Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Quito and Ellensburg, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Quito: $978 a month against $2,373 in Ellensburg, WA, rent and utilities included – about $16,700 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
115

Cost of Living Index in Ellensburg, WA
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Ellensburg, WA Living Index

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Quito

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$978

/mo nomad

Ellensburg, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,373

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Quito and in Ellensburg, WA

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

A single person spends $978 per month in Quito vs $2,373 in Ellensburg, WA, rent included.

Quito $978
Ellensburg, WA $2,373

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Quito vs $3,450 in Ellensburg, WA, rent included.

Quito $1,586
Ellensburg, WA $3,450

A family of three spends $2,194 per month in Quito vs $4,527 in Ellensburg, WA, rent included.

Quito $2,194
Ellensburg, WA $4,527

Quito is about 59% cheaper than Ellensburg, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Quito sits 28% below the global median, while Ellensburg, WA is 76% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.08 $6.08

$15.04 $15.04

-59.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.5 $55.5

$73.9 $73.9

-24.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.61 $7.61

$11.93 $11.93

-36.21%

Cappuccino

$3.40 $3.40

$5.23 $5.23

-34.99%

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

$1.37 $1.37

$1.53 $1.53

-10.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.21 $1.21

-9.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 $3.43

$4.96 $4.96

-30.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.06 $6.06

$5.96 $5.96

1.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.99 $0.99

15.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 $1.60

$2.79 $2.79

-42.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$4.67 $4.67

-66.17%

Eggs

$2.12 $2.12

$4.23 $4.23

-49.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.58 $6.58

$15.58 $15.58

-57.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$6.53 $6.53

-15.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.65 $7.65

$13.85 $13.85

-44.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$4.83 $4.83

-53.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 $1.19

$1.44 $1.44

-17.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 $1.33

$4.26 $4.26

-68.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 $1.13

$3.97 $3.97

-71.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.50 $1.50

-17.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 $1.02

$2.21 $2.21

-53.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 $0.92

$2.04 $2.04

-54.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.82 $1.82

-42.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.16 $6.16

$9.83 $9.83

-37.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.07 $10.07

$13.86 $13.86

-27.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.81 $1.81

-12.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$4.96 $4.96

-37.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 $0.36

$2.02 $2.02

-82.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.37 $21.37

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 $1.53

$5.07 $5.07

-69.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.75 $1.75

-14.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.84 $9.84

$40.36 $40.36

-75.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.08 $1.08

-25.00%

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

$21.3K $21.3K

$32.0K $32.0K

-33.58%

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

$27.9K $27.9K

$26.2K $26.2K

6.49%

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

$28.75 $28.75

$152 $152

-81.08%

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

$17.86 $17.86

$39.44 $39.44

-54.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.20 $28.20

$69.3 $69.3

-59.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.08 $46.08

$42.32 $42.32

8.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.76 $17.76

Cinema Ticket

$6.34 $6.34

$15.73 $15.73

-59.69%

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

$739 $739

$1,360 $1,360

-45.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,909 $8,909

$21.8K $21.8K

-59.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.0 $71.0

$34.99 $34.99

102.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.4 $50.4

$34.67 $34.67

45.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 $114

$108 $108

5.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 $107

$40.70 $40.70

163.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$491 $491

$1,571 $1,571

-68.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 $309

$1,302 $1,302

-76.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$932 $932

$2,528 $2,528

-63.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$540 $540

$2,111 $2,111

-74.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,759 $1,759

$4,525 $4,525

-61.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$715 $715

$4,445 $4,445

-83.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$594 $594

$1,770 $1,770

-66.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.12

6.5

55.69%

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

Last update for Quito: October 10, 2026

Last update for Ellensburg, WA: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Quito

$309 31.6%

Ellensburg, WA

$1.3K 54.9% 322% $993

Groceries & Markets

Quito

$198 20.3%

Ellensburg, WA

$350 14.7% 76.6% $152

Clothing & Footwear

Quito

$154 15.8%

Ellensburg, WA

$98 4.1% 36.3% $56

Eating Out

Quito

$151 15.5%

Ellensburg, WA

$267 11.2% 76% $115

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Quito

$75 7.7%

Ellensburg, WA

$261 11% 248% $186

Sport & Entertainment

Quito

$59 6%

Ellensburg, WA

$74 3.1% 25.5% $15

Getting Around

Quito

$32 3.3%

Ellensburg, WA

$22 * 0.9% 31% $9.9

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $491 in Quito versus $1,571 in Ellensburg, WA. 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 198% higher in Ellensburg, WA, 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 $74.0 in Ellensburg, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $198 vs $350 – making Quito the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇪🇨 Quito

🇺🇸 Ellensburg, WA

🕒 Local time

07:42 7:42 AM

05:42 5:42 AM

2 h behind Quito

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,671,191 Capital

18,666

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Quito Ellensburg, WA 6,640 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Quito
Ellensburg, WA

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 Ellensburg, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ellensburg, WA costs about 143% more than Quito, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,467 per month in Quito and $3,559 in Ellensburg, WA. 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 $55.0 in Quito and $74.0 in Ellensburg, WA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 77% more in Ellensburg, WA, 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 $978, than in Ellensburg, WA at $2,373. In Quito it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ellensburg, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Quito costs $978 versus $2,373 in Ellensburg, WA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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