Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Quito and San Luis Rio Colorado

For one person, living is cheaper in Quito: $1,015 a month against $1,229 in San Luis Rio Colorado, rent and utilities included – about $2,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Quito, Ecuador
San Luis Rio Colorado, Mexico
Quito
🇪🇨 Ecuador
$1,015
/mo nomad
San Luis Rio Colorado
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,229
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Quito and in San Luis Rio Colorado

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 San Luis Rio Colorado actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,015 per month in Quito vs $1,229 in San Luis Rio Colorado, rent included.

  • Quito $1,015
  • San Luis Rio Colorado $1,229

A couple spends around $1,636 per month in Quito vs $1,860 in San Luis Rio Colorado, rent included.

  • Quito $1,636
  • San Luis Rio Colorado $1,860

A family of three spends $2,258 per month in Quito vs $2,491 in San Luis Rio Colorado, rent included.

  • Quito $2,258
  • San Luis Rio Colorado $2,491

Quito is about 17% cheaper than San Luis Rio Colorado, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Quito and San Luis Rio Colorado are more affordable than the global median – Quito 25% lower, San Luis Rio Colorado 10% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Quito
San Luis Rio Colorado
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.41 $5.41
$11.95 MX$223
-54.73%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$55.2 $55.2
$33.23 MX$620
65.96%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.66 $7.66
$9.45 MX$176
-18.94%
Cappuccino
$3.31 $3.31
$4.19 MX$78.2
-21.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.36 $1.36
$1.42 MX$26.45
-4.23%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.09 $1.09
$1.23 MX$22.94
-11.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.46 $3.46
$3.16 MX$58.9
9.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.85 $5.85
$6.43 MX$120
-9.02%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Quito
San Luis Rio Colorado
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.09 $1.09
$1.72 MX$32.06
-36.63%
White Bread (500g)
$1.55 $1.55
$2.93 MX$54.7
-47.10%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.56 $1.56
$1.76 MX$32.80
-11.36%
Eggs
$2.16 $2.16
$3.10 MX$57.7
-30.32%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.45 $6.45
$8.46 MX$158
-23.76%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.22 $5.22
$7.24 MX$135
-27.90%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.66 $7.66
$11.50 MX$214
-33.39%
Apples (1kg)
$2.34 $2.34
$2.87 MX$53.6
-18.47%
Banana (1kg)
$1.20 $1.20
$1.59 MX$29.71
-24.53%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.27 $1.27
$1.96 MX$36.57
-35.20%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.12 $1.12
$1.56 MX$29.13
-28.21%
Potato (1kg)
$1.19 $1.19
$1.49 MX$27.69
-20.13%
Onion (1kg)
$1.02 $1.02
$1.82 MX$33.84
-43.96%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.90 $0.90
$1.45 MX$27.04
-37.93%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.00 $1.00
$1.04 MX$19.42
-3.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.14 $6.14
$4.39 MX$81.8
39.86%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.62 $8.62
$7.98 MX$149
8.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 $1.58
$2.21 MX$41.19
-28.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10 $3.10
$4.02 MX$75.0
-22.89%
🚌 Getting Around
Quito
San Luis Rio Colorado
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.36 $0.36
$0.69 MX$12.79
-47.83%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$21.34 $21.34
$32.51 MX$606
-34.36%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.46 $1.46
$2.75 MX$51.2
-46.91%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.54 $1.54
$2.20 MX$41.09
-30.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.07 $10.07
$10.75 MX$200
-6.33%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.86 $0.86
$1.50 MX$27.97
-42.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.3K $23.3K
$24.2K MX$451.7K
-3.69%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.5K $30.5K
$23.6K MX$440.2K
29.13%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Quito
San Luis Rio Colorado
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$28.33 $28.33
$46.01 MX$858
-38.43%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.08 $18.08
$32.95 MX$614
-45.13%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.84 $28.84
$29.62 MX$552
-2.63%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Quito
San Luis Rio Colorado
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.86 $42.86
$32.11 MX$598
33.48%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.92 $17.92
$19.37 MX$361
-7.49%
Cinema Ticket
$6.75 $6.75
$6.45 MX$120
4.65%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Quito
San Luis Rio Colorado
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$750 $750
$206 MX$3,832
264.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,967 $8,967
$4,436 MX$82.7K
102.16%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Quito
San Luis Rio Colorado
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$69.7 $69.7
$52.5 MX$979
32.76%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.06 $49.06
$45.76 MX$853
7.21%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$112 $112
$103 MX$1,917
9.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 $110
$69.7 MX$1,299
57.17%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Quito
San Luis Rio Colorado
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$548 $548
$572 MX$10.7K
-4.07%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$362 $362
$428 MX$7,976
-15.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,126 $1,126
$893 MX$16.6K
26.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$637 $637
$668 MX$12.5K
-4.60%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,654 $1,654
$2,110 MX$39.3K
-21.58%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$664 $664
$1,092 MX$20.3K
-39.17%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Quito
San Luis Rio Colorado
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$606 $606
-
-
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 25, 2026

Last update for San Luis Rio Colorado: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Quito
$362
San Luis Rio Colorado
$428 18.3% $66
Groceries & Markets
Quito
$192
San Luis Rio Colorado
$263 37.2% $71
Clothing & Footwear
Quito
$153
San Luis Rio Colorado
$122 20.5% $31
Eating Out
Quito
$145
San Luis Rio Colorado
$213 47.4% $69
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Quito
$75
San Luis Rio Colorado
$109 44.3% $33
Sport & Entertainment
Quito
$56
San Luis Rio Colorado
$45 20.1% $11
Getting Around
Quito
$32
San Luis Rio Colorado
$49 53.4% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $548 in Quito versus $572 in San Luis Rio Colorado. 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 $33 in San Luis Rio Colorado. Groceries tell a different story – $192 in Quito vs $263 in San Luis Rio Colorado – so Quito wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇪🇨 Quito
🇲🇽 San Luis Rio Colorado
🕒 Local time
16:49 4:49 PM
14:49 2:49 PM
2 h behind Quito
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,671,191 Capital
176,685
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.64 MXN (100 MXN = 5.36 USD). 1 EUR = 20.75 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Quito San Luis Rio Colorado 5,260 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Quito
  • San Luis Rio Colorado

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 San Luis Rio Colorado: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Quito cheaper than San Luis Rio Colorado?
Yes – San Luis Rio Colorado is pricier by about 21%, 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 $1,522 per month in Quito and $1,843 in San Luis Rio Colorado. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What is the rent difference between Quito and San Luis Rio Colorado?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $548 in Quito and $572 in San Luis Rio Colorado. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 34% less in Quito. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $750 per month in Quito and $206 in San Luis Rio Colorado. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 enough for either Quito or San Luis Rio Colorado?
$1,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,015 in Quito and $1,229 in San Luis Rio Colorado, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is it better to live in Quito or in San Luis Rio Colorado?
It depends on your priorities. Quito has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,015 in Quito to $1,229 in San Luis Rio Colorado. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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