Measurement units Temperature, distance and clock format
Last update: Oct 2026
Cost of Living Comparison Between Quito and Tofino
For one person, living is cheaper in Quito: $978 a month against $2,360 in Tofino, rent and utilities included – about $16,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
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 Tofino actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $978 per month in Quito vs $2,360 in Tofino, rent included.
Quito $978
Tofino $2,360
A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Quito vs $4,067 in Tofino, rent included.
Quito $1,586
Tofino $4,067
A family of three spends $2,194 per month in Quito vs $5,775 in Tofino, rent included.
Quito $2,194
Tofino $5,775
🙂
Quito is about 59% cheaper than Tofino, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.
📊
Quito sits 28% below the global median, while Tofino is 75% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Quito
Tofino
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.08$6.08
$19.03CA$27.05
-68.05%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$55.5$55.5
$69.3CA$98.4
-19.92%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.61$7.61
$10.89CA$15.48
-30.12%
Cappuccino
$3.40$3.40
$4.41CA$6.26
-22.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37$1.37
$2.23CA$3.16
-38.57%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.09$1.09
$1.87CA$2.66
-41.71%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.43$3.43
$5.72CA$8.13
-40.03%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.06$6.06
$5.46CA$7.76
10.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Quito
Tofino
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.14$1.14
$2.15CA$3.06
-46.98%
White Bread(500g)
$1.60$1.60
$2.92CA$4.15
-45.21%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.58$1.58
$4.13CA$5.87
-61.74%
Eggs
$2.12$2.12
$4.16CA$5.92
-49.04%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$6.58$6.58
$9.71CA$13.80
-32.23%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.51$5.51
$7.20CA$10.24
-23.47%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.65$7.65
$10.33CA$14.68
-25.94%
Apples(1kg)
$2.24$2.24
$3.83CA$5.45
-41.51%
Banana(1kg)
$1.19$1.19
$1.42CA$2.02
-16.20%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.33$1.33
$3.90CA$5.54
-65.90%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.13$1.13
$4.07CA$5.78
-72.24%
Potato(1kg)
$1.24$1.24
$3.39CA$4.81
-63.42%
Onion(1kg)
$1.02$1.02
$2.95CA$4.20
-65.42%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.92$0.92
$3.17CA$4.51
-70.98%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.05$1.05
$2.46CA$3.50
-57.32%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.16$6.16
$14.45CA$20.53
-57.37%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.07$10.07
$14.96CA$21.26
-32.69%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58$1.58
$3.83CA$5.44
-58.75%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.09$3.09
$3.62CA$5.14
-14.64%
🚌 Getting Around
Quito
Tofino
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.36$0.36
$2.21CA$3.14
-83.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$21.37$21.37
$61.5CA$87.5
-65.27%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.53$1.53
$2.77CA$3.93
-44.77%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.49$1.49
$1.52CA$2.17
-1.97%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$9.84$9.84
$34.11CA$48.47
-71.15%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.81$0.81
$1.36CA$1.93
-40.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.3K$21.3K
$27.6KCA$39.2K
-22.98%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.9K$27.9K
$18.1KCA$25.7K
54.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Quito
Tofino
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$28.75$28.75
$99.1CA$141
-70.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.86$17.86
$43.98CA$62.5
-59.39%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.20$28.20
$60.9CA$86.6
-53.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Quito
Tofino
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$46.08$46.08
$40.69CA$57.8
13.25%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.76$17.76
$19.60CA$27.86
-9.39%
Cinema Ticket
$6.34$6.34
$10.43CA$14.82
-39.21%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Quito
Tofino
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$739$739
$907CA$1,288
-18.49%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,909$8,909
$22.9KCA$32.5K
-61.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Quito
Tofino
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$71.0$71.0
$52.1CA$74.1
36.14%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.4$50.4
$44.32CA$63.0
13.81%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$114$114
$91.1CA$129
25.28%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107$107
$108CA$153
-0.51%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Quito
Tofino
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$491$491
$1,265CA$1,798
-61.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$309$309
$1,228CA$1,746
-74.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$932$932
$3,366CA$4,784
-72.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$540$540
$3,184CA$4,525
-83.03%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,759$1,759
$3,651CA$5,189
-51.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$715$715
$3,550CA$5,046
-79.87%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Quito
Tofino
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$594$594
$1,254CA$1,782
-52.64%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.12
4.31
134.80%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Quito: October 10, 2026
Last update for Tofino: October 10, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Quito
$309 31.6%
Tofino
$1.2K 52.1% ↑ 298%$920
🛒Groceries & Markets
Quito
$198 20.3%
Tofino
$358 15.2% ↑ 80.9%$160
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Quito
$154 15.8%
Tofino
$133 5.6% ↓ 13.8%$21
🍽Eating Out
Quito
$151 15.5%
Tofino
$294 12.5% ↑ 94%$142
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Quito
$75 7.7%
Tofino
$204 8.7% ↑ 173%$129
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Quito
$59 6%
Tofino
$62 2.6% ↑ 4.7%$2.8
🚌Getting Around
Quito
$32 3.3%
Tofino
$81 3.4% ↑ 154%$49
🏠Accommodation & Living
Quito
$540 24.6%
Tofino
$3.2K 55.2% ↑ 489%$2.6K
🛒Groceries & Markets
Quito
$446 20.3%
Tofino
$797 13.8% ↑ 78.8%$351
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Quito
$343 15.6%
Tofino
$295 5.1% ↓ 13.8%$47
🍽Eating Out
Quito
$573 26.1%
Tofino
$941 16.3% ↑ 64.3%$368
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Quito
$93 4.2%
Tofino
$248 4.3% ↑ 168%$155
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Quito
$135 6.2%
Tofino
$143 2.5% ↑ 5.5%$7.4
🚌Getting Around
Quito
$64 2.9%
Tofino
$166 2.9% ↑ 158%$102
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $491 in Quito versus $1,265 in Tofino. 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 111% higher in Tofino, 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 $69.0 in Tofino. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $198 vs $358 – making Quito the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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 Tofino: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tofino cheaper than Quito?
Yes – Tofino is pricier by about 141%, 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 $1,467 per month in Quito and $3,539 in Tofino. 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 188% less in Quito. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $739 per month in Quito and $907 in Tofino. 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 Tofino?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Quito, where all-in costs run around $978, than in Tofino at $2,360. In Quito it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tofino it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Quito or Tofino 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, Tofino makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.