Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Fe, NM and Quito

For one person, living is cheaper in Quito: $1,014 a month against $2,850 in Santa Fe, NM, rent and utilities included – about $22,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

138

Cost of Living Index in Santa Fe, NM
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Santa Fe, NM Living Index
49

Cost of Living Index in Quito
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Quito Living Index

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Santa Fe, NM

🇺🇸 United States

$2,850

/mo nomad

Quito

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$1,014

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Santa Fe, NM 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 Santa Fe, NM and in Quito actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,850 per month in Santa Fe, NM vs $1,014 in Quito, rent included.

Santa Fe, NM $2,850
Quito $1,014

A couple spends around $3,895 per month in Santa Fe, NM vs $1,641 in Quito, rent included.

Santa Fe, NM $3,895
Quito $1,641

A family of three spends $4,940 per month in Santa Fe, NM vs $2,269 in Quito, rent included.

Santa Fe, NM $4,940
Quito $2,269

Santa Fe, NM costs about 181% more than Quito, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Santa Fe, NM sits 111% above the global median, while Quito is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.85 $16.85

$5.55 $5.55

203.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.5 $60.5

$54.6 $54.6

10.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.87 $9.87

$7.63 $7.63

29.36%

Cappuccino

$4.93 $4.93

$3.33 $3.33

48.05%

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

$2.91 $2.91

$1.36 $1.36

113.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 $2.32

$1.14 $1.14

103.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.05 $6.05

$3.69 $3.69

63.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.90 $6.90

$6.16 $6.16

12.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.15 $1.15

-20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 $3.19

$1.61 $1.61

98.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$1.51 $1.51

191.39%

Eggs

$4.28 $4.28

$2.15 $2.15

99.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.76 $11.76

$6.47 $6.47

81.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.41 $9.41

$5.33 $5.33

76.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.97 $16.97

$7.77 $7.77

118.40%

Apples (1kg)

$4.90 $4.90

$2.23 $2.23

119.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.24 $1.24

19.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.90 $3.90

$1.27 $1.27

207.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$1.08 $1.08

308.33%

Potato (1kg)

$3.23 $3.23

$1.24 $1.24

160.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.06 $1.06

91.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.91 $0.91

125.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$0.98 $0.98

152.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.82 $10.82

$5.95 $5.95

81.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.21 $16.21

$8.35 $8.35

94.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.52 $1.52

34.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 $3.57

$3.20 $3.20

11.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 $0.97

$0.33 $0.33

193.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.07 $20.07

$21.42 $21.42

-6.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 $3.49

$1.53 $1.53

128.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.53 $1.53

45.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.87 $34.87

$10.01 $10.01

248.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$0.85 $0.85

27.06%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$22.7K $22.7K

18.23%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$29.6K $29.6K

-14.29%

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

$160 $160

$28.99 $28.99

450.40%

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

$44.85 $44.85

$17.94 $17.94

150.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.9 $68.9

$28.85 $28.85

138.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.0 $68.0

$45.09 $45.09

50.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.78 $17.78

Cinema Ticket

$13.05 $13.05

$6.75 $6.75

93.33%

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

$1,353 $1,353

$743 $743

82.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.7K $22.7K

$8,223 $8,223

175.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 $54.0

$69.8 $69.8

-22.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.19 $44.19

$50.3 $50.3

-12.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.0 $79.0

$113 $113

-30.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 $116

$107 $107

8.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,184 $2,184

$542 $542

303.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,642 $1,642

$354 $354

363.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,929 $2,929

$1,141 $1,141

156.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,314 $2,314

$638 $638

263.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,131 $6,131

$1,636 $1,636

274.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,761 $3,761

$663 $663

467.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,862 $3,862

$603 $603

540.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

10.12

-34.39%

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

Last update for Santa Fe, NM: November 1, 2026

Last update for Quito: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Santa Fe, NM

$1.6K 57.6%

Quito

$354 34.9% 78.4% $1.3K

Groceries & Markets

Santa Fe, NM

$381 13.4%

Quito

$193 19% 49.5% $189

Eating Out

Santa Fe, NM

$289 10.1%

Quito

$148 14.6% 48.7% $140

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Santa Fe, NM

$273 9.6%

Quito

$76 7.5% 72.3% $198

Clothing & Footwear

Santa Fe, NM

$132 4.6%

Quito

$153 15.1% 15.9% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Santa Fe, NM

$94 3.3%

Quito

$59 5.8% 37.7% $35

Getting Around

Santa Fe, NM

$39 1.4%

Quito

$32 3.2% 17.1% $6.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,184 in Santa Fe, NM versus $542 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 in Santa Fe, NM are about 6.4 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60 in Santa Fe, NM versus $55 in Quito. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $381 vs $193 – making Quito the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Santa Fe, NM

🇪🇨 Quito

🕒 Local time

10:19 10:19 AM

12:19 12:19 PM

2 h ahead of Santa Fe, NM

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

87,505

2,671,191 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Santa Fe, NM Quito 4,900 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Santa Fe, NM
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

Santa Fe, NM vs Quito: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Santa Fe, NM is pricier by about 181%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,275 per month in Santa Fe, NM and $1,521 in Quito. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Quito, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $542 there versus $2,184 in Santa Fe, NM.

Public transport costs about 6% less in Santa Fe, NM. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,353 per month in Santa Fe, NM and $743 in Quito. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Quito, where all-in costs run around $1,014, than in Santa Fe, NM at $2,850. In Quito it covers expenses comfortably, while in Santa Fe, NM it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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