Cost of Living Comparison Between Quito and La Libertad Cost of Living Comparison Between Quito and La Libertad

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $981 in Quito versus $745 in La Libertad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,579 in Quito versus $1,210 in La Libertad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,178 in Quito versus $1,675 in La Libertad.

Living in Quito is roughly 32% more expensive than in La Libertad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Quito 29% lower, La Libertad 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.90 $4.90

$3.55 $3.55

38.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.1 $55.1

$29.46 $29.46

87.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.70 $7.70

$6.64 $6.64

15.96%

Cappuccino

$3.44 $3.44

$2.58 $2.58

33.33%

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

$1.44 $1.44

$0.74 $0.74

94.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.66 $0.66

72.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.44 $3.44

$2.06 $2.06

66.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.62 $5.62

$2.96 $2.96

89.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.06 $1.06

7.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 $1.58

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.58 $1.58

-1.27%

Eggs

$2.16 $2.16

$2.10 $2.10

2.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.32 $6.32

$5.42 $5.42

16.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.49 $5.49

$5.18 $5.18

5.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.61 $7.61

$7.21 $7.21

5.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.33 $2.33

$1.65 $1.65

41.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 $1.18

$1.12 $1.12

5.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.20 $1.20

10.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.07 $1.07

1.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 $1.19

$1.26 $1.26

-5.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.02 $1.02

4.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 $0.85

$0.71 $0.71

19.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.06 $1.06

-2.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.03 $6.03

$5.28 $5.28

14.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.92 $9.92

$8.93 $8.93

11.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.53 $1.53

-1.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.08 $3.08

3.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 $0.33

$0.36 $0.36

-8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.41 $21.41

$20.88 $20.88

2.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.22 $1.22

20.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.08 $1.08

41.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.07 $10.07

$9.98 $9.98

0.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

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

$21.0K $21.0K

$21.3K $21.3K

-1.34%

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

$28.0K $28.0K

$28.5K $28.5K

-1.50%

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

$28.09 $28.09

$36.60 $36.60

-23.25%

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

$17.68 $17.68

$12.28 $12.28

43.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.57 $28.57

$26.27 $26.27

8.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 $45.71

$29.77 $29.77

53.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.28 $18.28

$16.55 $16.55

10.45%

Cinema Ticket

$6.69 $6.69

$6.86 $6.86

-2.48%

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

$749 $749

$215 $215

247.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,098 $9,098

$6,005 $6,005

51.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.5 $64.5

$55.8 $55.8

15.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.34 $49.34

$42.68 $42.68

15.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 $114

$102 $102

11.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 $107

$74.3 $74.3

44.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 $485

$301 $301

60.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$312 $312

$191 $191

64.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$949 $949

$682 $682

39.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$551 $551

$416 $416

32.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,787 $1,787

$1,182 $1,182

51.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$705 $705

$781 $781

-9.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$595 $595

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.12

10.05

0.70%

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

Last update for Quito: September 5, 2026

Last update for La Libertad: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $485 in Quito and $301 in La Libertad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $55.0 in Quito vs $29.00 in La Libertad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $196 vs $183 per month, with La Libertad 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 La Libertad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

La Libertad is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,471 in Quito and $1,117 in La Libertad to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $485 in Quito versus $301 in La Libertad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $749 in Quito versus $215 in La Libertad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Quito. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $745 in La Libertad versus $981 in Quito, a $1,500 budget is realistic in La Libertad but tight or insufficient in Quito. The gap between the two cities makes La Libertad the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, La Libertad is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Quito, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find La Libertad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Quito. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.