Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Quito and Highlands Ranch, CO

For one person, living is cheaper in Quito: $1,014 a month against $3,464 in Highlands Ranch, CO, rent and utilities included – about $29,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

49

Cost of Living Index in Quito
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Quito Living Index
165

Cost of Living Index in Highlands Ranch, CO
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Highlands Ranch, CO Living Index

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Quito

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$1,014

/mo nomad

Highlands Ranch, CO

🇺🇸 United States

$3,464

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Quito and in Highlands Ranch, CO

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 Highlands Ranch, CO actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,014 per month in Quito vs $3,464 in Highlands Ranch, CO, rent included.

Quito $1,014
Highlands Ranch, CO $3,464

A couple spends around $1,641 per month in Quito vs $4,105 in Highlands Ranch, CO, rent included.

Quito $1,641
Highlands Ranch, CO $4,105

A family of three spends $2,269 per month in Quito vs $4,746 in Highlands Ranch, CO, rent included.

Quito $2,269
Highlands Ranch, CO $4,746

Quito is about 71% cheaper than Highlands Ranch, CO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Quito sits 25% below the global median, while Highlands Ranch, CO is 156% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.55 $5.55

$15.27 $15.27

-63.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.6 $54.6

$80.9 $80.9

-32.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.63 $7.63

$9.80 $9.80

-22.14%

Cappuccino

$3.33 $3.33

$6.20 $6.20

-46.29%

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

$1.36 $1.36

$2.55 $2.55

-46.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 $1.14

$2.08 $2.08

-45.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.69 $3.69

$4.88 $4.88

-24.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.16 $6.16

$5.82 $5.82

5.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$0.98 $0.98

17.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 $1.61

$2.97 $2.97

-45.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$2.74 $2.74

-44.89%

Eggs

$2.15 $2.15

$4.33 $4.33

-50.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.47 $6.47

$10.89 $10.89

-40.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.33 $5.33

$9.14 $9.14

-41.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.77 $7.77

$19.48 $19.48

-60.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$4.97 $4.97

-55.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.58 $1.58

-21.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 $1.27

$4.88 $4.88

-73.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 $1.08

$5.17 $5.17

-79.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 $1.24

$3.46 $3.46

-64.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 $1.06

$4.65 $4.65

-77.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 $0.91

$2.32 $2.32

-60.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.70 $1.70

-42.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.95 $5.95

$10.24 $10.24

-41.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.35 $8.35

$16.25 $16.25

-48.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 $1.52

$2.59 $2.59

-41.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 $3.20

$2.74 $2.74

16.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 $0.33

$2.01 $2.01

-83.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.42 $21.42

$52.5 $52.5

-59.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.53 $2.53

-39.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.82 $1.82

-15.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.01 $10.01

$24.64 $24.64

-59.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.12 $1.12

-24.11%

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

$22.7K $22.7K

$28.2K $28.2K

-19.62%

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

$29.6K $29.6K

$26.3K $26.3K

12.50%

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

$28.99 $28.99

$211 $211

-86.25%

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

$17.94 $17.94

$55.8 $55.8

-67.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.85 $28.85

$70.1 $70.1

-58.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.09 $45.09

$45.53 $45.53

-0.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.78 $17.78

Cinema Ticket

$6.75 $6.75

$12.24 $12.24

-44.85%

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

$743 $743

$1,334 $1,334

-44.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,223 $8,223

$11.5K $11.5K

-28.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.8 $69.8

$60.3 $60.3

15.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.3 $50.3

$69.2 $69.2

-27.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 $113

$80.2 $80.2

40.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 $107

$117 $117

-8.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$542 $542

$1,574 $1,574

-65.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$354 $354

$2,173 $2,173

-83.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,141 $1,141

$2,791 $2,791

-59.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$638 $638

$1,882 $1,882

-66.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,636 $1,636

$2,806 $2,806

-41.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$663 $663

$2,287 $2,287

-71.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$603 $603

$7,126 $7,126

-91.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.12

6.7

51.04%

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

Last update for Quito: November 2, 2026

Last update for Highlands Ranch, CO: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Quito

$354 34.9%

Highlands Ranch, CO

$2.2K 62.7% 513% $1.8K

Groceries & Markets

Quito

$193 19%

Highlands Ranch, CO

$385 11.1% 99.6% $192

Clothing & Footwear

Quito

$153 15.1%

Highlands Ranch, CO

$147 4.3% 3.8% $5.7

Eating Out

Quito

$148 14.6%

Highlands Ranch, CO

$281 8.1% 89.4% $132

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Quito

$76 7.5%

Highlands Ranch, CO

$337 9.7% 344% $261

Sport & Entertainment

Quito

$59 5.8%

Highlands Ranch, CO

$70 2% 19.5% $11

Getting Around

Quito

$32 3.2%

Highlands Ranch, CO

$72 2.1% 126% $40

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $542 in Quito versus $1,574 in Highlands Ranch, CO. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Highlands Ranch, CO are about 12 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55 in Quito versus $81 in Highlands Ranch, CO. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $385 – making Quito the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇪🇨 Quito

🇺🇸 Highlands Ranch, CO

🕒 Local time

09:16 9:16 AM

07:16 7:16 AM

2 h behind Quito

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,671,191 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Quito Highlands Ranch, CO 5,180 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Quito
Highlands Ranch, CO

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 Highlands Ranch, CO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,014 in Quito, $3,464 in Highlands Ranch, CO – Quito comes out roughly 71% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,521 per month in Quito and $5,196 in Highlands Ranch, CO. 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $542 there versus $1,574 in Highlands Ranch, CO.

Groceries cost about 100% more in Highlands Ranch, CO, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55 in Quito and $81 in Highlands Ranch, CO. 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 $1,014, than in Highlands Ranch, CO at $3,464. In Quito it covers expenses comfortably, while in Highlands Ranch, CO 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 or specific career opportunities are the priority, Highlands Ranch, CO makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.