Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Quito and Missoula, MT

For one person, living is cheaper in Quito: $1,014 a month against $2,609 in Missoula, MT, rent and utilities included – about $19,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Quito, Ecuador
Missoula, MT, United States
Quito
🇪🇨 Ecuador
$1,014
/mo nomad
Missoula, MT
🇺🇸 United States
$2,609
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Quito and in Missoula, MT

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,014 in Quito versus $2,609 in Missoula, MT.

  • Quito $1,014
  • Missoula, MT $2,609

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,641 in Quito versus $4,087 in Missoula, MT.

  • Quito $1,641
  • Missoula, MT $4,087

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,269 in Quito versus $5,565 in Missoula, MT.

  • Quito $2,269
  • Missoula, MT $5,565

Living in Quito costs roughly 61% less than in Missoula, MT, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Quito is 25% below, Missoula, MT is 93% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Quito
Missoula, MT
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.55 $5.55
$16.73 $16.73
-66.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$54.6 $54.6
$75.3 $75.3
-27.41%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.63 $7.63
$9.27 $9.27
-17.69%
Cappuccino
$3.33 $3.33
$4.37 $4.37
-23.80%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.36 $1.36
$3.10 $3.10
-56.13%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.14 $1.14
$2.34 $2.34
-51.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.69 $3.69
$5.86 $5.86
-37.03%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.16 $6.16
$5.93 $5.93
3.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Quito
Missoula, MT
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.15 $1.15
$1.12 $1.12
2.68%
White Bread (500g)
$1.61 $1.61
$3.44 $3.44
-53.20%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 $1.51
$4.98 $4.98
-69.68%
Eggs
$2.15 $2.15
$4.27 $4.27
-49.65%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.47 $6.47
$24.81 $24.81
-73.92%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.33 $5.33
$9.67 $9.67
-44.88%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.77 $7.77
$18.98 $18.98
-59.06%
Apples (1kg)
$2.23 $2.23
$4.81 $4.81
-53.64%
Banana (1kg)
$1.24 $1.24
$1.46 $1.46
-15.07%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.27 $1.27
$6.51 $6.51
-80.49%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.08 $1.08
$3.73 $3.73
-71.05%
Potato (1kg)
$1.24 $1.24
$2.33 $2.33
-46.78%
Onion (1kg)
$1.06 $1.06
$2.96 $2.96
-64.19%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.91 $0.91
$2.41 $2.41
-62.24%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.98 $0.98
$3.90 $3.90
-74.87%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.95 $5.95
$10.50 $10.50
-43.33%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.35 $8.35
$24.82 $24.82
-66.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.52 $1.52
$1.98 $1.98
-23.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.20 $3.20
$4.38 $4.38
-26.94%
🚌 Getting Around
Quito
Missoula, MT
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.33 $0.33
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$21.42 $21.42
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.53 $1.53
$5.13 $5.13
-70.18%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.53 $1.53
$4.99 $4.99
-69.34%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.01 $10.01
$39.29 $39.29
-74.52%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.85 $0.85
$1.09 $1.09
-22.02%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.7K $22.7K
$32.3K $32.3K
-29.72%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.6K $29.6K
$24.5K $24.5K
20.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Quito
Missoula, MT
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$28.99 $28.99
$139 $139
-79.12%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.94 $17.94
$52.7 $52.7
-65.93%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.85 $28.85
$69.2 $69.2
-58.28%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Quito
Missoula, MT
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.09 $45.09
$49.22 $49.22
-8.39%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.78 $17.78
$22.25 $22.25
-20.09%
Cinema Ticket
$6.75 $6.75
$13.75 $13.75
-50.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Quito
Missoula, MT
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$743 $743
$2,009 $2,009
-63.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,223 $8,223
$17.7K $17.7K
-53.65%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Quito
Missoula, MT
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$69.8 $69.8
$66.4 $66.4
5.03%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.3 $50.3
$44.46 $44.46
13.20%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 $113
$104 $104
8.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107 $107
$149 $149
-28.37%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Quito
Missoula, MT
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$542 $542
$1,522 $1,522
-64.41%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$354 $354
$1,324 $1,324
-73.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,141 $1,141
$2,992 $2,992
-61.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$638 $638
$2,649 $2,649
-75.94%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,636 $1,636
$4,211 $4,211
-61.16%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$663 $663
$3,475 $3,475
-80.93%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Quito
Missoula, MT
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$603 $603
$3,666 $3,666
-83.55%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.12
6.84
47.95%

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

Last update for Quito: November 2, 2026

Last update for Missoula, MT: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Quito
$354
Missoula, MT
$1.3K 274% $969
Groceries & Markets
Quito
$193
Missoula, MT
$477 148% $285
Clothing & Footwear
Quito
$153
Missoula, MT
$164 7.2% $11
Eating Out
Quito
$148
Missoula, MT
$277 87% $129
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Quito
$76
Missoula, MT
$261 244% $185
Sport & Entertainment
Quito
$59
Missoula, MT
$77 30.9% $18
Getting Around
Quito
$32
Missoula, MT
$30 * 5.8% $1.9

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $542 in Quito and $1,522 in Missoula, MT. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Missoula, MT pays about 6.1 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $55 in Quito vs $75 in Missoula, MT for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $477 per month, with Quito cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇪🇨 Quito
🇺🇸 Missoula, MT
🕒 Local time
06:26 6:26 AM
04:26 4:26 AM
2 h behind Quito
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,671,191 Capital
73,489
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 Missoula, MT 6,270 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Quito
  • Missoula, MT

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 Missoula, MT: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Quito cheaper than Missoula, MT?
Quito is about 61% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Quito or Missoula, MT?
On paper, salaries run 84% lower in Quito. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Quito and Missoula, MT?
Rent for a central apartment: $542 in Quito versus $1,522 in Missoula, MT. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $743 in Quito versus $2,009 in Missoula, MT. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Quito or in Missoula, MT?
Dining out is cheaper in Quito – a meal for two runs $55 versus $75 in Missoula, MT. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Quito or in Missoula, MT?
At $1,014 in Quito versus $2,609 in Missoula, MT, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Quito but tight or insufficient in Missoula, MT. The gap between the two cities makes Quito the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Quito or Missoula, MT more family-friendly?
For families, Quito is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Missoula, MT, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
It comes down to priorities – Quito wins on affordability, Missoula, MT on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

Quito vs other spots: cost of living compared

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