Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Quito and Mexicali

For one person, living costs are similar in Quito and in Mexicali: $979 and $949 a month, rent and utilities included.

48

Cost of Living Index in Quito
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Quito Living Index
46

Cost of Living Index in Mexicali
Learn more

Mexicali Living Index

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Quito

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$979

/mo nomad

Mexicali

🇲🇽 Mexico

$949

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Quito and in Mexicali

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 Mexicali actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $979 per month in Quito vs $949 in Mexicali, rent included.

Quito $979
Mexicali $949

A couple spends around $1,607 per month in Quito vs $1,525 in Mexicali, rent included.

Quito $1,607
Mexicali $1,525

A family of three spends $2,234 per month in Quito vs $2,101 in Mexicali, rent included.

Quito $2,234
Mexicali $2,101

Quito costs about 3% more than Mexicali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Quito and Mexicali are more affordable than the global median – Quito 27% lower, Mexicali 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.14 $6.14

$12.10 MX$222

-49.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 $53.9

$34.24 MX$629

57.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 $7.81

$6.69 MX$123

16.74%

Cappuccino

$3.42 $3.42

$3.43 MX$62.9

-0.29%

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

$1.44 $1.44

$1.34 MX$24.60

7.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.12 MX$20.65

1.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 $3.48

$3.23 MX$59.2

7.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$4.26 MX$78.2

38.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.20 MX$22.10

-5.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.39 MX$43.96

-35.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.54 MX$28.33

-1.95%

Eggs

$2.16 $2.16

$2.76 MX$50.7

-21.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$2.42 MX$44.48

164.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.48 $5.48

$6.00 MX$110

-8.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.81 $7.81

$6.66 MX$122

17.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.33 $2.33

$1.63 MX$29.85

42.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.40 MX$25.74

-11.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.40 MX$25.78

-6.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.63 MX$29.98

-30.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.41 MX$25.91

-14.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.42 MX$26.03

-28.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.35 MX$24.70

-31.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 $1.05

$0.85 MX$15.66

23.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.02 $6.02

$4.01 MX$73.7

50.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.93 $9.93

$8.06 MX$148

23.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.94 MX$35.61

-18.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.90 MX$71.6

-21.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 $0.37

$1.05 MX$19.20

-64.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.95 $20.95

$35.15 MX$645

-40.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 $1.54

$2.84 MX$52.1

-45.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.26 MX$41.57

-32.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.01 $10.01

$19.06 MX$350

-47.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.34 MX$24.60

-35.07%

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

$21.0K $21.0K

$21.7K MX$399.3K

-3.51%

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

$28.6K $28.6K

$24.4K MX$447.3K

17.20%

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

$28.97 $28.97

$47.14 MX$866

-38.54%

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

$17.57 $17.57

$22.65 MX$416

-22.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.14 $28.14

$30.19 MX$554

-6.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.48 $46.48

$39.21 MX$720

18.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.70 $17.70

$16.63 MX$305

6.43%

Cinema Ticket

$6.38 $6.38

$4.08 MX$75.0

56.37%

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

$746 $746

$210 MX$3,860

254.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,015 $9,015

$4,724 MX$86.7K

90.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.8 $68.8

$34.95 MX$642

96.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.4 $50.4

$32.98 MX$605

52.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 $117

$77.4 MX$1,420

51.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 $109

$38.03 MX$698

186.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$478 $478

$998 MX$18.3K

-52.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 $313

$276 MX$5,059

13.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$967 $967

$1,357 MX$24.9K

-28.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$549 $549

$556 MX$10.2K

-1.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,763 $1,763

$2,638 MX$48.4K

-33.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$720 $720

$1,474 MX$27.1K

-51.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$597 $597

$860 MX$15.8K

-30.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.12

12.07

-16.16%

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

Last update for Quito: October 4, 2026

Last update for Mexicali: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Quito

$313 31.8%

Mexicali

$276 29.1% 12% $38

Groceries & Markets

Quito

$198 20.1%

Mexicali

$197 20.8% 0.2% $0.4

Clothing & Footwear

Quito

$156 15.8%

Mexicali

$83 8.7% 47% $73

Eating Out

Quito

$153 15.5%

Mexicali

$192 20.3% 25.8% $39

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Quito

$75 7.6%

Mexicali

$100 10.5% 33.9% $25

Sport & Entertainment

Quito

$59 6%

Mexicali

$47 5% 20% $12

Getting Around

Quito

$32 3.2%

Mexicali

$53 5.6% 69.1% $22

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $478 in Quito versus $998 in Mexicali. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 44% higher in Mexicali, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Quito versus $34.00 in Mexicali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $198 vs $197 – making Mexicali the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇪🇨 Quito

🇲🇽 Mexicali

🕒 Local time

00:48 12:48 AM

22:48 10:48 PM

2 h behind Quito

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,671,191 Capital

854,186

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

100 MXN = 5.45 USD

100 MXN = 4.86 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 18.36 MXN (100 MXN = 5.45 USD). 1 EUR = 20.59 MXN (100 MXN = 4.86 EUR).

MXN to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Quito Mexicali 5,320 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Quito
Mexicali

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 Mexicali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $979 in Quito, $949 in Mexicali – roughly 3% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,468 per month in Quito and $1,423 in Mexicali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mexicali, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 0% more in Quito, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Quito and $34.00 in Mexicali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexicali, where all-in costs run around $949, than in Quito at $979. In Mexicali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Quito it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Quito has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $949 in Mexicali to $979 in Quito. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Mexicali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Quito makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.