Quito vs Kingston Cost of Living Comparison
Executive summary: Quito leads on CPI (25.6 vs 38.4, NYC=100), Quito leads on rent index, and Quito leads on purchasing power. Validate neighbourhood rents before relocating — city-wide winners can reverse at district scale.
Overall Cost Winner
Quito
Lower overall CPI; largest measurable gaps: Internet (33088% gap, Quito ahead); Utilities (21654% gap, Quito ahead).
Monthly Cost Difference
Estimated monthly housing+utilities+internet basket is about $240 lower in Quito than in Kingston (~41% gap; converted via exchange rates).
Estimated monthly difference: $240 (favoring Quito).
Category Winners
| Category | Winner | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Overall CPI | Quito | CPI 25.6 vs 38.4 (lower is better) |
| Housing | Quito | Rent index 15.3 vs 21.2 (lower is better) |
| Food | Quito | Groceries index 35.6 vs 45.4 (lower is better) |
| Transport | Quito | One-way ticket 0.38 vs 108.36 (lower is better) |
| Utilities | Quito | Utilities (85m²) 30.6 vs 6656.8 (lower is better) |
| Internet | Quito | Internet 19.67 vs 6528.06 (lower is better) |
| Restaurants | Quito | Restaurant index 25 vs 35 (lower is better) |
| Salary | Kingston | Avg net salary 305647.6 vs 2083.2 (higher is better) |
| Purchasing Power | Quito | PP index 33.6 vs 31.4 (higher is better) |
Biggest Difference
Internet: Quito leads with a 33088% gap.
Internet 19.67 vs 6528.06 (lower is better)
Quick Decision
- Students: Quito — Lower housing / rent index (39% gap).
- Families: Quito — Housing is typically the largest household line; rent index favors Quito; purchasing power favors Quito.
- Remote Workers: Quito — Everyday cost index (CPI) favors Quito (~50% gap).
- Budget Living: Quito — Lowest overall consumer-price index in this pair.
Key Takeaways
- Quito is the overall cost winner on CPI (~50% lower everyday-cost index than Kingston).
- Housing: Quito leads on rent index (39% gap).
- Food / groceries: Quito is lower (28% gap).
- Purchasing power: Quito scores higher (7% gap).
- Largest category gap: Internet (33088%), favoring Quito.
- Sample monthly basket (1BR + utilities + internet) is ~$240 cheaper in Quito.
Analysis
Detailed breakdown uses only paired indices: CPI 25.6/38.4, rent 15.3/21.2, purchasing power 33.6/31.4. Category winners can diverge — a city may win rent while losing CPI. No GDP, climate, or industry claims are invented for either city.
Trust & data transparency
Last updated: 2026-08-21
Data Sources
This page uses CityCost index inputs. Platform sources (see also Data sources):
- Regional
- Regional
On-page labels for this view: Regional · Regional.
Methodology
Each indexed city is associated with a reference basket of common living costs (for example rent, groceries samples, transport tickets, utilities, restaurant meals, and net salary where available). From those items, the platform derives relative indices such as CPI, rent, groceries, restaurants, and local purchasing power, using New York City = 100 as the familiar baseline convention for relative comparison.