Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Thornton, CO and Quito

For one person, living is cheaper in Quito: $1,014 a month against $2,865 in Thornton, CO, rent and utilities included – about $22,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

138

Cost of Living Index in Thornton, CO
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Thornton, CO Living Index
49

Cost of Living Index in Quito
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Quito Living Index

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Thornton, CO

🇺🇸 United States

$2,865

/mo nomad

Quito

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$1,014

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,865 per month in Thornton, CO vs $1,014 in Quito, rent included.

Thornton, CO $2,865
Quito $1,014

A couple spends around $3,950 per month in Thornton, CO vs $1,641 in Quito, rent included.

Thornton, CO $3,950
Quito $1,641

A family of three spends $5,035 per month in Thornton, CO vs $2,269 in Quito, rent included.

Thornton, CO $5,035
Quito $2,269

Thornton, CO costs about 182% more than Quito, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Thornton, CO sits 112% above the global median, while Quito is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.96 $19.96

$5.55 $5.55

259.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.4 $84.4

$54.6 $54.6

54.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.02 $13.02

$7.63 $7.63

70.64%

Cappuccino

$6.14 $6.14

$3.33 $3.33

84.38%

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

$2.85 $2.85

$1.36 $1.36

109.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 $2.31

$1.14 $1.14

102.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$3.69 $3.69

86.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.36 $7.36

$6.16 $6.16

19.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.15 $1.15

-6.09%

White Bread (500g)

$3.29 $3.29

$1.61 $1.61

104.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$1.51 $1.51

196.03%

Eggs

$5.03 $5.03

$2.15 $2.15

133.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.80 $14.80

$6.47 $6.47

128.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.26 $13.26

$5.33 $5.33

148.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.42 $19.42

$7.77 $7.77

149.94%

Apples (1kg)

$5.26 $5.26

$2.23 $2.23

135.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.24 $1.24

69.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$1.27 $1.27

250.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$1.08 $1.08

337.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.39 $2.39

$1.24 $1.24

92.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.06 $1.06

139.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 $2.30

$0.91 $0.91

152.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$0.98 $0.98

160.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.39 $10.39

$5.95 $5.95

74.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.69 $19.69

$8.35 $8.35

135.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 $2.75

$1.52 $1.52

80.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 $4.61

$3.20 $3.20

44.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 $0.33

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.42 $21.42

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 $3.57

$1.53 $1.53

133.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.53 $1.53

0.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.56 $24.56

$10.01 $10.01

145.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$0.85 $0.85

27.06%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$22.7K $22.7K

22.14%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$29.6K $29.6K

-10.87%

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

$166 $166

$28.99 $28.99

471.89%

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

$76.0 $76.0

$17.94 $17.94

323.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.2 $88.2

$28.85 $28.85

205.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.1 $56.1

$45.09 $45.09

24.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.98 $9.98

$17.78 $17.78

-43.87%

Cinema Ticket

$15.17 $15.17

$6.75 $6.75

124.74%

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

$1,539 $1,539

$743 $743

107.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K $20.8K

$8,223 $8,223

153.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 $58.7

$69.8 $69.8

-15.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.28 $40.28

$50.3 $50.3

-19.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 $83.0

$113 $113

-26.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 $126

$107 $107

18.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,770 $1,770

$542 $542

226.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 $1,511

$354 $354

326.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,616 $2,616

$1,141 $1,141

129.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,993 $1,993

$638 $638

212.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,636 $1,636

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$663 $663

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,179 $5,179

$603 $603

758.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

10.12

-34.09%

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

Last update for Thornton, CO: October 31, 2026

Last update for Quito: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Thornton, CO

$1.5K 52.7%

Quito

$354 34.9% 76.6% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

Thornton, CO

$445 15.5%

Quito

$193 19% 56.7% $253

Eating Out

Thornton, CO

$342 11.9%

Quito

$148 14.6% 56.7% $194

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Thornton, CO

$330 11.5%

Quito

$76 7.5% 77% $254

Clothing & Footwear

Thornton, CO

$139 4.9%

Quito

$153 15.1% 10.2% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Thornton, CO

$86 3%

Quito

$59 5.8% 32.2% $28

Getting Around

Thornton, CO

$11 * 0.4%

Quito

$32 3.2% 184% $21

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,770 in Thornton, CO 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 Thornton, CO are about 8.6 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $84 in Thornton, CO versus $55 in Quito. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $445 vs $193 – making Quito the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Thornton, CO

🇪🇨 Quito

🕒 Local time

00:45 12:45 AM

02:45 2:45 AM

2 h ahead of Thornton, CO

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

139,478

2,671,191 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Thornton, CO Quito 5,200 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Thornton, CO
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

Thornton, CO vs Quito: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Thornton, CO is pricier by about 182%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,297 per month in Thornton, CO 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 $1,770 in Thornton, CO.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,865 in Thornton, CO and $1,014 in Quito. That makes Quito about 65% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $1,539 per month in Thornton, CO 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 Thornton, CO at $2,865. In Quito it covers expenses comfortably, while in Thornton, CO 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, Thornton, CO makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.