Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Dimas, CA and Quito

For one person, living is cheaper in Quito: $979 a month against $2,562 in San Dimas, CA, rent and utilities included – about $19,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

San Dimas, CA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,562
/mo nomad
Quito
🇪🇨 Ecuador
$979
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Dimas, CA and in Quito

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in San Dimas, CA and in Quito actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,562 per month in San Dimas, CA vs $979 in Quito, rent included.

  • San Dimas, CA $2,562
  • Quito $979

A couple spends around $3,689 per month in San Dimas, CA vs $1,607 in Quito, rent included.

  • San Dimas, CA $3,689
  • Quito $1,607

A family of three spends $4,816 per month in San Dimas, CA vs $2,234 in Quito, rent included.

  • San Dimas, CA $4,816
  • Quito $2,234

San Dimas, CA costs about 162% more than Quito, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

San Dimas, CA sits 91% above the global median, while Quito is 27% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
San Dimas, CA
Quito
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.15 $12.15
$6.14 $6.14
97.88%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$50.7 $50.7
$53.9 $53.9
-5.90%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.15 $9.15
$7.81 $7.81
17.16%
Cappuccino
$5.85 $5.85
$3.42 $3.42
71.05%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.42 $3.42
$1.44 $1.44
137.50%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38 $2.38
$1.14 $1.14
108.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.58 $7.58
$3.48 $3.48
117.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.08 $8.08
$5.89 $5.89
37.18%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
San Dimas, CA
Quito
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.04 $1.04
$1.14 $1.14
-8.77%
White Bread (500g)
$4.00 $4.00
$1.54 $1.54
159.74%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.85 $4.85
$1.51 $1.51
221.19%
Eggs
$4.65 $4.65
$2.16 $2.16
115.28%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.87 $12.87
$6.40 $6.40
101.09%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$20.05 $20.05
$5.48 $5.48
265.88%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.40 $15.40
$7.81 $7.81
97.18%
Apples (1kg)
$4.92 $4.92
$2.33 $2.33
111.16%
Banana (1kg)
$1.67 $1.67
$1.24 $1.24
34.68%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.46 $5.46
$1.31 $1.31
316.79%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.91 $5.91
$1.14 $1.14
418.42%
Potato (1kg)
$3.73 $3.73
$1.21 $1.21
208.26%
Onion (1kg)
$2.31 $2.31
$1.02 $1.02
126.47%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.03 $2.03
$0.93 $0.93
118.28%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.92 $1.92
$1.05 $1.05
82.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.86 $11.86
$6.02 $6.02
97.01%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.21 $15.21
$9.93 $9.93
53.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.98 $1.98
$1.59 $1.59
24.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.26 $4.26
$3.08 $3.08
38.31%
🚌 Getting Around
San Dimas, CA
Quito
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.00 $2.00
$0.37 $0.37
440.54%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$20.95 $20.95
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.21 $6.21
$1.54 $1.54
303.25%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.71 $1.71
$1.53 $1.53
11.76%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$33.65 $33.65
$10.01 $10.01
236.16%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 $1.52
$0.87 $0.87
74.71%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.6K $36.6K
$21.0K $21.0K
74.32%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.5K $27.5K
$28.6K $28.6K
-3.85%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
San Dimas, CA
Quito
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 $170
$28.97 $28.97
487.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$66.2 $66.2
$17.57 $17.57
277.01%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$60.5 $60.5
$28.14 $28.14
114.82%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
San Dimas, CA
Quito
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.71 $41.71
$46.48 $46.48
-10.26%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.70 $17.70
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.96 $14.96
$6.38 $6.38
134.48%
🧸 Childcare & Education
San Dimas, CA
Quito
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,917 $1,917
$746 $746
156.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.6K $25.6K
$9,015 $9,015
183.70%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
San Dimas, CA
Quito
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.4 $58.4
$68.8 $68.8
-15.10%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.64 $39.64
$50.4 $50.4
-21.27%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.2 $93.2
$117 $117
-20.65%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$145 $145
$109 $109
32.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
San Dimas, CA
Quito
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,593 $1,593
$478 $478
233.16%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,470 $1,470
$313 $313
369.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,483 $2,483
$967 $967
156.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,341 $2,341
$549 $549
326.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,666 $2,666
$1,763 $1,763
51.23%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,437 $2,437
$720 $720
238.42%
💵 Salaries & Financials
San Dimas, CA
Quito
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,989 $3,989
$597 $597
568.50%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.39
10.12
-36.86%

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

Last update for San Dimas, CA: October 3, 2026

Last update for Quito: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
San Dimas, CA
$1.5K
Quito
$313 78.7% $1.2K
Groceries & Markets
San Dimas, CA
$455
Quito
$198 56.6% $258
Monthly Utilities & Internet
San Dimas, CA
$297
Quito
$75 74.9% $222
Eating Out
San Dimas, CA
$272
Quito
$153 43.8% $119
Clothing & Footwear
San Dimas, CA
$151
Quito
$156 2.9% $4.4
Sport & Entertainment
San Dimas, CA
$72
Quito
$59 17.3% $12
Getting Around
San Dimas, CA
$23 *
Quito
$32 39% $8.9

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,593 in San Dimas, CA versus $478 in Quito. 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 569% higher in San Dimas, CA, 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 $51.0 in San Dimas, CA versus $54.0 in Quito. Groceries tell a different story – $455 in San Dimas, CA vs $198 in Quito – so Quito wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇺🇸 San Dimas, CA
🇪🇨 Quito
🕒 Local time
20:41 8:41 PM
22:41 10:41 PM
2 h ahead of San Dimas, CA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
35,714
2,671,191 Capital
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 12, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • San Dimas, CA Quito 5,590 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • San Dimas, CA
  • Quito

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
San Dimas, CA vs Quito: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Quito cheaper than San Dimas, CA?
Yes – San Dimas, CA is pricier by about 162%, 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 $3,843 per month in San Dimas, CA and $1,468 in Quito. 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.
What are total monthly expenses in San Dimas, CA and in Quito?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,562 in San Dimas, CA and $979 in Quito. That's a gap of about 162%.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $1,917 per month in San Dimas, CA and $746 in Quito. 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 San Dimas, CA or in Quito?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Quito, where all-in costs run around $979, than in San Dimas, CA at $2,562. In Quito it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Dimas, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is San Dimas, CA or Quito 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 safer, San Dimas, CA or Quito?
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.
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, San Dimas, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

San Dimas, CA vs other spots: cost of living compared

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