Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ambato and Asuncion

For one person, living is cheaper in Ambato: $605 a month against $1,075 in Asuncion, rent and utilities included – about $5,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Ambato
🇪🇨 Ecuador
$605
/mo nomad
Asuncion
🇵🇾 Paraguay
$1,075
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ambato and in Asuncion

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ambato and in Asuncion actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $605 per month in Ambato vs $1,075 in Asuncion, rent included.

  • Ambato $605
  • Asuncion $1,075

A couple spends around $985 per month in Ambato vs $1,684 in Asuncion, rent included.

  • Ambato $985
  • Asuncion $1,684

A family of three spends $1,364 per month in Ambato vs $2,292 in Asuncion, rent included.

  • Ambato $1,364
  • Asuncion $2,292

Ambato is about 44% cheaper than Asuncion, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Ambato and Asuncion are more affordable than the global median – Ambato 55% lower, Asuncion 20% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ambato
Asuncion
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.46 $3.46
$7.15 ₲40.6K
-51.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$29.93 $29.93
$43.57 ₲247.7K
-31.31%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.32 $5.32
$7.10 ₲40.4K
-25.07%
Cappuccino
$2.76 $2.76
$3.51 ₲20.0K
-21.37%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 $0.82
$1.05 ₲5,977
-21.90%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.75 $0.75
$0.58 ₲3,288
29.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.96 $1.96
$1.89 ₲10.8K
3.70%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.22 $3.22
$1.74 ₲9,902
85.06%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ambato
Asuncion
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.98 $0.98
$1.29 ₲7,318
-24.03%
White Bread (500g)
$0.98 $0.98
$1.50 ₲8,510
-34.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.57 $1.57
$1.39 ₲7,919
12.95%
Eggs
$1.73 $1.73
$2.48 ₲14.1K
-30.24%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.42 $5.42
$9.74 ₲55.4K
-44.35%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.05 $3.05
$5.19 ₲29.5K
-41.23%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$3.93 $3.93
$10.07 ₲57.2K
-60.97%
Apples (1kg)
$1.27 $1.27
$2.99 ₲17.0K
-57.53%
Banana (1kg)
$0.88 $0.88
$1.32 ₲7,490
-33.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.03 $1.03
$1.19 ₲6,739
-13.45%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.03 $1.03
$2.47 ₲14.1K
-58.30%
Potato (1kg)
$0.77 $0.77
$1.40 ₲7,981
-45.00%
Onion (1kg)
$0.99 $0.99
$1.33 ₲7,559
-25.56%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.73 $0.73
$0.92 ₲5,240
-20.65%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.03 $1.03
$0.77 ₲4,370
33.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.15 $5.15
$2.43 ₲13.8K
111.93%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.78 $8.78
$9.08 ₲51.6K
-3.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.45 $1.45
$1.42 ₲8,061
2.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.81 $2.81
$1.79 ₲10.2K
56.98%
🚌 Getting Around
Ambato
Asuncion
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.29 $0.29
$0.58 ₲3,314
-50.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$14.21 $14.21
$37.92 ₲215.5K
-62.53%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.39 $1.39
$1.54 ₲8,731
-9.74%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.12 $1.12
$1.62 ₲9,200
-30.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$9.43 $9.43
$10.44 ₲59.3K
-9.67%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.86 $0.86
$1.29 ₲7,316
-33.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.3K $23.3K
$17.5K ₲99.5M
33.28%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.1K $28.1K
$35.0K ₲199.2M
-19.67%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ambato
Asuncion
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$39.20 $39.20
$51.5 ₲292.9K
-23.93%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.58 $13.58
$17.68 ₲100.5K
-23.19%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.39 $26.39
$22.35 ₲127.0K
18.08%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ambato
Asuncion
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$29.76 $29.76
$36.60 ₲208.1K
-18.69%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$15.33 ₲87.2K
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.39 $4.39
$8.89 ₲50.6K
-50.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ambato
Asuncion
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$224 $224
$190 ₲1.1M
18.23%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,408 $2,408
$5,930 ₲33.7M
-59.39%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ambato
Asuncion
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$48.25 $48.25
$64.7 ₲367.9K
-25.45%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.22 $35.22
$57.9 ₲329.2K
-39.19%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$71.2 $71.2
$107 ₲609.7K
-33.63%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$55.5 $55.5
$73.3 ₲416.6K
-24.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ambato
Asuncion
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$178 $178
$645 ₲3.7M
-72.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$124 $124
$385 ₲2.2M
-67.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$380 $380
$1,061 ₲6.0M
-64.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$273 $273
$654 ₲3.7M
-58.26%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,130 $1,130
$1,715 ₲9.7M
-34.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$884 $884
$1,205 ₲6.8M
-26.62%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ambato
Asuncion
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$679 $679
$747 ₲4.2M
-9.03%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9
10.5
-14.29%

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

Last update for Ambato: October 10, 2026

Last update for Asuncion: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Ambato
$147
Asuncion
$217 47.8% $70
Accommodation & Living
Ambato
$124
Asuncion
$385 210% $261
Eating Out
Ambato
$99
Asuncion
$140 41.3% $41
Clothing & Footwear
Ambato
$95
Asuncion
$136 44.3% $42
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ambato
$79
Asuncion
$92 15.6% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Ambato
$39
Asuncion
$54 41.1% $16
Getting Around
Ambato
$22
Asuncion
$50 123% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $178 in Ambato versus $645 in Asuncion. 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 10% higher in Asuncion, 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 $30.00 in Ambato versus $44.00 in Asuncion. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $147 vs $217 – making Ambato the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇪🇨 Ambato
🇵🇾 Asuncion
🕒 Local time
14:35 2:35 PM
16:35 4:35 PM
2 h ahead of Ambato
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
165,185
742,023 Capital
Exchange rates and currency converter

PYG, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.893 EUR).

Paraguayan Guarani exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 5,684 PYG (10,000 PYG = 1.76 USD). 1 EUR = 6,365 PYG (10,000 PYG = 1.57 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ambato Asuncion 3,500 km ≈ 4 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Ambato
  • Asuncion

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
Ambato vs Asuncion: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ambato or Asuncion?
Asuncion costs about 78% more than Ambato, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Ambato and in Asuncion?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $908 per month in Ambato and $1,613 in Asuncion. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Ambato or Asuncion?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Ambato, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do dining costs compare in Ambato and in Asuncion?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Ambato and $44.00 in Asuncion. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Ambato compared to Asuncion?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $605 in Ambato and $1,075 in Asuncion. That's a gap of about 78%.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Ambato or in Asuncion?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ambato, where all-in costs run around $605, than in Asuncion at $1,075. In Ambato it covers expenses comfortably, while in Asuncion it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Ambato – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Ambato compared to Asuncion?
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.
Should I move to Ambato or to Asuncion?
If budget matters most, go with Ambato. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Asuncion makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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