Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Quito and Tena

For one person, living is cheaper in Tena: $891 a month against $1,014 in Quito, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 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
43

Cost of Living Index in Tena
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Tena Living Index

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Quito

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$1,014

/mo nomad

Tena

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$891

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Quito and in Tena

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

A single person spends $1,014 per month in Quito vs $891 in Tena, rent included.

Quito $1,014
Tena $891

A couple spends around $1,641 per month in Quito vs $1,475 in Tena, rent included.

Quito $1,641
Tena $1,475

A family of three spends $2,269 per month in Quito vs $2,060 in Tena, rent included.

Quito $2,269
Tena $2,060

Quito costs about 14% more than Tena, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Quito and Tena are more affordable than the global median – Quito 25% lower, Tena 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.55 $5.55

$5.63 $5.63

-1.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.6 $54.6

$54.8 $54.8

-0.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.63 $7.63

$7.58 $7.58

0.66%

Cappuccino

$3.33 $3.33

$3.34 $3.34

-0.30%

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

$1.36 $1.36

$1.43 $1.43

-4.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.05 $1.05

8.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.69 $3.69

$3.43 $3.43

7.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.16 $6.16

$6.12 $6.12

0.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.14 $1.14

0.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.60 $1.60

0.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

Eggs

$2.15 $2.15

$2.08 $2.08

3.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.47 $6.47

$6.51 $6.51

-0.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.33 $5.33

$5.42 $5.42

-1.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.77 $7.77

$7.67 $7.67

1.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.33 $2.33

-4.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.22 $1.22

1.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 $1.27

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.13 $1.13

-4.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.19 $1.19

4.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.08 $1.08

-1.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 $0.91

$0.87 $0.87

4.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.00 $1.00

-2.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.95 $5.95

$5.93 $5.93

0.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.35 $8.35

$8.27 $8.27

0.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.58 $1.58

-3.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 $3.20

$3.10 $3.10

3.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 $0.33

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.42 $21.42

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 $1.53

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$0.75 $0.75

104.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.01 $10.01

$9.91 $9.91

1.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$0.86 $0.86

-1.16%

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

$22.7K $22.7K

$23.4K $23.4K

-2.90%

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

$29.6K $29.6K

$30.1K $30.1K

-1.74%

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

$28.99 $28.99

$28.50 $28.50

1.72%

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

$17.94 $17.94

$17.84 $17.84

0.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.85 $28.85

$28.34 $28.34

1.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.09 $45.09

$29.89 $29.89

50.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.78 $17.78

$16.69 $16.69

6.53%

Cinema Ticket

$6.75 $6.75

$6.50 $6.50

3.85%

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

$743 $743

$729 $729

1.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,223 $8,223

$9,064 $9,064

-9.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.8 $69.8

$71.3 $71.3

-2.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.3 $50.3

$50.4 $50.4

-0.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 $113

$116 $116

-2.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 $107

$109 $109

-2.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$542 $542

$422 $422

28.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$354 $354

$270 $270

30.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,141 $1,141

$802 $802

42.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$638 $638

$507 $507

25.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,636 $1,636

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$663 $663

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$603 $603

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.12

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

Last update for Quito: November 2, 2026

Last update for Tena: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Quito

$354 34.9%

Tena

$270 30.4% 23.6% $84

Groceries & Markets

Quito

$193 19%

Tena

$193 21.7% 0.2% $0.3

Clothing & Footwear

Quito

$153 15.1%

Tena

$156 17.5% 2% $3.1

Eating Out

Quito

$148 14.6%

Tena

$147 16.5% 0.7% $1

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Quito

$76 7.5%

Tena

$75 8.4% 1.5% $1.1

Sport & Entertainment

Quito

$59 5.8%

Tena

$43 4.8% 26.8% $16

Getting Around

Quito

$32 3.2%

Tena

$6.6 * 0.7% 79.2% $25

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $542 in Quito versus $422 in Tena. 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 $55 in Tena. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $193 – making Quito the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇪🇨 Quito

🇪🇨 Tena

🕒 Local time

13:59 1:59 PM

Same time as Quito

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,671,191 Capital

16,669

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Quito Tena 120 km

From you

Quito
Tena

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 Tena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Quito is pricier by about 14%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,521 per month in Quito and $1,336 in Tena. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tena, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $422 there versus $542 in Quito.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,014 in Quito and $891 in Tena. That makes Tena about 12% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $743 per month in Quito and $729 in Tena. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tena, where all-in costs run around $891, than in Quito at $1,014. In Tena it covers expenses comfortably, while in Quito it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Quito has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $891 in Tena to $1,014 in Quito. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.