Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Quito and Squamish, BC

For one person, living is cheaper in Quito: $978 a month against $2,634 in Squamish, BC, rent and utilities included – about $19,900 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
127

Cost of Living Index in Squamish, BC
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Squamish, BC Living Index

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Quito

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$978

/mo nomad

Squamish, BC

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,634

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Quito and in Squamish, BC

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 Squamish, BC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $978 per month in Quito vs $2,634 in Squamish, BC, rent included.

Quito $978
Squamish, BC $2,634

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Quito vs $3,904 in Squamish, BC, rent included.

Quito $1,586
Squamish, BC $3,904

A family of three spends $2,194 per month in Quito vs $5,175 in Squamish, BC, rent included.

Quito $2,194
Squamish, BC $5,175

Quito is about 63% cheaper than Squamish, BC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Quito sits 28% below the global median, while Squamish, BC is 95% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.08 $6.08

$16.19 CA$23.01

-62.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.5 $55.5

$48.77 CA$69.3

13.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.61 $7.61

$10.01 CA$14.22

-23.98%

Cappuccino

$3.40 $3.40

$3.94 CA$5.60

-13.71%

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

$1.37 $1.37

$1.79 CA$2.54

-23.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.47 CA$2.09

-25.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 $3.43

$5.57 CA$7.91

-38.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.06 $6.06

$5.63 CA$8.00

7.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.76 CA$2.49

-35.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 $1.60

$2.10 CA$2.99

-23.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$3.46 CA$4.92

-54.34%

Eggs

$2.12 $2.12

$3.08 CA$4.38

-31.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.58 $6.58

$12.38 CA$17.60

-46.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$14.93 CA$21.22

-63.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.65 $7.65

$19.16 CA$27.23

-60.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$5.31 CA$7.54

-57.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 $1.19

$1.16 CA$1.65

2.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 $1.33

$4.90 CA$6.97

-72.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 $1.13

$3.47 CA$4.93

-67.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 $1.24

$4.16 CA$5.91

-70.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 $1.02

$2.47 CA$3.50

-58.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 $0.92

$2.46 CA$3.49

-62.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.86 CA$2.65

-43.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.16 $6.16

$14.86 CA$21.11

-58.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.07 $10.07

$10.58 CA$15.04

-4.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

$2.83 CA$4.03

-44.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$3.52 CA$5.00

-12.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 $0.36

$1.43 CA$2.03

-74.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.37 $21.37

$29.87 CA$42.45

-28.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 $1.53

$3.60 CA$5.12

-57.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.38 CA$1.96

7.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.84 $9.84

$24.89 CA$35.37

-60.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.13 CA$1.61

-28.32%

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

$21.3K $21.3K

$26.2K CA$37.2K

-18.75%

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

$27.9K $27.9K

$18.6K CA$26.4K

50.05%

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

$28.75 $28.75

$116 CA$166

-75.31%

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

$17.86 $17.86

$42.93 CA$61.0

-58.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.20 $28.20

$62.6 CA$88.9

-54.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.08 $46.08

$51.0 CA$72.5

-9.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.76 $17.76

Cinema Ticket

$6.34 $6.34

$11.42 CA$16.23

-44.48%

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

$739 $739

$1,084 CA$1,541

-31.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,909 $8,909

$8,273 CA$11.8K

7.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.0 $71.0

$51.5 CA$73.1

37.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.4 $50.4

$40.42 CA$57.4

24.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 $114

$79.3 CA$113

43.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 $107

$94.9 CA$135

13.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$491 $491

$1,565 CA$2,224

-68.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 $309

$1,517 CA$2,156

-79.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$932 $932

$3,188 CA$4,530

-70.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$540 $540

$2,719 CA$3,864

-80.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,759 $1,759

$5,931 CA$8,429

-70.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$715 $715

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$594 $594

$3,077 CA$4,374

-80.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.12

4.72

114.41%

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

Last update for Quito: October 10, 2026

Last update for Squamish, BC: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Quito

$309 31.6%

Squamish, BC

$1.5K 57.6% 391% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

Quito

$198 20.3%

Squamish, BC

$396 15.1% 100% $198

Clothing & Footwear

Quito

$154 15.8%

Squamish, BC

$120 4.5% 22.4% $35

Eating Out

Quito

$151 15.5%

Squamish, BC

$259 9.8% 71% $108

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Quito

$75 7.7%

Squamish, BC

$222 8.4% 197% $147

Sport & Entertainment

Quito

$59 6%

Squamish, BC

$74 2.8% 25.7% $15

Getting Around

Quito

$32 3.3%

Squamish, BC

$46 1.8% 45% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $491 in Quito versus $1,565 in Squamish, BC. 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 418% higher in Squamish, BC, 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 $55.0 in Quito versus $49.00 in Squamish, BC. Groceries tell a different story – $198 in Quito vs $396 in Squamish, BC – so Quito wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇪🇨 Quito

🇨🇦 Squamish, BC

🕒 Local time

19:34 7:34 PM

17:34 5:34 PM

2 h behind Quito

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,671,191 Capital

19,512

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Canadian Dollar CAD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

1 CAD = 0.704 USD

1 CAD = 0.628 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.893 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 CAD (1 CAD = 0.704 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.628 EUR).

CAD to USD in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Quito Squamish, BC 6,980 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Quito
Squamish, BC

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 Squamish, BC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Squamish, BC is pricier by about 169%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,467 per month in Quito and $3,951 in Squamish, BC. 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.

Public transport costs about 40% less in Quito. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $739 per month in Quito and $1,084 in Squamish, BC. 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 $978, than in Squamish, BC at $2,634. In Quito it covers expenses comfortably, while in Squamish, BC 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, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Squamish, BC makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.