Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tacoma, WA and Quito

For one person, living is cheaper in Quito: $979 a month against $2,977 in Tacoma, WA, rent and utilities included – about $24,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Tacoma, WA
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Tacoma, WA Living Index
48

Cost of Living Index in Quito
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Quito Living Index

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Tacoma, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,977

/mo nomad

Quito

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$979

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,977 per month in Tacoma, WA vs $979 in Quito, rent included.

Tacoma, WA $2,977
Quito $979

A couple spends around $4,468 per month in Tacoma, WA vs $1,607 in Quito, rent included.

Tacoma, WA $4,468
Quito $1,607

A family of three spends $5,960 per month in Tacoma, WA vs $2,234 in Quito, rent included.

Tacoma, WA $5,960
Quito $2,234

Tacoma, WA costs about 204% more than Quito, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Tacoma, WA sits 122% above the global median, while Quito is 27% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.07 $25.07

$6.14 $6.14

308.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.4 $79.4

$53.9 $53.9

47.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.14 $12.14

$7.81 $7.81

55.44%

Cappuccino

$5.57 $5.57

$3.42 $3.42

62.87%

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

$3.15 $3.15

$1.44 $1.44

118.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.14 $1.14

124.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.85 $6.85

$3.48 $3.48

96.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.88 $6.88

$5.89 $5.89

16.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.14 $1.14

-0.88%

White Bread (500g)

$4.09 $4.09

$1.54 $1.54

165.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.91 $5.91

$1.51 $1.51

291.39%

Eggs

$5.53 $5.53

$2.16 $2.16

156.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.34 $16.34

$6.40 $6.40

155.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$21.87 $21.87

$5.48 $5.48

299.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.38 $23.38

$7.81 $7.81

199.36%

Apples (1kg)

$5.13 $5.13

$2.33 $2.33

120.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.24 $1.24

36.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.23 $4.23

$1.31 $1.31

222.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.66 $4.66

$1.14 $1.14

308.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$1.21 $1.21

128.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 $2.90

$1.02 $1.02

184.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.73 $1.73

$0.93 $0.93

86.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.29 $3.29

$1.05 $1.05

213.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.22 $12.22

$6.02 $6.02

102.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.82 $18.82

$9.93 $9.93

89.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.59 $1.59

10.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.00 $5.00

$3.08 $3.08

62.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.37 $0.37

437.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.1 $63.1

$20.95 $20.95

201.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.54 $1.54

64.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.53 $1.53

6.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.56 $29.56

$10.01 $10.01

195.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$0.87 $0.87

55.17%

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

$37.2K $37.2K

$21.0K $21.0K

77.06%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$28.6K $28.6K

-4.40%

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

$230 $230

$28.97 $28.97

694.37%

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

$92.7 $92.7

$17.57 $17.57

427.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.3 $88.3

$28.14 $28.14

213.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.21 $42.21

$46.48 $46.48

-9.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 $18.21

$17.70 $17.70

2.88%

Cinema Ticket

$16.97 $16.97

$6.38 $6.38

165.99%

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

$2,105 $2,105

$746 $746

181.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.4K $31.4K

$9,015 $9,015

248.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.2 $61.2

$68.8 $68.8

-11.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.72 $43.72

$50.4 $50.4

-13.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 $85.8

$117 $117

-27.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 $128

$109 $109

17.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,725 $1,725

$478 $478

260.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,444 $1,444

$313 $313

361.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,797 $2,797

$967 $967

189.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,420 $2,420

$549 $549

340.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,896 $4,896

$1,763 $1,763

177.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,482 $3,482

$720 $720

383.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,817 $4,817

$597 $597

707.17%

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 Tacoma, WA: 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

Tacoma, WA

$1.4K 47.3%

Quito

$313 31.8% 78.3% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Tacoma, WA

$519 17%

Quito

$198 20.1% 62% $322

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tacoma, WA

$411 13.5%

Quito

$75 7.6% 81.8% $336

Eating Out

Tacoma, WA

$375 12.3%

Quito

$153 15.5% 59.2% $222

Clothing & Footwear

Tacoma, WA

$143 4.7%

Quito

$156 15.8% 8.6% $12

Getting Around

Tacoma, WA

$82 2.7%

Quito

$32 3.2% 61.3% $50

Sport & Entertainment

Tacoma, WA

$76 2.5%

Quito

$59 6% 22.2% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,725 in Tacoma, WA 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 707% higher in Tacoma, WA, 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 $79.0 in Tacoma, WA versus $54.0 in Quito. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $519 vs $198 – making Quito the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Tacoma, WA

🇪🇨 Quito

🕒 Local time

03:45 3:45 AM

05:45 5:45 AM

2 h ahead of Tacoma, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

219,346

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

Tacoma, WA Quito 6,770 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Tacoma, WA
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

Tacoma, WA vs Quito: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tacoma, WA is pricier by about 204%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,465 per month in Tacoma, WA and $1,468 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 201% less in Quito. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,105 per month in Tacoma, WA 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 Tacoma, WA at $2,977. In Quito it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tacoma, WA 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, Tacoma, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.