Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Ambato

For one person, living is cheaper in Ambato: $603 a month against $2,689 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $25,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

128

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
Learn more

Austin, TX Living Index
29

Cost of Living Index in Ambato
Learn more

Ambato Living Index

Jump to prices

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,689

/mo nomad

Ambato

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$603

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Austin, TX and in Ambato

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

A single person spends $2,689 per month in Austin, TX vs $603 in Ambato, rent included.

Austin, TX $2,689
Ambato $603

A couple spends around $4,112 per month in Austin, TX vs $991 in Ambato, rent included.

Austin, TX $4,112
Ambato $991

A family of three spends $5,534 per month in Austin, TX vs $1,379 in Ambato, rent included.

Austin, TX $5,534
Ambato $1,379

Austin, TX costs about 346% more than Ambato, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Austin, TX sits 99% above the global median, while Ambato is 55% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.34 $21.34

$3.59 $3.59

494.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.9 $87.9

$29.53 $29.53

197.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.44 $12.44

$5.22 $5.22

138.31%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$2.66 $2.66

110.53%

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

$3.65 $3.65

$0.81 $0.81

350.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$0.73 $0.73

227.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.82 $7.82

$1.96 $1.96

298.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.75 $8.75

$3.48 $3.48

151.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$0.98 $0.98

14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$3.62 $3.62

$1.03 $1.03

251.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.50 $3.50

$1.53 $1.53

128.76%

Eggs

$4.45 $4.45

$1.69 $1.69

163.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.18 $13.18

$5.65 $5.65

133.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.94 $13.94

$3.08 $3.08

352.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.46 $16.46

$3.97 $3.97

314.61%

Apples (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$1.29 $1.29

266.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

$0.86 $0.86

74.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.64 $4.64

$0.98 $0.98

373.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$0.98 $0.98

361.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$0.81 $0.81

214.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 $2.39

$0.99 $0.99

141.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 $1.84

$0.71 $0.71

159.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.03 $1.03

106.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.05 $10.05

$5.37 $5.37

87.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$8.94 $8.94

66.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.45 $1.45

94.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.77 $2.77

18.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 $1.23

$0.31 $0.31

296.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.43 $41.43

$13.77 $13.77

200.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 $2.68

$0.63 $0.63

325.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.08 $1.08

50.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.20 $35.20

$9.72 $9.72

262.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$0.83 $0.83

18.07%

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

$34.4K $34.4K

$23.4K $23.4K

47.18%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$28.1K $28.1K

-4.74%

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

$252 $252

$39.43 $39.43

539.69%

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

$59.8 $59.8

$13.01 $13.01

359.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.7 $69.7

$26.62 $26.62

161.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 $60.4

$29.70 $29.70

103.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.14 $18.14

$16.28 $16.28

11.43%

Cinema Ticket

$13.75 $13.75

$4.52 $4.52

204.20%

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

$1,458 $1,458

$221 $221

560.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.6K $26.6K

$2,453 $2,453

983.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 $52.6

$47.58 $47.58

10.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.76 $45.76

$35.68 $35.68

28.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.5 $85.5

$71.7 $71.7

19.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$54.6 $54.6

93.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,195 $2,195

$178 $178

1134.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,269 $1,269

$123 $123

930.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,000 $4,000

$377 $377

960.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,406 $2,406

$274 $274

777.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,381 $7,381

$1,161 $1,161

535.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,964 $2,964

$908 $908

226.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,043 $5,043

$666 $666

656.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

-24.22%

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

Last update for Austin, TX: November 2, 2026

Last update for Ambato: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Austin, TX

$1.3K 47.2%

Ambato

$123 20.4% 90.3% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Austin, TX

$407 15.2%

Ambato

$148 24.5% 63.7% $259

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Austin, TX

$382 14.2%

Ambato

$79 13.1% 79.3% $303

Eating Out

Austin, TX

$356 13.2%

Ambato

$99 16.4% 72.1% $257

Clothing & Footwear

Austin, TX

$130 4.9%

Ambato

$94 15.6% 27.7% $36

Sport & Entertainment

Austin, TX

$88 3.3%

Ambato

$39 6.4% 55.9% $49

Getting Around

Austin, TX

$57 2.1%

Ambato

$21 3.5% 63.1% $36

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,195 in Austin, TX versus $178 in Ambato. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Austin, TX are about 7.6 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $88 in Austin, TX versus $30 in Ambato. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $407 vs $148 – making Ambato the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🇪🇨 Ambato

🕒 Local time

22:10 10:10 PM

23:10 11:10 PM

1 h ahead of Austin, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

974,447

165,185

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.891 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Austin, TX Ambato 4,050 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Austin, TX
Ambato

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

Austin, TX vs Ambato: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX costs about 346% 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 $4,034 per month in Austin, TX and $905 in Ambato. 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 $2,195 in Austin, TX.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $88 in Austin, TX and $30 in Ambato. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,689 in Austin, TX and $603 in Ambato. That makes Ambato about 78% cheaper.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Ambato, where all-in costs run around $603, than in Austin, TX at $2,689. In Ambato it covers expenses comfortably, while in Austin, TX 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.

If budget matters most, go with Ambato. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Austin, TX makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.