Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ambato and Quito

For one person, living is cheaper in Ambato: $605 a month against $978 in Quito, rent and utilities included – about $4,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

30

Cost of Living Index in Ambato
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Ambato Living Index
48

Cost of Living Index in Quito
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Quito Living Index

Jump to prices

Ambato

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$605

/mo nomad

Quito

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$978

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ambato and in Quito

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

A single person spends $605 per month in Ambato vs $978 in Quito, rent included.

Ambato $605
Quito $978

A couple spends around $985 per month in Ambato vs $1,586 in Quito, rent included.

Ambato $985
Quito $1,586

A family of three spends $1,364 per month in Ambato vs $2,194 in Quito, rent included.

Ambato $1,364
Quito $2,194

Ambato is about 38% cheaper than Quito, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Ambato and Quito are more affordable than the global median – Ambato 55% lower, Quito 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.46 $3.46

$6.08 $6.08

-43.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.93 $29.93

$55.5 $55.5

-46.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.32 $5.32

$7.61 $7.61

-30.09%

Cappuccino

$2.76 $2.76

$3.40 $3.40

-18.82%

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

$0.82 $0.82

$1.37 $1.37

-40.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 $0.75

$1.09 $1.09

-31.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 $1.96

$3.43 $3.43

-42.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 $3.22

$6.06 $6.06

-46.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.14 $1.14

-14.04%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.60 $1.60

-38.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.58 $1.58

-0.63%

Eggs

$1.73 $1.73

$2.12 $2.12

-18.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$6.58 $6.58

-17.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$5.51 $5.51

-44.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$7.65 $7.65

-48.63%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 $1.27

$2.24 $2.24

-43.30%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.19 $1.19

-26.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.33 $1.33

-22.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.13 $1.13

-8.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 $0.77

$1.24 $1.24

-37.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.02 $1.02

-2.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 $0.73

$0.92 $0.92

-20.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.05 $1.05

-1.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.15 $5.15

$6.16 $6.16

-16.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.78 $8.78

$10.07 $10.07

-12.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.58 $1.58

-8.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 $2.81

$3.09 $3.09

-9.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 $0.29

$0.36 $0.36

-19.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.21 $14.21

$21.37 $21.37

-33.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.53 $1.53

-9.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.49 $1.49

-24.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.43 $9.43

$9.84 $9.84

-4.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$0.81 $0.81

6.17%

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

$23.3K $23.3K

$21.3K $21.3K

9.79%

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

$28.1K $28.1K

$27.9K $27.9K

0.89%

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

$39.20 $39.20

$28.75 $28.75

36.35%

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

$13.58 $13.58

$17.86 $17.86

-23.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.39 $26.39

$28.20 $28.20

-6.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.76 $29.76

$46.08 $46.08

-35.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.76 $17.76

Cinema Ticket

$4.39 $4.39

$6.34 $6.34

-30.76%

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

$224 $224

$739 $739

-69.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,408 $2,408

$8,909 $8,909

-72.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.25 $48.25

$71.0 $71.0

-32.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.22 $35.22

$50.4 $50.4

-30.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.2 $71.2

$114 $114

-37.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.5 $55.5

$107 $107

-48.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$178 $178

$491 $491

-63.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$124 $124

$309 $309

-59.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$380 $380

$932 $932

-59.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 $273

$540 $540

-49.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,130 $1,130

$1,759 $1,759

-35.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$884 $884

$715 $715

23.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$679 $679

$594 $594

14.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.12

-11.07%

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

Last update for Ambato: October 10, 2026

Last update for Quito: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Ambato

$147 24.3%

Quito

$198 20.3% 34.7% $51

Accommodation & Living

Ambato

$124 20.5%

Quito

$309 31.6% 149% $185

Eating Out

Ambato

$99 16.4%

Quito

$151 15.5% 52.7% $52

Clothing & Footwear

Ambato

$95 15.6%

Quito

$154 15.8% 63.1% $60

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ambato

$79 13.1%

Quito

$75 7.7% 5.5% $4.4

Sport & Entertainment

Ambato

$39 6.4%

Quito

$59 6% 52.5% $20

Getting Around

Ambato

$22 3.7%

Quito

$32 3.3% 42.3% $9.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $178 in Ambato versus $491 in Quito. 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 14% 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 $30.00 in Ambato versus $55.0 in Quito. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $147 vs $198 – making Ambato the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇪🇨 Ambato

🇪🇨 Quito

🕒 Local time

23:26 11:26 PM

Same time as Ambato

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

165,185

2,671,191 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Ambato Quito 110 km

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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 Quito: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Quito costs about 62% more than Ambato, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $908 per month in Ambato and $1,467 in Quito. 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 $55.0 in Quito. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $605 in Ambato and $978 in Quito. That's a gap of about 62%.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ambato, where all-in costs run around $605, than in Quito at $978. In Ambato it covers expenses comfortably, while in Quito it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ambato costs $605 versus $978 in Quito. 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, Quito makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.