Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Surprise, AZ and Quito

For one person, living is cheaper in Quito: $979 a month against $1,305 in Surprise, AZ, rent and utilities included – about $3,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

63

Cost of Living Index in Surprise, AZ
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Surprise, AZ Living Index
48

Cost of Living Index in Quito
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Quito Living Index

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Surprise, AZ

🇺🇸 United States

$1,305

/mo nomad

Quito

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$979

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Surprise, AZ vs $979 in Quito, rent included.

Surprise, AZ $1,305
Quito $979

A couple spends around $3,606 per month in Surprise, AZ vs $1,607 in Quito, rent included.

Surprise, AZ $3,606
Quito $1,607

A family of three spends $5,906 per month in Surprise, AZ vs $2,234 in Quito, rent included.

Surprise, AZ $5,906
Quito $2,234

Surprise, AZ costs about 33% more than Quito, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Surprise, AZ and Quito are more affordable than the global median – Surprise, AZ 3% lower, Quito 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.25 $20.25

$6.14 $6.14

229.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.2 $84.2

$53.9 $53.9

56.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.84 $12.84

$7.81 $7.81

64.40%

Cappuccino

$6.01 $6.01

$3.42 $3.42

75.73%

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

$2.65 $2.65

$1.44 $1.44

84.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.14 $1.14

115.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.20 $7.20

$3.48 $3.48

106.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$5.89 $5.89

38.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.14 $1.14

-12.28%

White Bread (500g)

$3.52 $3.52

$1.54 $1.54

128.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$1.51 $1.51

243.71%

Eggs

$4.73 $4.73

$2.16 $2.16

118.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.40 $13.40

$6.40 $6.40

109.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.30 $11.30

$5.48 $5.48

106.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.80 $14.80

$7.81 $7.81

89.50%

Apples (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$2.33 $2.33

97.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.24 $1.24

56.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$1.31 $1.31

196.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.21 $4.21

$1.14 $1.14

269.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.21 $1.21

110.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$1.02 $1.02

182.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.13 $2.13

$0.93 $0.93

129.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.05 $1.05

106.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.66 $10.66

$6.02 $6.02

77.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.77 $13.77

$9.93 $9.93

38.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$1.59 $1.59

57.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 $3.19

$3.08 $3.08

3.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 $0.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.95 $20.95

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.54 $1.54

81.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 $1.40

$1.53 $1.53

-8.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.29 $35.29

$10.01 $10.01

252.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$0.87 $0.87

29.89%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$21.0K $21.0K

75.03%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$28.6K $28.6K

-11.39%

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

$197 $197

$28.97 $28.97

579.91%

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

$62.6 $62.6

$17.57 $17.57

256.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.8 $73.8

$28.14 $28.14

162.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.8 $60.8

$46.48 $46.48

30.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.70 $17.70

Cinema Ticket

$13.16 $13.16

$6.38 $6.38

106.27%

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

$1,090 $1,090

$746 $746

46.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K $15.6K

$9,015 $9,015

72.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.0 $56.0

$68.8 $68.8

-18.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.17 $44.17

$50.4 $50.4

-12.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 $99.9

$117 $117

-15.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$109 $109

5.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$478 $478

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 $313

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,116 $2,116

$967 $967

118.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,030 $3,030

$549 $549

451.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,763 $1,763

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,591 $1,591

$720 $720

120.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,222 $4,222

$597 $597

607.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

10.12

-36.36%

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

Last update for Surprise, AZ: October 4, 2026

Last update for Quito: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Surprise, AZ

$392 29.9%

Quito

$198 20.1% 49.6% $194

Eating Out

Surprise, AZ

$345 26.4%

Quito

$153 15.5% 55.7% $192

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Surprise, AZ

$333 25.5%

Quito

$75 7.6% 77.6% $259

Clothing & Footwear

Surprise, AZ

$142 10.8%

Quito

$156 15.8% 9.5% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Surprise, AZ

$87 6.7%

Quito

$59 6% 32% $28

Getting Around

Surprise, AZ

$9.8 * 0.8%

Quito

$32 3.2% 222% $22

Accommodation & Living

Surprise, AZ

- * 0%

Quito

$313 31.8%

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

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 608% higher in Surprise, AZ, 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 $84.0 in Surprise, AZ versus $54.0 in Quito. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $392 vs $198 – making Quito the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Surprise, AZ

🇪🇨 Quito

🕒 Local time

02:46 2:46 AM

04:46 4:46 AM

2 h ahead of Surprise, AZ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

143,148

2,671,191 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Surprise, AZ Quito 5,160 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Surprise, AZ
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

Surprise, AZ vs Quito: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Surprise, AZ is pricier by about 33%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Surprise, AZ and $1,468 in Quito. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,305 in Surprise, AZ and $979 in Quito. That's a gap of about 33%.

Kindergarten costs $1,090 per month in Surprise, AZ and $746 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 $979, than in Surprise, AZ at $1,305. In Quito it covers expenses comfortably, while in Surprise, AZ 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, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Surprise, AZ makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.