Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Quito and Davis, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Quito: $978 a month against $3,382 in Davis, CA, rent and utilities included – about $28,800 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
165

Cost of Living Index in Davis, CA
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Davis, CA Living Index

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Quito

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$978

/mo nomad

Davis, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,382

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $978 per month in Quito vs $3,382 in Davis, CA, rent included.

Quito $978
Davis, CA $3,382

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Quito vs $5,016 in Davis, CA, rent included.

Quito $1,586
Davis, CA $5,016

A family of three spends $2,194 per month in Quito vs $6,650 in Davis, CA, rent included.

Quito $2,194
Davis, CA $6,650

Quito is about 71% cheaper than Davis, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Quito sits 28% below the global median, while Davis, CA is 151% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.08 $6.08

$22.16 $22.16

-72.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.5 $55.5

$102 $102

-45.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.61 $7.61

$12.90 $12.90

-41.01%

Cappuccino

$3.40 $3.40

$5.30 $5.30

-35.85%

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

$1.37 $1.37

$3.72 $3.72

-63.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 $1.09

$2.38 $2.38

-54.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 $3.43

$8.21 $8.21

-58.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.06 $6.06

$8.10 $8.10

-25.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.32 $1.32

-13.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 $1.60

$3.70 $3.70

-56.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$4.18 $4.18

-62.20%

Eggs

$2.12 $2.12

$5.20 $5.20

-59.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.58 $6.58

$11.16 $11.16

-41.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$15.47 $15.47

-64.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.65 $7.65

$17.22 $17.22

-55.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$5.14 $5.14

-56.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 $1.19

$1.63 $1.63

-26.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 $1.33

$4.27 $4.27

-68.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 $1.13

$4.61 $4.61

-75.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 $1.24

$2.75 $2.75

-54.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 $1.02

$2.89 $2.89

-64.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 $0.92

$2.21 $2.21

-58.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 $1.05

$2.30 $2.30

-54.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.16 $6.16

$10.10 $10.10

-39.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.07 $10.07

$15.86 $15.86

-36.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.73 $1.73

-8.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$3.34 $3.34

-7.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 $0.36

$1.48 $1.48

-75.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.37 $21.37

$37.89 $37.89

-43.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.95 $2.95

-48.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.56 $1.56

-4.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.84 $9.84

$28.28 $28.28

-65.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.39 $1.39

-41.73%

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

$21.3K $21.3K

$36.5K $36.5K

-41.84%

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

$27.9K $27.9K

$25.5K $25.5K

9.19%

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

$28.75 $28.75

$293 $293

-90.19%

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

$17.86 $17.86

$59.1 $59.1

-69.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.20 $28.20

$75.7 $75.7

-62.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.08 $46.08

$58.3 $58.3

-20.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.76 $17.76

Cinema Ticket

$6.34 $6.34

$15.57 $15.57

-59.28%

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

$739 $739

$1,403 $1,403

-47.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,909 $8,909

$20.9K $20.9K

-57.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.0 $71.0

$54.6 $54.6

29.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.4 $50.4

$41.84 $41.84

20.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 $114

$97.4 $97.4

17.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 $107

$114 $114

-5.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$491 $491

$2,203 $2,203

-77.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 $309

$1,887 $1,887

-83.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$932 $932

$3,761 $3,761

-75.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$540 $540

$3,355 $3,355

-83.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,759 $1,759

$2,760 $2,760

-36.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$715 $715

$2,418 $2,418

-70.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$594 $594

$5,017 $5,017

-88.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.12

6.1

65.90%

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

Last update for Quito: October 10, 2026

Last update for Davis, CA: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Quito

$309 31.6%

Davis, CA

$1.9K 55.8% 511% $1.6K

Groceries & Markets

Quito

$198 20.3%

Davis, CA

$423 12.5% 114% $225

Clothing & Footwear

Quito

$154 15.8%

Davis, CA

$138 4.1% 10.3% $16

Eating Out

Quito

$151 15.5%

Davis, CA

$361 10.7% 139% $210

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Quito

$75 7.7%

Davis, CA

$428 12.7% 472% $353

Sport & Entertainment

Quito

$59 6%

Davis, CA

$89 2.6% 52.2% $31

Getting Around

Quito

$32 3.3%

Davis, CA

$55 1.6% 71.7% $23

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $491 in Quito versus $2,203 in Davis, CA. 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 745% higher in Davis, CA, 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 $102 in Davis, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $198 vs $423 – making Quito the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇪🇨 Quito

🇺🇸 Davis, CA

🕒 Local time

14:23 2:23 PM

12:23 12:23 PM

2 h behind Quito

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,671,191 Capital

66,850

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.889 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Quito Davis, CA 6,160 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Yes – Davis, CA is pricier by about 246%, 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 $5,073 in Davis, 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $978 in Quito and $3,382 in Davis, CA. That's a gap of about 246%.

Public transport costs about 77% less in Quito. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Quito, where all-in costs run around $978, than in Davis, CA at $3,382. In Quito it covers expenses comfortably, while in Davis, CA 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.

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, Davis, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.