Ok, agreed....especially in the capital.......I like cool, but I dont like cold, nor super windy.......And Quito definately has its charms, and I was well treated there.....I like Ecuadorians in general and they were very receptive and cordial there too......But the prices I see quoted on these forums just seem rediculous......Medellin is considered to be the most beautiful city in Latin America, and its way better priced....(for the meantime) Cuz that can all change with dollar fluctuations.......There are many nice places in both Colombia and Ecuador and I like them both.....But neither Quito nor Guayaquil would be among my candidates.....I wouldnt even live in Medellin..as nice as it is....too crowded, crazy traffic, too many motos, and bad air.......But you dont have to get too far outside of Medellin before it gets real nice.......Cities are places to visit and shop and enjoy a dash of culture and art/museums etc......But to live anymore in this high priced era of autos and noise pollution, no way.........Give me the country any day..........but not too far outside of a major center.........
Quito does get cold, that's a fact. Restaurants that have outdoor seating have ceiling heaters that they turn on at night. It's also more autumn like than spring like between January and May. For me that's my favorite time of the year as it's chilly during the day as well with many overcast days.
As for comparing Colombia and Ecuador price wise. There really isn't any comparison as Colombia is much cheaper. Here are comparison stats between Medellin and Quito taken from Numbeo to illustrate this point.
Consumer Prices in Quito are 48.49% higher than in Medellin
Consumer Prices Including Rent in Quito are 45.19% higher than in Medellin
Rent Prices in Quito are 34.11% higher than in Medellin
Restaurant Prices in Quito are 44.12% higher than in Medellin
Groceries Prices in Quito are 60.84% higher than in Medellin
It's more expensive across the board.
We've got a dollarized economy here, and having an ordinary lunch can easily cost around $8 per person, for example:
-Pollo Naranja which is leg & thigh with rice and tiny salad ($3.99)
-Sancocho (soup) $1.99
-Large fresh lemonade $1.60.
= Total $7.58
This is my usual lunch, are there cheaper almuerzo options, yup for about $3.00-$3.50. But it'll be 1 piece of chicken; the rice will be inferior quality, inferior salad, and the drink artificial. The soup is often hit or miss, especially when its cream of anything.