Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Taos, NM and Quito

For one person, living is cheaper in Quito: $1,014 a month against $2,778 in Taos, NM, rent and utilities included – about $21,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

133

Cost of Living Index in Taos, NM
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Taos, NM Living Index
49

Cost of Living Index in Quito
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Quito Living Index

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Taos, NM

🇺🇸 United States

$2,778

/mo nomad

Quito

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$1,014

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,778 per month in Taos, NM vs $1,014 in Quito, rent included.

Taos, NM $2,778
Quito $1,014

A couple spends around $4,133 per month in Taos, NM vs $1,641 in Quito, rent included.

Taos, NM $4,133
Quito $1,641

A family of three spends $5,489 per month in Taos, NM vs $2,269 in Quito, rent included.

Taos, NM $5,489
Quito $2,269

Taos, NM costs about 174% more than Quito, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Taos, NM sits 105% above the global median, while Quito is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.53 $17.53

$5.55 $5.55

215.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.7 $59.7

$54.6 $54.6

9.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.57 $9.57

$7.63 $7.63

25.43%

Cappuccino

$3.97 $3.97

$3.33 $3.33

19.22%

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

$2.31 $2.31

$1.36 $1.36

69.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.14 $1.14

91.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.09 $5.09

$3.69 $3.69

37.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 $5.55

$6.16 $6.16

-9.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.15 $1.15

-26.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.61 $1.61

83.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$1.51 $1.51

188.08%

Eggs

$3.84 $3.84

$2.15 $2.15

78.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.02 $12.02

$6.47 $6.47

85.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.33 $9.33

$5.33 $5.33

75.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.09 $11.09

$7.77 $7.77

42.73%

Apples (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$2.23 $2.23

105.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.24 $1.24

17.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.26 $4.26

$1.27 $1.27

235.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 $5.08

$1.08 $1.08

370.37%

Potato (1kg)

$3.22 $3.22

$1.24 $1.24

159.68%

Onion (1kg)

$3.35 $3.35

$1.06 $1.06

216.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.91 $0.91

124.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$0.98 $0.98

158.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.11 $11.11

$5.95 $5.95

86.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.81 $13.81

$8.35 $8.35

65.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$1.52 $1.52

63.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.20 $3.20

2.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 $0.33

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.42 $21.42

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.03 $4.03

$1.53 $1.53

163.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.53 $1.53

39.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.71 $34.71

$10.01 $10.01

246.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$0.85 $0.85

5.88%

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

$29.5K $29.5K

$22.7K $22.7K

29.94%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$29.6K $29.6K

-13.85%

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

$156 $156

$28.99 $28.99

438.81%

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

$63.5 $63.5

$17.94 $17.94

254.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.9 $63.9

$28.85 $28.85

121.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$94.2 $94.2

$45.09 $45.09

108.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.78 $17.78

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 $8.87

$6.75 $6.75

31.41%

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

$1,357 $1,357

$743 $743

82.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K $23.7K

$8,223 $8,223

188.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 $54.6

$69.8 $69.8

-21.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.64 $43.64

$50.3 $50.3

-13.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 $106

$113 $113

-6.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$107 $107

11.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,788 $1,788

$542 $542

230.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 $1,589

$354 $354

348.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,592 $3,592

$1,141 $1,141

214.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,899 $2,899

$638 $638

354.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,762 $3,762

$1,636 $1,636

129.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,820 $3,820

$663 $663

476.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,660 $2,660

$603 $603

341.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.3

10.12

-37.75%

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

Last update for Taos, NM: November 2, 2026

Last update for Quito: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Taos, NM

$1.6K 57.2%

Quito

$354 34.9% 77.7% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

Taos, NM

$362 13.1%

Quito

$193 19% 46.8% $170

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Taos, NM

$284 10.2%

Quito

$76 7.5% 73.3% $208

Eating Out

Taos, NM

$271 9.8%

Quito

$148 14.6% 45.4% $123

Clothing & Footwear

Taos, NM

$145 5.2%

Quito

$153 15.1% 5.2% $7.6

Sport & Entertainment

Taos, NM

$112 4%

Quito

$59 5.8% 47.6% $53

Getting Around

Taos, NM

$15 * 0.5%

Quito

$32 3.2% 117% $17

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,788 in Taos, 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 Taos, NM are about 4.4 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60 in Taos, NM versus $55 in Quito. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $362 vs $193 – making Quito the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Taos, NM

🇪🇨 Quito

🕒 Local time

12:13 12:13 PM

14:13 2:13 PM

2 h ahead of Taos, NM

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

6,000

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

Taos, NM Quito 4,940 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Taos, 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

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

Yes – Taos, NM is pricier by about 174%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,167 per month in Taos, 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 $1,788 in Taos, NM.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,778 in Taos, NM and $1,014 in Quito. That makes Quito about 63% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $1,357 per month in Taos, 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 Taos, NM at $2,778. In Quito it covers expenses comfortably, while in Taos, 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, Taos, NM makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.