Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Quito and Vilcabamba

For one person, living costs are similar in Quito and in Vilcabamba: $978 and $968 a month, rent and utilities included.

48

Cost of Living Index in Quito
Learn more

Quito Living Index
47

Cost of Living Index in Vilcabamba
Learn more

Vilcabamba Living Index

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Quito

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$978

/mo nomad

Vilcabamba

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$968

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Quito and in Vilcabamba

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

A single person spends $978 per month in Quito vs $968 in Vilcabamba, rent included.

Quito $978
Vilcabamba $968

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Quito vs $1,435 in Vilcabamba, rent included.

Quito $1,586
Vilcabamba $1,435

A family of three spends $2,194 per month in Quito vs $1,903 in Vilcabamba, rent included.

Quito $2,194
Vilcabamba $1,903

Quito costs about 1% more than Vilcabamba, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Quito and Vilcabamba are more affordable than the global median – Quito 28% lower, Vilcabamba 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.08 $6.08

$3.60 $3.60

68.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.5 $55.5

$30.17 $30.17

83.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.61 $7.61

$8.16 $8.16

-6.74%

Cappuccino

$3.40 $3.40

$2.22 $2.22

53.15%

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

$1.37 $1.37

$0.99 $0.99

38.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.06 $1.06

2.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 $3.43

$2.02 $2.02

69.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.06 $6.06

$3.58 $3.58

69.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.01 $1.01

12.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.54 $1.54

3.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.52 $1.52

3.95%

Eggs

$2.12 $2.12

$2.50 $2.50

-15.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.58 $6.58

$8.16 $8.16

-19.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$5.28 $5.28

4.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.65 $7.65

$7.20 $7.20

6.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.71 $1.71

30.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 $1.19

$1.06 $1.06

12.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.18 $1.18

12.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.08 $1.08

4.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 $1.24

$0.91 $0.91

36.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.00 $1.00

2.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 $0.92

$0.74 $0.74

24.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.03 $1.03

1.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.16 $6.16

$5.11 $5.11

20.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.07 $10.07

$11.10 $11.10

-9.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.64 $1.64

-3.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.74 $2.74

12.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 $0.36

$0.34 $0.34

5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.37 $21.37

$19.13 $19.13

11.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.31 $1.31

16.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.99 $0.99

50.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.84 $9.84

$10.16 $10.16

-3.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$0.65 $0.65

24.62%

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

$21.3K $21.3K

-0.24%

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

$27.9K $27.9K

$28.6K $28.6K

-2.56%

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

$28.75 $28.75

$39.15 $39.15

-26.56%

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

$17.86 $17.86

$13.28 $13.28

34.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.20 $28.20

$36.25 $36.25

-22.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.08 $46.08

$30.43 $30.43

51.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.76 $17.76

$18.73 $18.73

-5.18%

Cinema Ticket

$6.34 $6.34

$6.71 $6.71

-5.51%

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

$739 $739

$212 $212

248.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,909 $8,909

$5,076 $5,076

75.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.0 $71.0

$54.5 $54.5

30.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.4 $50.4

$41.74 $41.74

20.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 $114

$102 $102

11.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 $107

$71.6 $71.6

49.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$491 $491

$387 $387

26.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 $309

$387 $387

-20.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$932 $932

$634 $634

46.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$540 $540

$581 $581

-6.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,759 $1,759

$1,199 $1,199

46.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$715 $715

$782 $782

-8.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$594 $594

$462 $462

28.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.12

10.05

0.70%

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

Last update for Quito: October 10, 2026

Last update for Vilcabamba: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Quito

$309 31.6%

Vilcabamba

$387 40% 25.2% $78

Groceries & Markets

Quito

$198 20.3%

Vilcabamba

$195 20.2% 1.5% $3

Clothing & Footwear

Quito

$154 15.8%

Vilcabamba

$121 12.6% 21.3% $33

Eating Out

Quito

$151 15.5%

Vilcabamba

$105 10.9% 30.4% $46

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Quito

$75 7.7%

Vilcabamba

$89 9.2% 18.5% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Quito

$59 6%

Vilcabamba

$44 4.5% 25.4% $15

Getting Around

Quito

$32 3.3%

Vilcabamba

$27 2.8% 15.7% $5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $491 in Quito versus $387 in Vilcabamba. 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 29% higher in Quito, 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 $30.00 in Vilcabamba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $198 vs $195 – making Vilcabamba the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇪🇨 Quito

🇪🇨 Vilcabamba

🕒 Local time

11:40 11:40 AM

Same time as Quito

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,671,191 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.889 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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 Vilcabamba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Quito is pricier by about 1%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,467 per month in Quito and $1,452 in Vilcabamba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Vilcabamba, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 12% less in Vilcabamba. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $739 per month in Quito and $212 in Vilcabamba. 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 Vilcabamba, where all-in costs run around $968, than in Quito at $978. In Vilcabamba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Quito it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Vilcabamba – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Vilcabamba. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Quito makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.