Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Quito and Fairbanks, AK

For one person, living is cheaper in Quito: $979 a month against $2,975 in Fairbanks, AK, rent and utilities included – about $24,000 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
146

Cost of Living Index in Fairbanks, AK
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Fairbanks, AK Living Index

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Quito

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$979

/mo nomad

Fairbanks, AK

🇺🇸 United States

$2,975

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Quito and in Fairbanks, AK

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

A single person spends $979 per month in Quito vs $2,975 in Fairbanks, AK, rent included.

Quito $979
Fairbanks, AK $2,975

A couple spends around $1,607 per month in Quito vs $4,357 in Fairbanks, AK, rent included.

Quito $1,607
Fairbanks, AK $4,357

A family of three spends $2,234 per month in Quito vs $5,739 in Fairbanks, AK, rent included.

Quito $2,234
Fairbanks, AK $5,739

Quito is about 67% cheaper than Fairbanks, AK, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Quito sits 27% below the global median, while Fairbanks, AK is 122% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.14 $6.14

$25.15 $25.15

-75.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 $53.9

$102 $102

-47.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 $7.81

$15.25 $15.25

-48.79%

Cappuccino

$3.42 $3.42

$6.12 $6.12

-44.12%

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

$1.44 $1.44

$2.74 $2.74

-47.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.95 $1.95

-41.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 $3.48

$6.79 $6.79

-48.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$9.85 $9.85

-40.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.13 $1.13

0.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 $1.54

$5.37 $5.37

-71.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$4.68 $4.68

-67.74%

Eggs

$2.16 $2.16

$4.23 $4.23

-48.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$21.64 $21.64

-70.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.48 $5.48

$9.08 $9.08

-39.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.81 $7.81

$20.45 $20.45

-61.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.33 $2.33

$7.64 $7.64

-69.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 $1.24

$2.09 $2.09

-40.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 $1.31

$5.91 $5.91

-77.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 $1.14

$6.18 $6.18

-81.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 $1.21

$3.70 $3.70

-67.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 $1.02

$3.64 $3.64

-71.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 $0.93

$2.75 $2.75

-66.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.95 $1.95

-46.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.02 $6.02

$12.17 $12.17

-50.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.93 $9.93

$12.01 $12.01

-17.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.75 $1.75

-9.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 $3.08

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 $0.37

$1.54 $1.54

-75.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.95 $20.95

$39.97 $39.97

-47.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 $1.54

$3.60 $3.60

-57.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.13 $2.13

-28.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.01 $10.01

$45.48 $45.48

-77.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.28 $1.28

-32.03%

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

$21.0K $21.0K

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

$28.6K $28.6K

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

$28.97 $28.97

$209 $209

-86.16%

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

$17.57 $17.57

$63.2 $63.2

-72.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.14 $28.14

$142 $142

-80.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.48 $46.48

$98.7 $98.7

-52.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.70 $17.70

Cinema Ticket

$6.38 $6.38

$18.05 $18.05

-64.65%

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

$746 $746

$1,826 $1,826

-59.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,015 $9,015

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.8 $68.8

$59.1 $59.1

16.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.4 $50.4

$40.69 $40.69

23.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 $117

$119 $119

-1.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 $109

$119 $119

-8.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$478 $478

$1,596 $1,596

-70.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 $313

$1,379 $1,379

-77.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$967 $967

$2,605 $2,605

-62.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$549 $549

$2,197 $2,197

-75.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,763 $1,763

$1,984 $1,984

-11.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$720 $720

$2,029 $2,029

-64.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$597 $597

$3,943 $3,943

-84.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.12

6.71

50.82%

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

Last update for Quito: October 4, 2026

Last update for Fairbanks, AK: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Quito

$313 31.8%

Fairbanks, AK

$1.4K 46% 340% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Quito

$198 20.1%

Fairbanks, AK

$463 * 15.5% 134% $266

Clothing & Footwear

Quito

$156 15.8%

Fairbanks, AK

$152 5.1% 2.4% $3.7

Eating Out

Quito

$153 15.5%

Fairbanks, AK

$393 13.1% 157% $240

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Quito

$75 7.6%

Fairbanks, AK

$415 13.8% 455% $340

Sport & Entertainment

Quito

$59 6%

Fairbanks, AK

$135 4.5% 128% $76

Getting Around

Quito

$32 3.2%

Fairbanks, AK

$60 2% 91% $29

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 $1,596 in Fairbanks, AK. 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 561% higher in Fairbanks, AK, 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 $54.0 in Quito versus $102 in Fairbanks, AK. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $198 vs $463 – making Quito the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇪🇨 Quito

🇺🇸 Fairbanks, AK

🕒 Local time

07:29 7:29 AM

04:29 4:29 AM

3 h behind Quito

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,671,191 Capital

32,515

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Quito Fairbanks, AK 9,060 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Quito
Fairbanks, AK

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 Fairbanks, AK: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Fairbanks, AK is pricier by about 204%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,468 per month in Quito and $4,462 in Fairbanks, AK. 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 134% more in Fairbanks, AK, 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 $54.0 in Quito and $102 in Fairbanks, AK. 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 $979, than in Fairbanks, AK at $2,975. In Quito it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fairbanks, AK 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, Fairbanks, AK makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.