Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Quito and Santa Fe, NM

For one person, living is cheaper in Quito: $1,014 a month against $2,850 in Santa Fe, NM, rent and utilities included – about $22,000 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
138

Cost of Living Index in Santa Fe, NM
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Santa Fe, NM Living Index

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Quito

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$1,014

/mo nomad

Santa Fe, NM

🇺🇸 United States

$2,850

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Quito and in Santa Fe, NM

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 Santa Fe, NM actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,014 per month in Quito vs $2,850 in Santa Fe, NM, rent included.

Quito $1,014
Santa Fe, NM $2,850

A couple spends around $1,641 per month in Quito vs $3,895 in Santa Fe, NM, rent included.

Quito $1,641
Santa Fe, NM $3,895

A family of three spends $2,269 per month in Quito vs $4,940 in Santa Fe, NM, rent included.

Quito $2,269
Santa Fe, NM $4,940

Quito is about 64% cheaper than Santa Fe, NM, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Quito sits 25% below the global median, while Santa Fe, NM is 111% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.55 $5.55

$16.85 $16.85

-67.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.6 $54.6

$60.5 $60.5

-9.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.63 $7.63

$9.87 $9.87

-22.70%

Cappuccino

$3.33 $3.33

$4.93 $4.93

-32.45%

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

$1.36 $1.36

$2.91 $2.91

-53.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 $1.14

$2.32 $2.32

-50.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.69 $3.69

$6.05 $6.05

-39.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.16 $6.16

$6.90 $6.90

-10.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$0.92 $0.92

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 $1.61

$3.19 $3.19

-49.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$4.40 $4.40

-65.68%

Eggs

$2.15 $2.15

$4.28 $4.28

-49.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.47 $6.47

$11.76 $11.76

-44.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.33 $5.33

$9.41 $9.41

-43.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.77 $7.77

$16.97 $16.97

-54.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$4.90 $4.90

-54.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.48 $1.48

-16.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 $1.27

$3.90 $3.90

-67.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 $1.08

$4.41 $4.41

-75.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 $1.24

$3.23 $3.23

-61.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 $1.06

$2.03 $2.03

-47.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 $0.91

$2.05 $2.05

-55.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 $0.98

$2.47 $2.47

-60.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.95 $5.95

$10.82 $10.82

-45.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.35 $8.35

$16.21 $16.21

-48.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 $1.52

$2.05 $2.05

-25.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 $3.20

$3.57 $3.57

-10.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 $0.33

$0.97 $0.97

-65.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.42 $21.42

$20.07 $20.07

6.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 $1.53

$3.49 $3.49

-56.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.22 $2.22

-31.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.01 $10.01

$34.87 $34.87

-71.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.08 $1.08

-21.30%

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

$22.7K $22.7K

$26.8K $26.8K

-15.42%

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

$29.6K $29.6K

$25.3K $25.3K

16.67%

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

$28.99 $28.99

$160 $160

-81.83%

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

$17.94 $17.94

$44.85 $44.85

-60.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.85 $28.85

$68.9 $68.9

-58.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.09 $45.09

$68.0 $68.0

-33.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.78 $17.78

Cinema Ticket

$6.75 $6.75

$13.05 $13.05

-48.28%

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

$743 $743

$1,353 $1,353

-45.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,223 $8,223

$22.7K $22.7K

-63.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.8 $69.8

$54.0 $54.0

29.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.3 $50.3

$44.19 $44.19

13.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 $113

$79.0 $79.0

42.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 $107

$116 $116

-8.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$542 $542

$2,184 $2,184

-75.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$354 $354

$1,642 $1,642

-78.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,141 $1,141

$2,929 $2,929

-61.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$638 $638

$2,314 $2,314

-72.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,636 $1,636

$6,131 $6,131

-73.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$663 $663

$3,761 $3,761

-82.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$603 $603

$3,862 $3,862

-84.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.12

6.64

52.41%

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

Last update for Quito: November 2, 2026

Last update for Santa Fe, NM: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Quito

$354 34.9%

Santa Fe, NM

$1.6K 57.6% 364% $1.3K

Groceries & Markets

Quito

$193 19%

Santa Fe, NM

$381 13.4% 98% $189

Clothing & Footwear

Quito

$153 15.1%

Santa Fe, NM

$132 4.6% 13.7% $21

Eating Out

Quito

$148 14.6%

Santa Fe, NM

$289 10.1% 94.8% $140

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Quito

$76 7.5%

Santa Fe, NM

$273 9.6% 261% $198

Sport & Entertainment

Quito

$59 5.8%

Santa Fe, NM

$94 3.3% 60.6% $35

Getting Around

Quito

$32 3.2%

Santa Fe, NM

$39 1.4% 20.7% $6.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $542 in Quito versus $2,184 in Santa Fe, NM. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Santa Fe, NM are about 6.4 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55 in Quito versus $60 in Santa Fe, NM. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $381 – making Quito the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇪🇨 Quito

🇺🇸 Santa Fe, NM

🕒 Local time

15:53 3:53 PM

13:53 1:53 PM

2 h behind Quito

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,671,191 Capital

87,505

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.895 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Highest

Between locations

Quito Santa Fe, NM 4,900 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Quito
Santa Fe, NM

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 Santa Fe, NM: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Santa Fe, NM is pricier by about 181%, 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 $4,275 in Santa Fe, NM. 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 $2,184 in Santa Fe, NM.

Public transport costs about 6% less in Santa Fe, NM. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $743 per month in Quito and $1,353 in Santa Fe, NM. 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 Santa Fe, NM at $2,850. In Quito it covers expenses comfortably, while in Santa Fe, NM it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Quito – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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