Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ambato and Guayaquil

For one person, living is cheaper in Ambato: $603 a month against $1,281 in Guayaquil, rent and utilities included – about $8,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

29

Cost of Living Index in Ambato
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Ambato Living Index
61

Cost of Living Index in Guayaquil
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Guayaquil Living Index

Jump to prices

Ambato

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$603

/mo nomad

Guayaquil

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$1,281

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ambato and in Guayaquil

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 Guayaquil actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $603 per month in Ambato vs $1,281 in Guayaquil, rent included.

Ambato $603
Guayaquil $1,281

A couple spends around $991 per month in Ambato vs $1,944 in Guayaquil, rent included.

Ambato $991
Guayaquil $1,944

A family of three spends $1,379 per month in Ambato vs $2,607 in Guayaquil, rent included.

Ambato $1,379
Guayaquil $2,607

Ambato is about 53% cheaper than Guayaquil, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Ambato and Guayaquil are more affordable than the global median – Ambato 55% lower, Guayaquil 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 $3.59

$4.10 $4.10

-12.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.53 $29.53

$50.2 $50.2

-41.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.22 $5.22

$8.92 $8.92

-41.48%

Cappuccino

$2.66 $2.66

$2.72 $2.72

-2.21%

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

$0.81 $0.81

$0.84 $0.84

-3.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 $0.73

$0.64 $0.64

14.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 $1.96

$3.02 $3.02

-35.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 $3.48

$4.35 $4.35

-20.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.17 $1.17

-16.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 $1.03

$2.01 $2.01

-48.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.45 $1.45

5.52%

Eggs

$1.69 $1.69

$2.06 $2.06

-17.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.65 $5.65

$6.78 $6.78

-16.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$5.10 $5.10

-39.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.97 $3.97

$9.45 $9.45

-57.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.53 $1.53

-15.69%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.18 $1.18

-27.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 $0.98

Tomato (1kg)

$0.98 $0.98

$0.95 $0.95

3.16%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.28 $1.28

-36.72%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 $0.99

$0.91 $0.91

8.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 $0.71

$0.83 $0.83

-14.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 $1.03

$0.94 $0.94

9.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.37 $5.37

$5.87 $5.87

-8.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.94 $8.94

$12.21 $12.21

-26.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.54 $1.54

-5.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 $2.77

$2.20 $2.20

25.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 $0.31

$0.36 $0.36

-13.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.77 $13.77

$26.28 $26.28

-47.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.63 $0.63

$2.82 $2.82

-77.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.53 $1.53

-29.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.72 $9.72

$12.06 $12.06

-19.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$0.80 $0.80

3.75%

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

$23.4K $23.4K

$22.7K $22.7K

3.00%

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

$28.1K $28.1K

$30.7K $30.7K

-8.43%

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

$39.43 $39.43

$130 $130

-69.77%

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

$13.01 $13.01

$14.70 $14.70

-11.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.62 $26.62

$25.68 $25.68

3.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.70 $29.70

$44.56 $44.56

-33.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.28 $16.28

$27.30 $27.30

-40.37%

Cinema Ticket

$4.52 $4.52

$7.52 $7.52

-39.89%

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

$221 $221

$368 $368

-39.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,453 $2,453

$9,002 $9,002

-72.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.58 $47.58

$65.8 $65.8

-27.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.68 $35.68

$39.98 $39.98

-10.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.7 $71.7

$125 $125

-42.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.6 $54.6

$93.4 $93.4

-41.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$178 $178

$653 $653

-72.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$123 $123

$545 $545

-77.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$377 $377

$976 $976

-61.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$274 $274

$940 $940

-70.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,161 $1,161

$2,009 $2,009

-42.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$908 $908

$1,201 $1,201

-24.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$666 $666

$613 $613

8.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.05

-10.45%

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

Last update for Ambato: November 2, 2026

Last update for Guayaquil: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Ambato

$148 24.5%

Guayaquil

$200 15.6% 35.3% $52

Accommodation & Living

Ambato

$123 20.4%

Guayaquil

$545 42.5% 342% $422

Eating Out

Ambato

$99 16.4%

Guayaquil

$122 9.5% 22.9% $23

Clothing & Footwear

Ambato

$94 15.6%

Guayaquil

$146 11.4% 54.5% $51

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ambato

$79 13.1%

Guayaquil

$171 13.3% 116% $92

Sport & Entertainment

Ambato

$39 6.4%

Guayaquil

$60 4.7% 53.8% $21

Getting Around

Ambato

$21 3.5%

Guayaquil

$38 3% 81.4% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $178 in Ambato versus $653 in Guayaquil. 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 9% higher in Ambato, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30 in Ambato versus $50 in Guayaquil. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $148 vs $200 – making Ambato the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇪🇨 Ambato

🇪🇨 Guayaquil

🕒 Local time

20:52 8:52 PM

Same time as Ambato

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

165,185

3,500,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.891 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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 Guayaquil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Guayaquil costs about 112% 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $905 per month in Ambato and $1,922 in Guayaquil. 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $178 there versus $653 in Guayaquil.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30 in Ambato and $50 in Guayaquil. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $603 in Ambato and $1,281 in Guayaquil. That makes Ambato about 53% cheaper.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Ambato, where all-in costs run around $603, than in Guayaquil at $1,281. In Ambato it covers expenses comfortably, while in Guayaquil it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

For expats, Ambato is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 53% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.