Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Quito and New York, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Quito: $979 a month against $5,142 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $50,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

48

Cost of Living Index in Quito
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Quito Living Index
245

Cost of Living Index in New York, NY
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New York, NY Living Index

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Quito

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$979

/mo nomad

New York, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$5,142

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Quito and in New York, NY

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 New York, NY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $979 per month in Quito vs $5,142 in New York, NY, rent included.

Quito $979
New York, NY $5,142

A couple spends around $1,607 per month in Quito vs $7,455 in New York, NY, rent included.

Quito $1,607
New York, NY $7,455

A family of three spends $2,234 per month in Quito vs $9,767 in New York, NY, rent included.

Quito $2,234
New York, NY $9,767

Quito is about 81% cheaper than New York, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Quito sits 27% below the global median, while New York, NY is 284% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.14 $6.14

$26.46 $26.46

-76.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 $53.9

$119 $119

-54.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 $7.81

$14.43 $14.43

-45.88%

Cappuccino

$3.42 $3.42

$6.55 $6.55

-47.79%

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

$1.44 $1.44

$3.84 $3.84

-62.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 $1.14

$3.00 $3.00

-62.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 $3.48

$8.27 $8.27

-57.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$10.05 $10.05

-41.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.31 $1.31

-12.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 $1.54

$4.90 $4.90

-68.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$7.16 $7.16

-78.91%

Eggs

$2.16 $2.16

$5.92 $5.92

-63.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$19.06 $19.06

-66.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.48 $5.48

$17.38 $17.38

-68.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.81 $7.81

$18.94 $18.94

-58.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.33 $2.33

$6.96 $6.96

-66.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 $1.24

$2.08 $2.08

-40.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 $1.31

$6.10 $6.10

-78.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 $1.14

$6.95 $6.95

-83.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 $1.21

$3.98 $3.98

-69.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 $1.02

$4.44 $4.44

-77.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 $0.93

$2.81 $2.81

-66.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 $1.05

$2.51 $2.51

-58.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.02 $6.02

$19.27 $19.27

-68.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.93 $9.93

$19.67 $19.67

-49.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 $1.59

$3.08 $3.08

-48.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.68 $3.68

-16.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 $0.37

$3.02 $3.02

-87.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.95 $20.95

$140 $140

-84.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 $1.54

$3.07 $3.07

-49.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.13 $2.13

-28.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.01 $10.01

$41.21 $41.21

-75.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.11 $1.11

-21.62%

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

$21.0K $21.0K

$35.0K $35.0K

-40.03%

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

$28.6K $28.6K

$25.4K $25.4K

12.42%

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

$28.97 $28.97

$217 $217

-86.68%

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

$17.57 $17.57

$74.0 $74.0

-76.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.14 $28.14

$72.5 $72.5

-61.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.48 $46.48

$120 $120

-61.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.70 $17.70

$66.9 $66.9

-73.54%

Cinema Ticket

$6.38 $6.38

$22.32 $22.32

-71.42%

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

$746 $746

$3,425 $3,425

-78.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,015 $9,015

$61.2K $61.2K

-85.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.8 $68.8

$76.3 $76.3

-9.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.4 $50.4

$55.5 $55.5

-9.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 $117

$119 $119

-1.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 $109

$131 $131

-16.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$478 $478

$4,506 $4,506

-89.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 $313

$3,155 $3,155

-90.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$967 $967

$8,817 $8,817

-89.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$549 $549

$5,532 $5,532

-90.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,763 $1,763

$19.4K $19.4K

-90.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$720 $720

$6,754 $6,754

-89.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$597 $597

$5,290 $5,290

-88.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.12

6.82

48.39%

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

Last update for Quito: October 4, 2026

Last update for New York, NY: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Quito

$313 31.8%

New York, NY

$3.2K 63.2% 907% $2.8K

Groceries & Markets

Quito

$198 20.1%

New York, NY

$546 11% 177% $349

Clothing & Footwear

Quito

$156 15.8%

New York, NY

$172 3.4% 10.4% $16

Eating Out

Quito

$153 15.5%

New York, NY

$422 8.5% 176% $269

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Quito

$75 7.6%

New York, NY

$364 7.3% 387% $289

Sport & Entertainment

Quito

$59 6%

New York, NY

$165 3.3% 179% $106

Getting Around

Quito

$32 3.2%

New York, NY

$165 3.3% 423% $134

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $478 in Quito versus $4,506 in New York, NY. 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 786% higher in New York, NY, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Quito versus $119 in New York, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $198 vs $546 – making Quito the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇪🇨 Quito

🇺🇸 New York, NY

🕒 Local time

05:43 5:43 AM

06:43 6:43 AM

1 h ahead of Quito

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,671,191 Capital

8,804,190

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Quito New York, NY 4,560 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Quito
New York, NY

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 New York, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

New York, NY costs about 425% more than Quito, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,468 per month in Quito and $7,714 in New York, NY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $746 per month in Quito and $3,425 in New York, NY. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 176% more in New York, NY, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Quito, where all-in costs run around $979, than in New York, NY at $5,142. In Quito it covers expenses comfortably, while in New York, NY it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Quito costs $979 versus $5,142 in New York, NY. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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