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: $953 in Quito versus $618 in Ibarra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,457 in Quito versus $957 in Ibarra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,962 in Quito versus $1,295 in Ibarra.

Living in Quito is roughly 54% more expensive than Ibarra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Quito 29% lower, Ibarra 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.54 $4.54

$2.95 $2.95

53.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.41 $32.41

$24.70 $24.70

31.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 $7.23

$5.81 $5.81

24.44%

Cappuccino

$2.82 $2.82

$2.23 $2.23

26.46%

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

$1.10 $1.10

$0.76 $0.76

44.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 $0.72

$0.45 $0.45

60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.98 $0.98

102.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 $3.94

$1.95 $1.95

102.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$0.94 $0.94

17.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.15 $1.15

29.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.69 $1.69

10.65%

Eggs

$2.30 $2.30

$1.42 $1.42

61.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 $8.44

$2.79 $2.79

202.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 $7.70

$2.93 $2.93

162.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.11 $8.11

$6.10 $6.10

32.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.54 $1.54

33.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 $1.16

$0.64 $0.64

81.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.08 $1.08

-0.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 $1.34

$0.77 $0.77

74.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 $1.43

$0.43 $0.43

232.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.02 $1.02

3.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 $0.86

$0.57 $0.57

50.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.01 $1.01

1.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.08 $6.08

$6.14 $6.14

-0.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.07 $10.07

$9.86 $9.86

2.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.51 $1.51

0.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 $2.84

$1.47 $1.47

93.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 $0.33

$0.43 $0.43

-23.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.63 $26.63

$5.07 $5.07

425.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 $1.47

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.10 $1.10

38.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.82 $9.82

$4.95 $4.95

98.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 $0.72

$0.61 $0.61

18.03%

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

$19.9K $19.9K

$19.8K $19.8K

0.53%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$25.1K $25.1K

2.03%

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

$34.30 $34.30

$34.75 $34.75

-1.29%

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

$14.52 $14.52

$14.32 $14.32

1.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.20 $29.20

$28.52 $28.52

2.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.67 $40.67

$29.77 $29.77

36.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.65 $16.65

$15.26 $15.26

9.11%

Cinema Ticket

$6.83 $6.83

$4.10 $4.10

66.59%

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

$273 $273

$91.2 $91.2

199.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,601 $8,601

$8,676 $8,676

-0.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 $58.0

$56.5 $56.5

2.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.61 $42.61

$32.90 $32.90

29.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$68.8 $68.8

45.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 $87.1

$75.9 $75.9

14.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 $455

$185 $185

145.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$322 $322

$168 $168

91.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$765 $765

$247 $247

209.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$494 $494

$246 $246

100.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,716 $1,716

$746 $746

130.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$753 $753

$624 $624

20.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$632 $632

$598 $598

5.70%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Ibarra: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $455 in Quito and $185 in Ibarra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Quito pays 6% 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: $32 in Quito vs $25 in Ibarra for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $215 vs $142 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 54% 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 6% 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: $455 in Quito versus $185 in Ibarra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 51% 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 $32.00 in Quito. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $618 in Ibarra versus $953 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 $618 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 54% less than in Quito. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.