Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Quito and Chico, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Quito: $978 a month against $2,515 in Chico, CA, rent and utilities included – about $18,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

48

Cost of Living Index in Quito
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Quito Living Index
123

Cost of Living Index in Chico, CA
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Chico, CA Living Index

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Quito

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$978

/mo nomad

Chico, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,515

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $978 in Quito versus $2,515 in Chico, CA.

Quito $978
Chico, CA $2,515

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,586 in Quito versus $4,036 in Chico, CA.

Quito $1,586
Chico, CA $4,036

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,194 in Quito versus $5,556 in Chico, CA.

Quito $2,194
Chico, CA $5,556

Living in Quito costs roughly 61% less than in Chico, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Quito is 28% below, Chico, CA is 86% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.08 $6.08

$25.46 $25.46

-76.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.5 $55.5

$50.1 $50.1

10.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.61 $7.61

$12.05 $12.05

-36.85%

Cappuccino

$3.40 $3.40

$5.77 $5.77

-41.07%

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

$1.37 $1.37

$2.63 $2.63

-47.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 $1.09

$2.27 $2.27

-51.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 $3.43

$7.34 $7.34

-53.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.06 $6.06

$8.22 $8.22

-26.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.13 $1.13

0.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 $1.60

$2.99 $2.99

-46.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$3.51 $3.51

-54.99%

Eggs

$2.12 $2.12

$4.86 $4.86

-56.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.58 $6.58

$11.12 $11.12

-40.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$12.12 $12.12

-54.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.65 $7.65

$23.12 $23.12

-66.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$5.43 $5.43

-58.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 $1.19

$2.35 $2.35

-49.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 $1.33

$3.81 $3.81

-65.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 $1.13

$5.64 $5.64

-79.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 $1.24

$5.01 $5.01

-75.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 $1.02

$3.10 $3.10

-67.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 $0.92

$2.46 $2.46

-62.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 $1.05

$2.56 $2.56

-58.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.16 $6.16

$8.01 $8.01

-23.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.07 $10.07

$14.92 $14.92

-32.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.75 $1.75

-9.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$3.62 $3.62

-14.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 $0.36

$2.94 $2.94

-87.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.37 $21.37

$34.74 $34.74

-38.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 $1.53

$3.22 $3.22

-52.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 $1.49

$2.41 $2.41

-38.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.84 $9.84

$40.65 $40.65

-75.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.42 $1.42

-42.96%

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

$21.3K $21.3K

$36.3K $36.3K

-41.46%

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

$27.9K $27.9K

$24.7K $24.7K

12.82%

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

$28.75 $28.75

$185 $185

-84.44%

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

$17.86 $17.86

$49.40 $49.40

-63.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.20 $28.20

$67.9 $67.9

-58.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.08 $46.08

$77.0 $77.0

-40.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.76 $17.76

Cinema Ticket

$6.34 $6.34

$13.12 $13.12

-51.68%

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

$739 $739

$1,837 $1,837

-59.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,909 $8,909

$37.1K $37.1K

-75.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.0 $71.0

$51.1 $51.1

38.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.4 $50.4

$31.08 $31.08

62.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 $114

$70.3 $70.3

62.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 $107

$98.8 $98.8

8.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$491 $491

$1,508 $1,508

-67.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 $309

$1,123 $1,123

-72.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$932 $932

$2,933 $2,933

-68.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$540 $540

$2,590 $2,590

-79.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,759 $1,759

$3,210 $3,210

-45.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$715 $715

$2,919 $2,919

-75.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$594 $594

$3,832 $3,832

-84.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.12

6.28

61.15%

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

Last update for Quito: October 10, 2026

Last update for Chico, CA: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Quito

$309 31.6%

Chico, CA

$1.1K 44.6% 264% $814

Groceries & Markets

Quito

$198 20.3%

Chico, CA

$430 17.1% 117% $232

Clothing & Footwear

Quito

$154 15.8%

Chico, CA

$113 4.5% 26.7% $41

Eating Out

Quito

$151 15.5%

Chico, CA

$382 15.2% 152% $230

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Quito

$75 7.7%

Chico, CA

$302 12% 304% $227

Sport & Entertainment

Quito

$59 6%

Chico, CA

$103 4.1% 75.7% $45

Getting Around

Quito

$32 3.3%

Chico, CA

$62 2.5% 94.4% $30

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $491 in Quito and $1,508 in Chico, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Chico, CA pays 545% 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: $55.0 in Quito vs $50.0 in Chico, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $198 vs $430, with Quito cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇪🇨 Quito

🇺🇸 Chico, CA

🕒 Local time

02:35 2:35 AM

00:35 12:35 AM

2 h behind Quito

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,671,191 Capital

90,316

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Quito Chico, CA 6,240 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Quito
Chico, 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 Chico, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Quito is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 157% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 545% lower in Chico, CA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $491 in Quito versus $1,508 in Chico, CA. 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 $50.0 in Chico, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $978 per month in Quito versus $2,515 in Chico, CA – a 157% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $978 in Quito versus $2,515 in Chico, CA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Quito but tight or insufficient in Chico, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Quito the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Expats usually find Quito gentler on the wallet – expenses run 157% less than in Chico, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.