Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Quito and St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

For one person, living is cheaper in Quito: $979 a month against $2,024 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, rent and utilities included – about $12,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Quito
🇪🇨 Ecuador
$979
/mo nomad
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,024
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Quito and in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

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 St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $979 per month in Quito vs $2,024 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, rent included.

  • Quito $979
  • St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador $2,024

A couple spends around $1,607 per month in Quito vs $3,089 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, rent included.

  • Quito $1,607
  • St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador $3,089

A family of three spends $2,234 per month in Quito vs $4,154 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, rent included.

  • Quito $2,234
  • St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador $4,154

Quito is about 52% cheaper than St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Quito sits 27% below the global median, while St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador is 51% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Quito
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.14 $6.14
$17.33 CA$24.66
-64.57%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.9 $53.9
$70.3 CA$99.9
-23.30%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.81 $7.81
$11.74 CA$16.70
-33.48%
Cappuccino
$3.42 $3.42
$4.07 CA$5.79
-15.97%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.44 $1.44
$2.58 CA$3.66
-44.19%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.14 $1.14
$2.14 CA$3.04
-46.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.48 $3.48
$4.98 CA$7.08
-30.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.89 $5.89
$5.23 CA$7.44
12.62%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Quito
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.14 $1.14
$3.02 CA$4.29
-62.25%
White Bread (500g)
$1.54 $1.54
$3.00 CA$4.27
-48.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 $1.51
$4.14 CA$5.90
-63.53%
Eggs
$2.16 $2.16
$3.79 CA$5.39
-43.01%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.40 $6.40
$11.44 CA$16.27
-44.06%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.48 $5.48
$13.05 CA$18.56
-58.01%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.81 $7.81
$11.78 CA$16.76
-33.70%
Apples (1kg)
$2.33 $2.33
$4.72 CA$6.71
-50.64%
Banana (1kg)
$1.24 $1.24
$2.91 CA$4.14
-57.39%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.31 $1.31
$4.78 CA$6.80
-72.59%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.14 $1.14
$2.94 CA$4.17
-61.22%
Potato (1kg)
$1.21 $1.21
$2.64 CA$3.76
-54.17%
Onion (1kg)
$1.02 $1.02
$2.17 CA$3.08
-53.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.93 $0.93
$2.74 CA$3.89
-66.06%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.05 $1.05
$1.97 CA$2.80
-46.70%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.02 $6.02
$13.42 CA$19.09
-55.14%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.93 $9.93
$15.45 CA$21.98
-35.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 $1.59
$4.09 CA$5.81
-61.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.08 $3.08
$4.18 CA$5.95
-26.32%
🚌 Getting Around
Quito
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.37 $0.37
$1.78 CA$2.54
-79.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$20.95 $20.95
$54.4 CA$77.3
-61.45%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.54 $1.54
$3.07 CA$4.36
-49.84%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.53 $1.53
$1.77 CA$2.52
-13.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.01 $10.01
$28.99 CA$41.23
-65.47%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.87 $0.87
$1.33 CA$1.90
-34.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.0K $21.0K
$27.5K CA$39.1K
-23.72%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.6K $28.6K
$21.5K CA$30.6K
32.82%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Quito
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$28.97 $28.97
$177 CA$252
-83.65%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.57 $17.57
$40.72 CA$57.9
-56.85%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.14 $28.14
$75.4 CA$107
-62.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Quito
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.48 $46.48
$66.0 CA$93.8
-29.53%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.70 $17.70
$18.35 CA$26.10
-3.54%
Cinema Ticket
$6.38 $6.38
$10.47 CA$14.89
-39.06%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Quito
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$746 $746
$530 CA$754
40.79%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,015 $9,015
$9,977 CA$14.2K
-9.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Quito
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.8 $68.8
$65.3 CA$92.9
5.36%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.4 $50.4
$49.72 CA$70.7
1.27%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$117 $117
$77.8 CA$111
50.96%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109 $109
$93.3 CA$133
16.87%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Quito
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$478 $478
$975 CA$1,387
-50.95%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$313 $313
$790 CA$1,124
-60.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$967 $967
$1,541 CA$2,192
-37.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$549 $549
$1,369 CA$1,947
-59.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,763 $1,763
$1,973 CA$2,807
-10.67%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$720 $720
$1,531 CA$2,177
-52.96%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Quito
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$597 $597
$2,734 CA$3,889
-78.17%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.12
4.57
121.44%

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

Last update for Quito: October 4, 2026

Last update for St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Quito
$313
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
$790 152% $477
Groceries & Markets
Quito
$198
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
$408 107% $211
Clothing & Footwear
Quito
$156
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
$129 17.2% $27
Eating Out
Quito
$153
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
$277 81% $124
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Quito
$75
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
$293 293% $219
Sport & Entertainment
Quito
$59
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
$87 46.7% $28
Getting Around
Quito
$32
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
$73 132% $42

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $478 in Quito versus $975 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. 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 358% higher in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, 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 $70.0 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $198 vs $408 – making Quito the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇪🇨 Quito
🇨🇦 St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
🕒 Local time
22:00 10:00 PM
00:30 12:30 AM
2 h 30 min ahead of Quito
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,671,191 Capital
110,525
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 CAD (1 CAD = 0.703 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.627 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Quito St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador 5,870 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Quito
  • St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

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 St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador cheaper than Quito?
Yes – St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador is pricier by about 107%, 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 $1,468 per month in Quito and $3,036 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 159% less in Quito. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $746 per month in Quito and $530 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Quito or in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Quito, where all-in costs run around $979, than in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador at $2,024. In Quito it covers expenses comfortably, while in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Quito or St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Quito. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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