Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between University Place, WA and Quito

For one person, living is cheaper in Quito: $984 a month against $2,851 in University Place, WA, rent and utilities included – about $22,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

137

Cost of Living Index in University Place, WA
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University Place, WA Living Index
48

Cost of Living Index in Quito
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Quito Living Index

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University Place, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,851

/mo nomad

Quito

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$984

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,851 per month in University Place, WA vs $984 in Quito, rent included.

University Place, WA $2,851
Quito $984

A couple spends around $4,224 per month in University Place, WA vs $1,587 in Quito, rent included.

University Place, WA $4,224
Quito $1,587

A family of three spends $5,598 per month in University Place, WA vs $2,189 in Quito, rent included.

University Place, WA $5,598
Quito $2,189

University Place, WA costs about 190% more than Quito, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

University Place, WA sits 110% above the global median, while Quito is 27% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.22 $25.22

$6.07 $6.07

315.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 $100

$53.8 $53.8

86.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.06 $12.06

$7.45 $7.45

61.88%

Cappuccino

$5.89 $5.89

$3.34 $3.34

76.35%

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

$3.10 $3.10

$1.39 $1.39

123.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 $3.10

$1.15 $1.15

169.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.81 $7.81

$3.45 $3.45

126.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.19 $8.19

$5.98 $5.98

36.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.10 $1.10

4.55%

White Bread (500g)

$4.24 $4.24

$1.53 $1.53

177.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.72 $5.72

$1.49 $1.49

283.89%

Eggs

$5.03 $5.03

$2.09 $2.09

140.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.27 $16.27

$6.33 $6.33

157.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$5.58 $5.58

235.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.43 $23.43

$7.57 $7.57

209.51%

Apples (1kg)

$5.92 $5.92

$2.23 $2.23

165.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.24 $1.24

34.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$1.28 $1.28

301.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.66 $4.66

$1.13 $1.13

312.39%

Potato (1kg)

$3.58 $3.58

$1.18 $1.18

203.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.08 $1.08

169.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 $2.03

$0.93 $0.93

118.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.02 $1.02

192.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.15 $12.15

$5.91 $5.91

105.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 $17.78

$10.06 $10.06

76.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.52 $1.52

16.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 $4.76

$3.20 $3.20

48.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.08 $2.08

$0.37 $0.37

462.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.25 $21.25

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.48 $1.48

74.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.52 $1.52

11.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.67 $29.67

$10.08 $10.08

194.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 $1.39

$0.81 $0.81

71.60%

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

$27.8K $27.8K

$22.8K $22.8K

21.99%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$30.6K $30.6K

-13.82%

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

$231 $231

$28.20 $28.20

717.73%

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

$71.0 $71.0

$17.65 $17.65

302.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.1 $87.1

$28.83 $28.83

202.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.92 $40.92

$46.91 $46.91

-12.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.10 $18.10

Cinema Ticket

$18.14 $18.14

$6.58 $6.58

175.68%

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

$2,127 $2,127

$744 $744

185.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K $31.6K

$9,068 $9,068

248.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 $60.0

$70.1 $70.1

-14.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.92 $44.92

$49.81 $49.81

-9.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 $129

$115 $115

12.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 $127

$110 $110

15.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,569 $1,569

$481 $481

226.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,307 $1,307

$317 $317

312.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,513 $2,513

$950 $950

164.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,123 $2,123

$546 $546

288.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,448 $2,448

$1,775 $1,775

37.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,307 $2,307

$722 $722

219.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,911 $7,911

$597 $597

1225.07%

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 University Place, WA: October 17, 2026

Last update for Quito: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

University Place, WA

$1.3K 45.8%

Quito

$317 32.2% 75.7% $990

Groceries & Markets

University Place, WA

$507 17.8%

Quito

$195 19.9% 61.5% $312

Eating Out

University Place, WA

$389 13.6%

Quito

$150 15.3% 61.3% $238

Monthly Utilities & Internet

University Place, WA

$389 13.6%

Quito

$75 7.6% 80.8% $314

Clothing & Footwear

University Place, WA

$162 5.7%

Quito

$155 15.8% 4.5% $7.3

Sport & Entertainment

University Place, WA

$77 2.7%

Quito

$60 6.1% 22.2% $17

Getting Around

University Place, WA

$19 * 0.7%

Quito

$32 3.2% 64% $12

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,569 in University Place, WA versus $481 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 1225% higher in University Place, 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 $100 in University Place, WA versus $54.0 in Quito. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $507 vs $195 – making Quito the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 University Place, WA

🇪🇨 Quito

🕒 Local time

02:33 2:33 AM

04:33 4:33 AM

2 h ahead of University Place, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

34,866

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

University Place, WA Quito 6,780 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

University Place, 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

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

Yes – University Place, WA is pricier by about 190%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,276 per month in University Place, WA and $1,477 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,851 in University Place, WA and $984 in Quito. That's a gap of about 190%.

Kindergarten costs $2,127 per month in University Place, WA and $744 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 $984, than in University Place, WA at $2,851. In Quito it covers expenses comfortably, while in University Place, 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.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Quito. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, University Place, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.