Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Quito and Salt Lake City, UT

For one person, living is cheaper in Quito: $1,014 a month against $2,673 in Salt Lake City, UT, rent and utilities included – about $19,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

49

Cost of Living Index in Quito
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Quito Living Index
127

Cost of Living Index in Salt Lake City, UT
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Salt Lake City, UT Living Index

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Quito

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$1,014

/mo nomad

Salt Lake City, UT

🇺🇸 United States

$2,673

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Quito and in Salt Lake City, UT

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 Salt Lake City, UT actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,014 per month in Quito vs $2,673 in Salt Lake City, UT, rent included.

Quito $1,014
Salt Lake City, UT $2,673

A couple spends around $1,641 per month in Quito vs $3,881 in Salt Lake City, UT, rent included.

Quito $1,641
Salt Lake City, UT $3,881

A family of three spends $2,269 per month in Quito vs $5,090 in Salt Lake City, UT, rent included.

Quito $2,269
Salt Lake City, UT $5,090

Quito is about 62% cheaper than Salt Lake City, UT, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Quito sits 25% below the global median, while Salt Lake City, UT is 98% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.55 $5.55

$17.80 $17.80

-68.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.6 $54.6

$73.6 $73.6

-25.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.63 $7.63

$9.93 $9.93

-23.16%

Cappuccino

$3.33 $3.33

$5.02 $5.02

-33.67%

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

$1.36 $1.36

$2.22 $2.22

-38.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.65 $1.65

-30.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.69 $3.69

$6.04 $6.04

-38.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.16 $6.16

$8.15 $8.15

-24.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$0.93 $0.93

23.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 $1.61

$3.86 $3.86

-58.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$4.00 $4.00

-62.25%

Eggs

$2.15 $2.15

$4.14 $4.14

-48.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.47 $6.47

$11.72 $11.72

-44.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.33 $5.33

$12.16 $12.16

-56.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.77 $7.77

$17.60 $17.60

-55.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$4.03 $4.03

-44.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.38 $1.38

-10.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 $1.27

$3.58 $3.58

-64.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 $1.08

$4.02 $4.02

-73.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 $1.24

$2.31 $2.31

-46.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 $1.06

$2.49 $2.49

-57.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.86 $1.86

-51.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.88 $1.88

-47.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.95 $5.95

$10.31 $10.31

-42.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.35 $8.35

$14.71 $14.71

-43.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 $1.52

$2.77 $2.77

-45.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 $3.20

$3.27 $3.27

-2.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 $0.33

$2.56 $2.56

-87.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.42 $21.42

$85.3 $85.3

-74.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.48 $2.48

-38.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.33 $2.33

-34.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.01 $10.01

$24.70 $24.70

-59.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.14 $1.14

-25.44%

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

$22.7K $22.7K

$35.0K $35.0K

-35.22%

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

$29.6K $29.6K

$26.5K $26.5K

11.50%

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

$28.99 $28.99

$200 $200

-85.54%

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

$17.94 $17.94

$51.8 $51.8

-65.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.85 $28.85

$83.8 $83.8

-65.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.09 $45.09

$34.23 $34.23

31.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.78 $17.78

$27.29 $27.29

-34.85%

Cinema Ticket

$6.75 $6.75

$14.87 $14.87

-54.61%

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

$743 $743

$1,338 $1,338

-44.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,223 $8,223

$26.2K $26.2K

-68.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.8 $69.8

$70.7 $70.7

-1.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.3 $50.3

$45.73 $45.73

10.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 $113

$112 $112

1.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 $107

$109 $109

-1.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$542 $542

$1,556 $1,556

-65.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$354 $354

$1,334 $1,334

-73.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,141 $1,141

$2,741 $2,741

-58.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$638 $638

$2,149 $2,149

-70.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,636 $1,636

$4,582 $4,582

-64.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$663 $663

$3,015 $3,015

-78.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$603 $603

$4,387 $4,387

-86.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.12

6.46

56.66%

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

Last update for Quito: November 2, 2026

Last update for Salt Lake City, UT: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Quito

$354 34.9%

Salt Lake City, UT

$1.3K 49.9% 277% $980

Groceries & Markets

Quito

$193 19%

Salt Lake City, UT

$384 14.4% 99.2% $191

Clothing & Footwear

Quito

$153 15.1%

Salt Lake City, UT

$151 5.7% 1% $1.5

Eating Out

Quito

$148 14.6%

Salt Lake City, UT

$294 11% 98.7% $146

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Quito

$76 7.5%

Salt Lake City, UT

$336 12.6% 343% $260

Sport & Entertainment

Quito

$59 5.8%

Salt Lake City, UT

$64 2.4% 9.2% $5.4

Getting Around

Quito

$32 3.2%

Salt Lake City, UT

$110 4.1% 243% $78

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $542 in Quito versus $1,556 in Salt Lake City, UT. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Salt Lake City, UT are about 7.3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55 in Quito versus $74 in Salt Lake City, UT. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $384 – making Quito the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇪🇨 Quito

🇺🇸 Salt Lake City, UT

🕒 Local time

18:17 6:17 PM

16:17 4:17 PM

2 h behind Quito

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,671,191 Capital

200,133

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.895 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Quito Salt Lake City, UT 5,670 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Quito
Salt Lake City, UT

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 Salt Lake City, UT: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Salt Lake City, UT is pricier by about 164%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,521 per month in Quito and $4,009 in Salt Lake City, UT. 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $542 there versus $1,556 in Salt Lake City, UT.

Public transport costs about 75% less in Quito. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $743 per month in Quito and $1,338 in Salt Lake City, UT. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Quito, where all-in costs run around $1,014, than in Salt Lake City, UT at $2,673. In Quito it covers expenses comfortably, while in Salt Lake City, UT it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Quito costs $1,014 versus $2,673 in Salt Lake City, UT. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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