Cost of Living Comparison Between Quito and Ibarra Cost of Living Comparison Between Quito and Ibarra

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $975 in Quito versus $678 in Ibarra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,574 in Quito versus $1,117 in Ibarra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,174 in Quito versus $1,557 in Ibarra.

Living in Quito is roughly 44% more expensive than in Ibarra, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Quito 29% lower, Ibarra 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.54 $5.54

$2.58 $2.58

114.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.0 $53.0

$25.38 $25.38

108.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.96 $7.96

$5.67 $5.67

40.39%

Cappuccino

$3.31 $3.31

$2.21 $2.21

49.77%

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

$1.42 $1.42

$1.04 $1.04

36.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 $1.10

$0.56 $0.56

96.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.60 $3.60

$1.95 $1.95

84.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.41 $5.41

$2.20 $2.20

145.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$0.94 $0.94

23.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.02 $1.02

55.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.47 $1.47

5.44%

Eggs

$2.18 $2.18

$2.14 $2.14

1.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.41 $6.41

$3.67 $3.67

74.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.60 $5.60

$5.47 $5.47

2.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.94 $7.94

$7.87 $7.87

0.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.96 $1.96

16.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 $1.23

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.27 $1.27

0.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.84 $0.84

35.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 $1.23

$0.48 $0.48

156.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.03 $1.03

-0.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 $0.85

$0.70 $0.70

21.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 $1.06

$0.99 $0.99

7.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.89 $5.89

$2.95 $2.95

99.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.10 $10.10

$9.81 $9.81

2.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.57 $1.57

0.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$3.16 $3.16

-0.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 $0.37

$0.33 $0.33

12.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.20 $21.20

$15.66 $15.66

35.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.52 $1.52

-3.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.51 $1.51

0.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.11 $10.11

$10.01 $10.01

1.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$0.67 $0.67

26.87%

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

$21.1K $21.1K

$21.3K $21.3K

-0.73%

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

$28.7K $28.7K

$28.0K $28.0K

2.46%

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

$28.69 $28.69

$28.71 $28.71

-0.07%

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

$18.11 $18.11

$15.24 $15.24

18.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.68 $28.68

$17.91 $17.91

60.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.67 $46.67

$29.81 $29.81

56.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.86 $17.86

$18.04 $18.04

-1.00%

Cinema Ticket

$6.95 $6.95

$6.88 $6.88

1.02%

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

$736 $736

$108 $108

583.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,884 $8,884

$8,868 $8,868

0.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.9 $63.9

$59.8 $59.8

6.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.07 $49.07

$45.76 $45.76

7.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 $118

$91.5 $91.5

28.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$50.5 $50.5

110.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 $475

$227 $227

108.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$314 $314

$177 $177

77.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$934 $934

$688 $688

35.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$540 $540

$411 $411

31.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,790 $1,790

$1,206 $1,206

48.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$721 $721

$783 $783

-7.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$606 $606

$599 $599

1.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.12

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

Last update for Quito: September 13, 2026

Last update for Ibarra: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Quito and $227 in Ibarra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Quito pays 1% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $53.0 in Quito vs $25.00 in Ibarra for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $199 vs $175 per month, with Ibarra cheaper across the board.

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 Ibarra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ibarra wins on cost – living expenses run 44% lower than in Quito. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ibarra the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 1% higher in Quito, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $475 in Quito versus $227 in Ibarra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Quito. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Ibarra – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $53.0 in Quito. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $678 in Ibarra versus $975 in Quito, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ibarra but tight or insufficient in Quito. The gap between the two cities makes Ibarra the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ibarra delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $678 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ibarra hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Ibarra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Quito. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.