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: $929 in Quito versus $623 in Ibarra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,453 in Quito versus $950 in Ibarra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,976 in Quito versus $1,276 in Ibarra.

Living in Quito is roughly 49% more expensive than Ibarra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Quito 31% lower, Ibarra 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.38 $4.38

$2.94 $2.94

48.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.78 $32.78

$24.65 $24.65

32.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.17 $7.17

$5.74 $5.74

24.91%

Cappuccino

$2.93 $2.93

$2.22 $2.22

31.98%

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

$1.10 $1.10

$0.80 $0.80

37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 $0.67

$0.45 $0.45

48.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.02 $1.02

99.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 $3.91

$2.04 $2.04

91.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$0.88 $0.88

26.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.16 $1.16

28.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.66 $1.66

10.84%

Eggs

$2.31 $2.31

$1.45 $1.45

59.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.61 $8.61

$2.81 $2.81

206.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.81 $7.81

$2.99 $2.99

161.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.19 $8.19

$6.16 $6.16

32.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 $2.08

$1.54 $1.54

35.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 $1.16

$0.61 $0.61

90.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.07 $1.07

-2.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.77 $0.77

64.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 $1.37

$0.44 $0.44

211.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.03 $1.03

1.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 $0.86

$0.62 $0.62

38.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.06 $1.06

-3.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.11 $6.11

$5.85 $5.85

4.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.76 $7.76

$7.93 $7.93

-2.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.54 $1.54

3.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.46 $1.46

97.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 $0.33

$0.44 $0.44

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.20 $27.20

$4.99 $4.99

445.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.53 $1.53

-0.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.09 $1.09

33.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.96 $9.96

$5.03 $5.03

98.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.68 $0.68

$0.66 $0.66

3.03%

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

$19.7K $19.7K

$20.1K $20.1K

-1.52%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$25.1K $25.1K

1.78%

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

$35.05 $35.05

$33.99 $33.99

3.12%

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

$14.17 $14.17

$14.00 $14.00

1.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.39 $29.39

$28.62 $28.62

2.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.24 $41.24

$29.96 $29.96

37.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.02 $17.02

$14.84 $14.84

14.69%

Cinema Ticket

$7.02 $7.02

$4.11 $4.11

70.80%

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

$274 $274

$91.8 $91.8

198.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,799 $8,799

$8,686 $8,686

1.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 $56.2

$57.9 $57.9

-3.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.25 $43.25

$33.07 $33.07

30.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$71.1 $71.1

44.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 $86.5

$74.4 $74.4

16.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$454 $454

$183 $183

147.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$318 $318

$167 $167

89.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$763 $763

$246 $246

210.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$488 $488

$251 $251

94.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,731 $1,731

$753 $753

129.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$721 $721

$624 $624

15.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$614 $614

$599 $599

2.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.19

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

Last update for Quito: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ibarra: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $454 in Quito and $183 in Ibarra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Quito pays 2% 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: $33.00 in Quito vs $25.00 in Ibarra for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $211 vs $139 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 49% 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.

Quito pays 2% more on average, 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: $454 in Quito versus $183 in Ibarra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 52% 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 $33.00 in Quito. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Ibarra gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ibarra delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $623 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 49% less than in Quito. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.