Cost of Living Comparison Between Ambato and Barcelona Cost of Living Comparison Between Ambato and Barcelona

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $589 per month in Ambato vs $2,495 in Barcelona, rent included.

A couple spends around $963 per month in Ambato vs $3,550 in Barcelona, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,337 per month in Ambato vs $4,605 in Barcelona, rent included.

Ambato is about 76% cheaper than Barcelona, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ambato sits 57% below the global median, while Barcelona is 82% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.51 $3.51

$18.39 €15.81

-80.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.47 $30.47

$69.2 €59.5

-55.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.30 $5.30

$14.13 €12.15

-62.49%

Cappuccino

$2.64 $2.64

$3.13 €2.69

-15.65%

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

$0.71 $0.71

$3.02 €2.59

-76.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 $0.64

$1.96 €1.69

-67.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 $1.95

$4.00 €3.44

-51.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 $2.99

$4.76 €4.09

-37.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.25 €1.07

-20.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 $1.01

$2.16 €1.86

-53.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.69 €1.45

-6.51%

Eggs

$1.75 $1.75

$4.93 €4.24

-64.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.40 $5.40

$17.88 €15.37

-69.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.06 $3.06

$9.61 €8.26

-68.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.91 $3.91

$19.34 €16.63

-79.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 $1.27

$3.24 €2.78

-60.80%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 $0.89

$2.18 €1.87

-59.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.97 $0.97

$2.67 €2.30

-63.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.98 $0.98

$2.77 €2.38

-64.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 $0.83

$2.21 €1.90

-62.44%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 $0.98

$2.19 €1.88

-55.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 $0.63

$1.52 €1.31

-58.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 $1.03

$0.92 €0.79

11.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.27 $5.27

$7.12 €6.12

-25.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$8.14 €6.99

8.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.50 €1.29

-2.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 $2.77

$2.78 €2.39

-0.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 $0.29

$3.15 €2.71

-90.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.92 $13.92

$26.99 €23.21

-48.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.97 $0.97

$3.25 €2.79

-70.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.50 €1.29

-24.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.41 $9.41

$34.89 €30.00

-73.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.75 €1.50

-53.14%

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

$23.3K $23.3K

$36.7K €31.5K

-36.56%

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

$28.2K $28.2K

$30.9K €26.6K

-8.70%

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

$36.45 $36.45

$188 €161

-80.57%

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

$12.16 $12.16

$15.44 €13.27

-21.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.25 $26.25

$37.80 €32.49

-30.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.83 $29.83

$57.2 €49.16

-47.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 €14.44

Cinema Ticket

$4.52 $4.52

$11.58 €9.95

-60.97%

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

$221 $221

$1,003 €862

-77.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,437 $2,437

$17.0K €14.6K

-85.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.05 $48.05

$89.2 €76.7

-46.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.06 $35.06

$40.87 €35.14

-14.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 $72.6

$110 €94.5

-34.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.2 $55.2

$123 €105

-54.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$180 $180

$1,673 €1,438

-89.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$123 $123

$1,331 €1,145

-90.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$376 $376

$2,596 €2,232

-85.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$276 $276

$1,950 €1,676

-85.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,139 $1,139

$7,573 €6,511

-84.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$889 $889

$5,370 €4,617

-83.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$666 $666

$2,402 €2,065

-72.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

184.81%

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

Last update for Ambato: August 31, 2026

Last update for Barcelona: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $180 in Ambato versus $1,673 in Barcelona. 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 261% higher in Barcelona, 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 $69.0 in Barcelona. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $147 vs $332 – making Ambato the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Barcelona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barcelona costs about 323% more than Ambato, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $884 per month in Ambato and $3,743 in Barcelona. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Ambato and $69.0 in Barcelona. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $589 in Ambato and $2,495 in Barcelona. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ambato, where all-in costs run around $589, than in Barcelona at $2,495. In Ambato it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barcelona it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ambato costs $589 versus $2,495 in Barcelona. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Ambato. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Barcelona makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.