Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Quito and Thornton, CO

For one person, living is cheaper in Quito: $1,014 a month against $2,865 in Thornton, CO, rent and utilities included – about $22,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Quito, Ecuador
Thornton, CO, United States
Quito
🇪🇨 Ecuador
$1,014
/mo nomad
Thornton, CO
🇺🇸 United States
$2,865
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Quito and in Thornton, CO

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

A single person spends $1,014 per month in Quito vs $2,865 in Thornton, CO, rent included.

  • Quito $1,014
  • Thornton, CO $2,865

A couple spends around $1,641 per month in Quito vs $3,950 in Thornton, CO, rent included.

  • Quito $1,641
  • Thornton, CO $3,950

A family of three spends $2,269 per month in Quito vs $5,035 in Thornton, CO, rent included.

  • Quito $2,269
  • Thornton, CO $5,035

Quito is about 65% cheaper than Thornton, CO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Quito sits 25% below the global median, while Thornton, CO is 112% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Quito
Thornton, CO
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.55 $5.55
$19.96 $19.96
-72.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$54.6 $54.6
$84.4 $84.4
-35.23%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.63 $7.63
$13.02 $13.02
-41.40%
Cappuccino
$3.33 $3.33
$6.14 $6.14
-45.77%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.36 $1.36
$2.85 $2.85
-52.28%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.14 $1.14
$2.31 $2.31
-50.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.69 $3.69
$6.87 $6.87
-46.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.16 $6.16
$7.36 $7.36
-16.30%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Quito
Thornton, CO
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.15 $1.15
$1.08 $1.08
6.48%
White Bread (500g)
$1.61 $1.61
$3.29 $3.29
-51.06%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 $1.51
$4.47 $4.47
-66.22%
Eggs
$2.15 $2.15
$5.03 $5.03
-57.26%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.47 $6.47
$14.80 $14.80
-56.28%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.33 $5.33
$13.26 $13.26
-59.80%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.77 $7.77
$19.42 $19.42
-59.99%
Apples (1kg)
$2.23 $2.23
$5.26 $5.26
-57.60%
Banana (1kg)
$1.24 $1.24
$2.10 $2.10
-40.95%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.27 $1.27
$4.45 $4.45
-71.46%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.08 $1.08
$4.73 $4.73
-77.17%
Potato (1kg)
$1.24 $1.24
$2.39 $2.39
-48.12%
Onion (1kg)
$1.06 $1.06
$2.54 $2.54
-58.27%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.91 $0.91
$2.30 $2.30
-60.43%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.98 $0.98
$2.55 $2.55
-61.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.95 $5.95
$10.39 $10.39
-42.73%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.35 $8.35
$19.69 $19.69
-57.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.52 $1.52
$2.75 $2.75
-44.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.20 $3.20
$4.61 $4.61
-30.59%
🚌 Getting Around
Quito
Thornton, CO
Difference
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
$3.57 $3.57
-57.14%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.53 $1.53
$1.54 $1.54
-0.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.01 $10.01
$24.56 $24.56
-59.24%
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
$27.7K $27.7K
-18.12%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.6K $29.6K
$26.4K $26.4K
12.20%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Quito
Thornton, CO
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$28.99 $28.99
$166 $166
-82.51%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.94 $17.94
$76.0 $76.0
-76.39%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.85 $28.85
$88.2 $88.2
-67.29%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Quito
Thornton, CO
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.09 $45.09
$56.1 $56.1
-19.57%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.78 $17.78
$9.98 $9.98
78.16%
Cinema Ticket
$6.75 $6.75
$15.17 $15.17
-55.50%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Quito
Thornton, CO
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$743 $743
$1,539 $1,539
-51.74%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,223 $8,223
$20.8K $20.8K
-60.49%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Quito
Thornton, CO
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$69.8 $69.8
$58.7 $58.7
18.80%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.3 $50.3
$40.28 $40.28
24.95%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 $113
$83.0 $83.0
36.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107 $107
$126 $126
-15.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Quito
Thornton, CO
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$542 $542
$1,770 $1,770
-69.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$354 $354
$1,511 $1,511
-76.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,141 $1,141
$2,616 $2,616
-56.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$638 $638
$1,993 $1,993
-68.02%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,636 $1,636
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$663 $663
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Quito
Thornton, CO
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$603 $603
$5,179 $5,179
-88.35%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.12
6.67
51.72%

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

Last update for Quito: November 2, 2026

Last update for Thornton, CO: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Quito
$354
Thornton, CO
$1.5K 327% $1.2K
Groceries & Markets
Quito
$193
Thornton, CO
$445 131% $253
Clothing & Footwear
Quito
$153
Thornton, CO
$139 9.2% $14
Eating Out
Quito
$148
Thornton, CO
$342 131% $194
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Quito
$76
Thornton, CO
$330 336% $254
Sport & Entertainment
Quito
$59
Thornton, CO
$86 47.4% $28
Getting Around
Quito
$32
Thornton, CO
$11 * 64.8% $21

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 $1,770 in Thornton, CO. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Thornton, CO are about 8.6 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55 in Quito versus $84 in Thornton, CO. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $445 – making Quito the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇪🇨 Quito
🇺🇸 Thornton, CO
🕒 Local time
03:03 3:03 AM
01:03 1:03 AM
2 h behind Quito
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,671,191 Capital
139,478
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Quito Thornton, CO 5,200 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Quito
  • Thornton, CO

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 Thornton, CO: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Quito cheaper than Thornton, CO?
Yes – Thornton, CO is pricier by about 182%, 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 $1,521 per month in Quito and $4,297 in Thornton, CO. 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $542 there versus $1,770 in Thornton, CO.
What are total monthly expenses in Quito and in Thornton, CO?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,014 in Quito and $2,865 in Thornton, CO. That makes Quito about 65% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $743 per month in Quito and $1,539 in Thornton, CO. 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 Thornton, CO?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Quito, where all-in costs run around $1,014, than in Thornton, CO at $2,865. In Quito it covers expenses comfortably, while in Thornton, CO it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Quito or Thornton, CO 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 or specific career opportunities are the priority, Thornton, CO makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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