6%

Cerritos, CA

$159 5.1% 168% $100

Getting Around

Quito

$32 3.2%

Cerritos, CA

$12 * 0.4% 61.2% $19

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $478 in Quito versus $1,968 in Cerritos, CA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Quito versus $102 in Cerritos, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $198 vs $427 – making Quito the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇪🇨 Quito

🇺🇸 Cerritos, CA

🕒 Local time

15:00 3:00 PM

13:00 1:00 PM

2 h behind Quito

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,671,191 Capital

49,041

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Quito Cerritos, CA 5,600 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Quito
Cerritos, CA

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 Cerritos, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $979 in Quito, $3,104 in Cerritos, CA – roughly 217% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,468 per month in Quito and $4,655 in Cerritos, CA. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Quito and $102 in Cerritos, CA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 116% more in Cerritos, CA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Quito, where all-in costs run around $979, than in Cerritos, CA at $3,104. In Quito it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cerritos, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Cerritos, CA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $979 in Quito to $3,104 in Cerritos, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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