Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Quito and Courtenay

For one person, living is cheaper in Quito: $978 a month against $2,133 in Courtenay, rent and utilities included – about $13,900 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
103

Cost of Living Index in Courtenay
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Courtenay Living Index

Jump to prices

Quito

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$978

/mo nomad

Courtenay

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,133

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Quito and in Courtenay

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

A single person spends $978 per month in Quito vs $2,133 in Courtenay, rent included.

Quito $978
Courtenay $2,133

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Quito vs $3,026 in Courtenay, rent included.

Quito $1,586
Courtenay $3,026

A family of three spends $2,194 per month in Quito vs $3,919 in Courtenay, rent included.

Quito $2,194
Courtenay $3,919

Quito is about 54% cheaper than Courtenay, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Quito sits 28% below the global median, while Courtenay is 58% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.08 $6.08

$13.75 CA$19.44

-55.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.5 $55.5

$56.6 CA$80.0

-1.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.61 $7.61

$10.05 CA$14.20

-24.28%

Cappuccino

$3.40 $3.40

$3.46 CA$4.89

-1.73%

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

$1.37 $1.37

$2.02 CA$2.86

-32.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.64 CA$2.32

-33.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 $3.43

$5.70 CA$8.06

-39.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.06 $6.06

$5.97 CA$8.43

1.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$2.27 CA$3.21

-49.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 $1.60

$2.06 CA$2.91

-22.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$2.04 CA$2.89

-22.55%

Eggs

$2.12 $2.12

$3.21 CA$4.54

-33.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.58 $6.58

$9.86 CA$13.94

-33.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$9.06 CA$12.80

-39.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.65 $7.65

$19.19 CA$27.12

-60.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$3.16 CA$4.47

-29.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 $1.19

$1.32 CA$1.87

-9.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 $1.33

$2.29 CA$3.24

-41.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 $1.13

$3.02 CA$4.26

-62.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 $1.24

$2.53 CA$3.58

-50.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 $1.02

$2.09 CA$2.96

-51.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.96 CA$2.77

-53.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.67 CA$2.36

-37.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.16 $6.16

$14.19 CA$20.06

-56.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.07 $10.07

$10.45 CA$14.78

-3.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

$2.40 CA$3.40

-34.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.51 CA$3.54

23.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 $0.36

$1.98 CA$2.80

-81.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.37 $21.37

$42.72 CA$60.4

-49.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.67 CA$3.78

-42.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.39 CA$1.96

7.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.84 $9.84

$17.48 CA$24.72

-43.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.30 CA$1.83

-37.69%

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

$21.3K $21.3K

$20.3K CA$28.7K

4.75%

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

$27.9K $27.9K

$17.9K CA$25.3K

55.77%

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

$28.75 $28.75

$135 CA$190

-78.66%

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

$17.86 $17.86

$37.14 CA$52.5

-51.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.20 $28.20

$63.7 CA$90.0

-55.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.08 $46.08

$41.55 CA$58.7

10.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.76 $17.76

$38.86 CA$54.9

-54.30%

Cinema Ticket

$6.34 $6.34

$10.57 CA$14.94

-40.02%

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

$739 $739

$1,761 CA$2,490

-58.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,909 $8,909

$11.8K CA$16.7K

-24.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.0 $71.0

$55.8 CA$78.9

27.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.4 $50.4

$43.80 CA$61.9

15.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 $114

$76.0 CA$107

50.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 $107

$59.3 CA$83.8

80.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$491 $491

$1,238 CA$1,751

-60.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 $309

$1,109 CA$1,568

-72.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$932 $932

$2,010 CA$2,841

-53.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$540 $540

$1,622 CA$2,293

-66.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,759 $1,759

$5,337 CA$7,545

-67.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$715 $715

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$594 $594

$3,170 CA$4,482

-81.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.12

4.87

107.80%

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

Last update for Quito: October 10, 2026

Last update for Courtenay: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Quito

$309 31.6%

Courtenay

$1.1K 52% 259% $800

Groceries & Markets

Quito

$198 20.3%

Courtenay

$322 15.1% 62.8% $124

Clothing & Footwear

Quito

$154 15.8%

Courtenay

$106 5% 31.5% $49

Eating Out

Quito

$151 15.5%

Courtenay

$237 11.1% 56.3% $85

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Quito

$75 7.7%

Courtenay

$236 11.1% 215% $161

Sport & Entertainment

Quito

$59 6%

Courtenay

$63 2.9% 6.7% $3.9

Getting Around

Quito

$32 3.3%

Courtenay

$60 2.8% 89.6% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $491 in Quito versus $1,238 in Courtenay. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 434% higher in Courtenay, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Quito versus $57.0 in Courtenay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $198 vs $322 – making Quito the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇪🇨 Quito

🇨🇦 Courtenay

🕒 Local time

16:46 4:46 PM

14:46 2:46 PM

2 h behind Quito

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,671,191 Capital

25,599

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

1 CAD = 0.707 USD

1 CAD = 0.629 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

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

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).

CAD to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Quito Courtenay 7,090 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Quito
Courtenay

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 Courtenay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Courtenay is pricier by about 118%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,467 per month in Quito and $3,199 in Courtenay. 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.

Groceries cost about 63% more in Courtenay, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Quito and $57.0 in Courtenay. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Quito, where all-in costs run around $978, than in Courtenay at $2,133. In Quito it covers expenses comfortably, while in Courtenay it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Quito – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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