Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tena and Quito

For one person, living is cheaper in Tena: $887 a month against $1,015 in Quito, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

43

Cost of Living Index in Tena
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Tena Living Index
49

Cost of Living Index in Quito
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Quito Living Index

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Tena

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$887

/mo nomad

Quito

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$1,015

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $887 per month in Tena vs $1,015 in Quito, rent included.

Tena $887
Quito $1,015

A couple spends around $1,461 per month in Tena vs $1,636 in Quito, rent included.

Tena $1,461
Quito $1,636

A family of three spends $2,035 per month in Tena vs $2,258 in Quito, rent included.

Tena $2,035
Quito $2,258

Tena is about 13% cheaper than Quito, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Tena and Quito are more affordable than the global median – Tena 35% lower, Quito 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.58 $5.58

$5.41 $5.41

3.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 $53.9

$55.2 $55.2

-2.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.51 $7.51

$7.66 $7.66

-1.96%

Cappuccino

$3.37 $3.37

$3.31 $3.31

1.81%

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

$1.43 $1.43

$1.36 $1.36

5.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.09 $1.09

-0.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 $3.40

$3.46 $3.46

-1.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.04 $6.04

$5.85 $5.85

3.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.09 $1.09

5.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.55 $1.55

-1.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.56 $1.56

-3.21%

Eggs

$2.14 $2.14

$2.16 $2.16

-0.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$6.45 $6.45

1.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 $5.44

$5.22 $5.22

4.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.83 $7.83

$7.66 $7.66

2.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.34 $2.34

-4.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.20 $1.20

2.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.27 $1.27

3.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.12 $1.12

-3.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 $1.19

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.02 $1.02

0.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 $0.85

$0.90 $0.90

-5.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.00 $1.00

4.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.93 $5.93

$6.14 $6.14

-3.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.37 $8.37

$8.62 $8.62

-2.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.58 $1.58

-2.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 $3.05

$3.10 $3.10

-1.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 $0.36

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.34 $21.34

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.46 $1.46

3.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 $0.75

$1.54 $1.54

-51.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.99 $9.99

$10.07 $10.07

-0.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$0.86 $0.86

-4.65%

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

$23.2K $23.2K

$23.3K $23.3K

-0.51%

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

$30.4K $30.4K

$30.5K $30.5K

-0.43%

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

$29.07 $29.07

$28.33 $28.33

2.61%

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

$18.15 $18.15

$18.08 $18.08

0.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.07 $28.07

$28.84 $28.84

-2.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.76 $28.76

$42.86 $42.86

-32.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.55 $18.55

$17.92 $17.92

3.52%

Cinema Ticket

$6.48 $6.48

$6.75 $6.75

-4.00%

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

$755 $755

$750 $750

0.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,859 $8,859

$8,967 $8,967

-1.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.7 $69.7

-0.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.4 $50.4

$49.06 $49.06

2.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 $112

-0.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 $107

$110 $110

-2.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 $430

$548 $548

-21.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 $272

$362 $362

-24.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 $826

$1,126 $1,126

-26.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$494 $494

$637 $637

-22.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,654 $1,654

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$664 $664

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$606 $606

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.12

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

Last update for Tena: October 26, 2026

Last update for Quito: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Tena

$272 30.6%

Quito

$362 35.6% 33.1% $90

Groceries & Markets

Tena

$193 21.8%

Quito

$192 18.9% 0.6% $1.2

Clothing & Footwear

Tena

$152 17.2%

Quito

$153 15.1% 0.6% $0.9

Eating Out

Tena

$147 16.5%

Quito

$145 14.3% 1.3% $1.9

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tena

$75 8.5%

Quito

$75 7.4% 0.1% $0

Sport & Entertainment

Tena

$42 4.7%

Quito

$56 5.6% 35.1% $15

Getting Around

Tena

$6.7 * 0.8%

Quito

$32 3.2% 378% $25

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $430 in Tena versus $548 in Quito. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54 in Tena versus $55 in Quito. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Tena vs $192 in Quito – so Quito wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇪🇨 Tena

🇪🇨 Quito

🕒 Local time

23:21 11:21 PM

Same time as Tena

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

16,669

2,671,191 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Tena Quito 120 km

From you

Tena
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

Tena vs Quito: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Quito is pricier by about 14%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,331 per month in Tena and $1,522 in Quito. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tena, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $430 there versus $548 in Quito.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $887 in Tena and $1,015 in Quito. That makes Tena about 13% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $755 per month in Tena and $750 in Quito. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tena, where all-in costs run around $887, than in Quito at $1,015. In Tena it covers expenses comfortably, while in Quito it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Quito has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $887 in Tena to $1,015 in Quito. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.