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.

Quito
🇪🇨 Ecuador
$978
/mo nomad
Tofino
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,360
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Quito and in Tofino

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
🍽 Eating Out
Quito
Tofino
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.08 $6.08
$19.03 CA$27.05
-68.05%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$55.5 $55.5
$69.3 CA$98.4
-19.92%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.61 $7.61
$10.89 CA$15.48
-30.12%
Cappuccino
$3.40 $3.40
$4.41 CA$6.26
-22.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37 $1.37
$2.23 CA$3.16
-38.57%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.09 $1.09
$1.87 CA$2.66
-41.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.43 $3.43
$5.72 CA$8.13
-40.03%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.06 $6.06
$5.46 CA$7.76
10.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Quito
Tofino
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.14 $1.14
$2.15 CA$3.06
-46.98%
White Bread (500g)
$1.60 $1.60
$2.92 CA$4.15
-45.21%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.58 $1.58
$4.13 CA$5.87
-61.74%
Eggs
$2.12 $2.12
$4.16 CA$5.92
-49.04%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.58 $6.58
$9.71 CA$13.80
-32.23%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.51 $5.51
$7.20 CA$10.24
-23.47%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.65 $7.65
$10.33 CA$14.68
-25.94%
Apples (1kg)
$2.24 $2.24
$3.83 CA$5.45
-41.51%
Banana (1kg)
$1.19 $1.19
$1.42 CA$2.02
-16.20%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.33 $1.33
$3.90 CA$5.54
-65.90%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.13 $1.13
$4.07 CA$5.78
-72.24%
Potato (1kg)
$1.24 $1.24
$3.39 CA$4.81
-63.42%
Onion (1kg)
$1.02 $1.02
$2.95 CA$4.20
-65.42%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.92 $0.92
$3.17 CA$4.51
-70.98%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.05 $1.05
$2.46 CA$3.50
-57.32%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.16 $6.16
$14.45 CA$20.53
-57.37%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.07 $10.07
$14.96 CA$21.26
-32.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 $1.58
$3.83 CA$5.44
-58.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.09 $3.09
$3.62 CA$5.14
-14.64%
🚌 Getting Around
Quito
Tofino
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.36 $0.36
$2.21 CA$3.14
-83.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$21.37 $21.37
$61.5 CA$87.5
-65.27%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.53 $1.53
$2.77 CA$3.93
-44.77%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.49 $1.49
$1.52 CA$2.17
-1.97%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$9.84 $9.84
$34.11 CA$48.47
-71.15%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.81 $0.81
$1.36 CA$1.93
-40.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.3K $21.3K
$27.6K CA$39.2K
-22.98%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.9K $27.9K
$18.1K CA$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
$99.1 CA$141
-70.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.86 $17.86
$43.98 CA$62.5
-59.39%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.20 $28.20
$60.9 CA$86.6
-53.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Quito
Tofino
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.08 $46.08
$40.69 CA$57.8
13.25%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.76 $17.76
$19.60 CA$27.86
-9.39%
Cinema Ticket
$6.34 $6.34
$10.43 CA$14.82
-39.21%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Quito
Tofino
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$739 $739
$907 CA$1,288
-18.49%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,909 $8,909
$22.9K CA$32.5K
-61.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Quito
Tofino
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$71.0 $71.0
$52.1 CA$74.1
36.14%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.4 $50.4
$44.32 CA$63.0
13.81%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$114 $114
$91.1 CA$129
25.28%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107 $107
$108 CA$153
-0.51%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Quito
Tofino
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$491 $491
$1,265 CA$1,798
-61.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$309 $309
$1,228 CA$1,746
-74.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$932 $932
$3,366 CA$4,784
-72.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$540 $540
$3,184 CA$4,525
-83.03%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,759 $1,759
$3,651 CA$5,189
-51.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$715 $715
$3,550 CA$5,046
-79.87%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Quito
Tofino
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$594 $594
$1,254 CA$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.
Accommodation & Living
Quito
$309
Tofino
$1.2K 298% $920
Groceries & Markets
Quito
$198
Tofino
$358 80.9% $160
Clothing & Footwear
Quito
$154
Tofino
$133 13.8% $21
Eating Out
Quito
$151
Tofino
$294 94% $142
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Quito
$75
Tofino
$204 173% $129
Sport & Entertainment
Quito
$59
Tofino
$62 4.7% $2.8
Getting Around
Quito
$32
Tofino
$81 154% $49

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.

Good to know
🇪🇨 Quito
🇨🇦 Tofino
🕒 Local time
22:17 10:17 PM
20:17 8:17 PM
2 h behind Quito
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,671,191 Capital
2,200
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Quito Tofino 7,110 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Quito
  • Tofino

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.

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