How much does it cost to live in Quito?
Typical Month (Mid Range)
$1,166
Housing, food, transport, mobile, coworking and gym.
Updated September 2026 · Sources cited: regus.com, citizenremote.com
- Typical Month (Lower End)
- $583
- Typical Month (Premium)
- $2,118
- Furnished 1-bed rent
- $650
La Carolina / Quito Norte
Good to know
Good to Know
- Ecuador's official currency is the US dollar, so US-based nomads face zero exchange-rate risk or conversion hassle.
- Furnished apartments aimed at short-term renters and foreigners are often priced noticeably above what locals pay for the same unit — having a local contact or agent can help avoid overpaying.
- Grocery costs vary a lot by where you shop: imported goods and upscale chains (like Supermaxi) cost significantly more than local mercados and small neighborhood tiendas.
- La Floresta and La Carolina/Quito Norte are the two areas where most furnished short-term rentals for remote workers are concentrated — expect to pay a premium versus southern or far-northern Quito.
- Ecuador's official currency is the US dollar, so there's zero exchange-rate friction or conversion math when budgeting day to day.
- Quito's Metro (opened December 2022) plus its Trolebus/Ecovía/Metrobús-Q bus rapid transit lines are very cheap per ride, but there's no confirmed discounted multi-ride bundle or flat monthly pass — you pay (or tap a rechargeable card) each trip.
- The bare-minimum health policy tied to the digital nomad visa is inexpensive but very basic; most nomads still budget for a proper international/travel insurance plan on top of it.
- Coworking here is less built-out than in Mexico City or Medellín — expect a mix of small owner-run, often hostel-adjacent spaces (like a well-known one in the La Floresta neighborhood) alongside a global chain option, rather than a large dedicated coworking scene.
Monthly Totals
- Mid-range month
- $1,166
Includes 6 estimated components
- Lean month
- $583
Includes 4 estimated components
- Comfortable month
- $2,118
Includes 7 estimated components
Living Costs
- Where nomads live
- Nomads and expats in Quito concentrate mainly in La Floresta (bohemian/artsy hub near Parque La Carolina) and La Carolina / Quito Norte (business district around the same park), with Gonzalez Suarez as a more upscale, high-rise alternative. All housing figures below are priced in these areas.
Housing (per month)
- Mid-range 1-bed
- $650
Estimated
Midpoint of My Latin Life's stated La Carolina / Quito Norte furnished 1BR range of $500–$800/month.
- Budget studio / 1-bed
- $550
Survey / cost-of-living site
My Latin Life expat rental guide states La Floresta furnished 1BR apartments run $550–$850/month; low end of that range used for the budget tier.
- Premium apartment
- $1,450
Estimated
Midpoint of Digital Nomads World's stated $900–$2,000/month range for a furnished house in Quito's North Center (Gonzalez Suarez / La Carolina corridor).
- Private room in a shared home
- $300
Estimated
No live listing or survey specifically pricing a private room in a shared house in Quito was found; estimated as roughly half of the budget 1BR furnished rate, consistent with typical shared-housing discounts seen in the region.
Groceries
- Groceries for one (month)
- $183
Estimated
CityCost reports an Ecuador-wide average grocery spend of $183/month; used as an approximation for Quito in the absence of a city-specific grocery-basket survey. Quito, as the capital, likely runs somewhat above this national average.
Sample prices
1L Milk
- 1L Milk
- $1.10
Estimated
No current Quito-specific listing found; estimated from historical Ecuador supermarket price trends.
Dozen Eggs
- Dozen Eggs
- $3.00
Estimated
No current Quito-specific source found; rough estimate based on typical Ecuadorian supermarket pricing.
1kg Chicken Breast
- 1kg Chicken Breast
- $4.50
Estimated
No current Quito-specific source found; estimated.
1.5L Bottled Water (Store)
- 1.5L Bottled Water (Store)
- $1.00
Estimated
No current Quito-specific source found; estimated from typical supermarket pricing in the region.
Eating out
- Cheap meal
- $6.00
Estimated
Hikersbay's Quito price data lists a McMeal combo (McDonald's/Burger King) at $8.00. [Adjusted 2026-09-18: the source's 8 USD reduced by 25%; see "adjusted".]
- High-end meal
- $35
Estimated
A review of Casa Gangotena, an upscale Quito restaurant, listed an average meal with drink, main course, and dessert at $35 as of 2018; treated as an estimate since prices have likely risen since then.
- Mid-range meal
- $15
Estimated
CityCost states a mid-range restaurant meal for two in Ecuador averages $39.00; halved here to represent one diner. Figure is Ecuador-wide, not Quito-exclusive. [Adjusted 2026-09-18: the source's 19.5 USD reduced by 25%; see "adjusted".]
Work, Transport & Essentials
Coworking
- Venue
- Regus (Quito, multiple locations incl. Quicentro Shopping / El Jardín)
- Day pass
- $7.00
Operator's own price
Regus Quito lists a 'Coworking Access Plan' at $7 USD per person per day, giving unlimited-day access under a monthly plan.
- Monthly hot desk
- $100
Survey / cost-of-living site
Citizen Remote's Ecuador nomad guide states a hot-desk coworking membership in Ecuador's major cities (Quito, Cuenca, Guayaquil) runs around $100/month; no single Quito venue named.
Transport
- How to get there
- Metro (bus/trolleybus/Ecovía are a bit cheaper)
- About monthly passes
- No flat monthly transit pass product was found for Quito's Metro/Trolebus/Ecovía/bus network; riders (locals and nomads alike) top up a rechargeable card and pay per ride.
- Single ride
- $0.45
Survey / cost-of-living site
Travel blog states the Quito Metro standard fare is $0.45 per trip; older bus/Trolebus/Ecovía/Metrobús-Q lines run slightly cheaper at roughly $0.25-0.35.
Mobile & data
- Carrier
- Claro / Movistar / CNT (typical)
- Monthly plan
- $15
Estimated
Estimated typical prepaid data plan (several GB/month) from a major Ecuadorian carrier such as Claro, Movistar, or CNT; not confirmed against a live carrier pricing page at the time of research.
- Data allowance
- ~5-10GB (estimated)
Short Stays (per night)
- Seasonal pricing
- Yes
- Why
- Multiple documented peaks: December (Fiestas de Quito, New Year) and March/April (Semana Santa/Easter) drive sustained high-season demand; average hotel pricing rises ~88% peak-to-low (from ~$42 to ~$79). July and August also see elevated rates during Northern Hemisphere summer school breaks.
Low season
- Budget
- $42
Budget Your Trip aggregate analysis of 176 Quito hotels; low-season average for basic accommodations
- Luxury
- $89
HotelsCombined shows Mercure Alameda Quito (5-star) from $89; Booking.com 5-star average $149 overall, but low season (May, August) shows significant discounts toward $89-100 range
- Premium
- $74
Budget Your Trip data for 4-star hotels in low season; July shows rates around $111 overall per KAYAK, with 4-star segment averaging $74
- Standard
- $46
Budget Your Trip analysis of 74 mid-range hotels; low-season average
High season
- Budget
- $79
Budget Your Trip aggregate analysis of 176 Quito hotels; 2-star/basic studio category average for high season
- Luxury
- $165
Budget Your Trip analysis of 29 top luxury hotels showing high season average ($165); confirmed by Booking.com 5-star average ($149) and multiple luxury hotel aggregators
- Premium
- $115
Trip.com 4-star hotel weekend rates; represents 4-star segment during peak demand months
- Standard
- $86
Budget Your Trip analysis of 74 mid-range hotels in Quito for high season average
Low-season months
- May
- June
- September
- October
High-season months
- December
- January
- April
- July
- August
- November
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this cost of living research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Quito
Data last updated September 2026 · Verify anything important.