Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Quito and Lafayette, CO

For one person, living is cheaper in Quito: $1,014 a month against $2,535 in Lafayette, CO, rent and utilities included – about $18,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Quito, Ecuador
Lafayette, CO, United States
Quito
🇪🇨 Ecuador
$1,014
/mo nomad
Lafayette, CO
🇺🇸 United States
$2,535
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Quito and in Lafayette, 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 Lafayette, CO actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,014 per month in Quito vs $2,535 in Lafayette, CO, rent included.

  • Quito $1,014
  • Lafayette, CO $2,535

A couple spends around $1,641 per month in Quito vs $3,765 in Lafayette, CO, rent included.

  • Quito $1,641
  • Lafayette, CO $3,765

A family of three spends $2,269 per month in Quito vs $4,996 in Lafayette, CO, rent included.

  • Quito $2,269
  • Lafayette, CO $4,996

Quito is about 60% cheaper than Lafayette, CO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Quito sits 25% below the global median, while Lafayette, CO is 87% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Quito
Lafayette, CO
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.55 $5.55
$20.39 $20.39
-72.78%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$54.6 $54.6
$73.5 $73.5
-25.68%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.63 $7.63
$12.64 $12.64
-39.64%
Cappuccino
$3.33 $3.33
$5.41 $5.41
-38.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.36 $1.36
$2.60 $2.60
-47.69%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.14 $1.14
$1.95 $1.95
-41.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.69 $3.69
$6.08 $6.08
-39.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.16 $6.16
$7.28 $7.28
-15.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Quito
Lafayette, CO
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.15 $1.15
$1.12 $1.12
2.68%
White Bread (500g)
$1.61 $1.61
$4.10 $4.10
-60.73%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 $1.51
$5.03 $5.03
-69.98%
Eggs
$2.15 $2.15
$4.10 $4.10
-47.56%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.47 $6.47
$12.54 $12.54
-48.41%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.33 $5.33
$11.84 $11.84
-54.98%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.77 $7.77
$15.49 $15.49
-49.84%
Apples (1kg)
$2.23 $2.23
$4.92 $4.92
-54.67%
Banana (1kg)
$1.24 $1.24
$1.66 $1.66
-25.30%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.27 $1.27
$4.04 $4.04
-68.56%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.08 $1.08
$4.41 $4.41
-75.51%
Potato (1kg)
$1.24 $1.24
$2.42 $2.42
-48.76%
Onion (1kg)
$1.06 $1.06
$3.34 $3.34
-68.26%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.91 $0.91
$2.15 $2.15
-57.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.98 $0.98
$2.15 $2.15
-54.42%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.95 $5.95
$11.54 $11.54
-48.44%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.35 $8.35
$14.86 $14.86
-43.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.52 $1.52
$2.24 $2.24
-32.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.20 $3.20
$3.07 $3.07
4.23%
🚌 Getting Around
Quito
Lafayette, CO
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.33 $0.33
$1.91 $1.91
-82.72%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$21.42 $21.42
$62.2 $62.2
-65.57%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.53 $1.53
$3.28 $3.28
-53.35%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.53 $1.53
$1.72 $1.72
-11.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.01 $10.01
$29.16 $29.16
-65.67%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.85 $0.85
$1.04 $1.04
-18.27%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.7K $22.7K
$27.4K $27.4K
-16.98%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.6K $29.6K
$28.9K $28.9K
2.35%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Quito
Lafayette, CO
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$28.99 $28.99
$163 $163
-82.21%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.94 $17.94
$59.2 $59.2
-69.70%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.85 $28.85
$69.9 $69.9
-58.71%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Quito
Lafayette, CO
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.09 $45.09
$39.82 $39.82
13.23%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.78 $17.78
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.75 $6.75
$13.41 $13.41
-49.66%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Quito
Lafayette, CO
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$743 $743
$1,477 $1,477
-49.69%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,223 $8,223
$20.9K $20.9K
-60.67%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Quito
Lafayette, CO
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$69.8 $69.8
$51.4 $51.4
35.61%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.3 $50.3
$44.50 $44.50
13.10%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 $113
$88.3 $88.3
27.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107 $107
$126 $126
-15.20%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Quito
Lafayette, CO
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$542 $542
$1,533 $1,533
-64.65%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$354 $354
$1,225 $1,225
-71.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,141 $1,141
$2,760 $2,760
-58.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$638 $638
$2,088 $2,088
-69.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,636 $1,636
$2,803 $2,803
-41.65%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$663 $663
$2,063 $2,063
-67.87%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Quito
Lafayette, CO
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$603 $603
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.12
6.59
53.57%

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

Last update for Quito: November 2, 2026

Last update for Lafayette, CO: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Quito
$354
Lafayette, CO
$1.2K 246% $871
Groceries & Markets
Quito
$193
Lafayette, CO
$400 108% $207
Clothing & Footwear
Quito
$153
Lafayette, CO
$140 8.7% $13
Eating Out
Quito
$148
Lafayette, CO
$329 122% $181
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Quito
$76
Lafayette, CO
$292 285% $216
Sport & Entertainment
Quito
$59
Lafayette, CO
$67 13.8% $8.1
Getting Around
Quito
$32
Lafayette, CO
$82 156% $50

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $542 in Quito versus $1,533 in Lafayette, CO. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55 in Quito versus $74 in Lafayette, CO. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $400 – making Quito the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇪🇨 Quito
🇺🇸 Lafayette, CO
🕒 Local time
06:20 6:20 AM
04:20 4:20 AM
2 h behind Quito
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,671,191 Capital
27,729
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Quito Lafayette, CO 5,220 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Quito
  • Lafayette, 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 Lafayette, CO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Quito cheaper than Lafayette, CO?
Yes – Lafayette, CO is pricier by about 150%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,521 per month in Quito and $3,802 in Lafayette, CO. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Quito, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $542 there versus $1,533 in Lafayette, CO.
How do food prices compare in Quito and in Lafayette, CO?
Groceries cost about 108% more in Lafayette, CO, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is eating out cheaper in Quito or in Lafayette, CO?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $55 in Quito and $74 in Lafayette, CO. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Quito or in Lafayette, CO?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Quito, where all-in costs run around $1,014, than in Lafayette, CO at $2,535. In Quito it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lafayette, CO it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city suits remote workers better?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Quito costs $1,014 versus $2,535 in Lafayette, CO. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
For expats, Quito is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 60% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

Quito vs other spots: cost of living compared

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