Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tempe, AZ and Quito

For one person, living is cheaper in Quito: $978 a month against $2,880 in Tempe, AZ, rent and utilities included – about $22,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

140

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

Cost of Living Index in Quito
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Quito Living Index

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Tempe, AZ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,880

/mo nomad

Quito

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$978

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,880 per month in Tempe, AZ vs $978 in Quito, rent included.

Tempe, AZ $2,880
Quito $978

A couple spends around $3,836 per month in Tempe, AZ vs $1,586 in Quito, rent included.

Tempe, AZ $3,836
Quito $1,586

A family of three spends $4,792 per month in Tempe, AZ vs $2,194 in Quito, rent included.

Tempe, AZ $4,792
Quito $2,194

Tempe, AZ costs about 195% more than Quito, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Tempe, AZ sits 113% above the global median, while Quito is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.77 $19.77

$6.08 $6.08

225.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.6 $81.6

$55.5 $55.5

47.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.17 $13.17

$7.61 $7.61

73.06%

Cappuccino

$5.25 $5.25

$3.40 $3.40

54.41%

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

$3.10 $3.10

$1.37 $1.37

126.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.09 $1.09

123.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.01 $6.01

$3.43 $3.43

75.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.17 $7.17

$6.06 $6.06

18.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$1.14 $1.14

-14.91%

White Bread (500g)

$4.20 $4.20

$1.60 $1.60

162.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.19 $6.19

$1.58 $1.58

291.77%

Eggs

$4.68 $4.68

$2.12 $2.12

120.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.65 $13.65

$6.58 $6.58

107.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.44 $13.44

$5.51 $5.51

143.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.38 $17.38

$7.65 $7.65

127.19%

Apples (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$2.24 $2.24

138.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.19 $1.19

65.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.12 $4.12

$1.33 $1.33

209.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$1.13 $1.13

338.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.24 $1.24

104.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 $2.99

$1.02 $1.02

193.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.92 $0.92

141.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.05 $1.05

116.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.89 $10.89

$6.16 $6.16

76.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.65 $13.65

$10.07 $10.07

35.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 $2.41

$1.58 $1.58

52.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 $3.15

$3.09 $3.09

1.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

$0.36 $0.36

438.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.4 $64.4

$21.37 $21.37

201.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 $2.83

$1.53 $1.53

84.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.49 $1.49

-8.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.42 $35.42

$9.84 $9.84

259.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.81 $0.81

44.44%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$21.3K $21.3K

72.87%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$27.9K $27.9K

-7.62%

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

$240 $240

$28.75 $28.75

736.14%

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

$61.4 $61.4

$17.86 $17.86

243.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.0 $78.0

$28.20 $28.20

176.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.16 $30.16

$46.08 $46.08

-34.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.16 $15.16

$17.76 $17.76

-14.64%

Cinema Ticket

$13.80 $13.80

$6.34 $6.34

117.67%

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

$1,107 $1,107

$739 $739

49.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.4K $15.4K

$8,909 $8,909

72.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.6 $62.6

$71.0 $71.0

-11.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.61 $44.61

$50.4 $50.4

-11.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.4 $98.4

$114 $114

-13.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$107 $107

4.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,894 $1,894

$491 $491

286.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,460 $1,460

$309 $309

372.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,543 $2,543

$932 $932

172.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,683 $1,683

$540 $540

211.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,759 $1,759

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$715 $715

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,960 $3,960

$594 $594

567.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

10.12

-35.77%

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

Last update for Tempe, AZ: October 12, 2026

Last update for Quito: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Tempe, AZ

$1.5K 50.7%

Quito

$309 31.6% 78.8% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

Tempe, AZ

$431 15%

Quito

$198 20.3% 54% $233

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tempe, AZ

$380 13.2%

Quito

$75 7.7% 80.3% $305

Eating Out

Tempe, AZ

$327 11.4%

Quito

$151 15.5% 53.7% $176

Clothing & Footwear

Tempe, AZ

$143 5%

Quito

$154 15.8% 7.7% $11

Getting Around

Tempe, AZ

$82 2.8%

Quito

$32 3.3% 61.1% $50

Sport & Entertainment

Tempe, AZ

$58 2%

Quito

$59 6% 1.7% $1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,894 in Tempe, AZ versus $491 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 567% higher in Tempe, 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 $82.0 in Tempe, AZ versus $55.0 in Quito. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $431 vs $198 – making Quito the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Tempe, AZ

🇪🇨 Quito

🕒 Local time

11:55 11:55 AM

13:55 1:55 PM

2 h ahead of Tempe, AZ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

161,719

2,671,191 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.889 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Tempe, AZ Quito 5,120 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Tempe, 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

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

Yes – Tempe, AZ is pricier by about 195%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,320 per month in Tempe, AZ and $1,467 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 $1,107 per month in Tempe, AZ and $739 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 $978, than in Tempe, AZ at $2,880. In Quito it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tempe, 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, Tempe, AZ makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.