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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Barcelona costs about 323% more than Ambato, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.39 €15.81

$3.51 $3.51

423.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 €59.5

$30.47 $30.47

127.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.13 €12.15

$5.30 $5.30

166.60%

Cappuccino

$3.13 €2.69

$2.64 $2.64

18.56%

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

$3.02 €2.59

$0.71 $0.71

325.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 €1.69

$0.64 $0.64

206.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.00 €3.44

$1.95 $1.95

105.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 €4.09

$2.99 $2.99

59.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 €1.07

$0.99 $0.99

26.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 €1.86

$1.01 $1.01

113.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 €1.45

$1.58 $1.58

6.96%

Eggs

$4.93 €4.24

$1.75 $1.75

181.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 €15.37

$5.40 $5.40

231.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.61 €8.26

$3.06 $3.06

214.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.34 €16.63

$3.91 $3.91

394.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 €2.78

$1.27 $1.27

155.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 €1.87

$0.89 $0.89

144.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.67 €2.30

$0.97 $0.97

175.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.77 €2.38

$0.98 $0.98

182.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 €1.90

$0.83 $0.83

166.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 €1.88

$0.98 $0.98

123.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 €1.31

$0.63 $0.63

141.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 €0.79

$1.03 $1.03

-10.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.12 €6.12

$5.27 $5.27

35.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.14 €6.99

$8.84 $8.84

-7.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.47 $1.47

2.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 €2.39

$2.77 $2.77

0.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.15 €2.71

$0.29 $0.29

986.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.99 €23.21

$13.92 $13.92

93.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 €2.79

$0.97 $0.97

235.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.13 $1.13

32.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.89 €30.00

$9.41 $9.41

270.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.50

$0.82 $0.82

113.41%

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

$36.7K €31.5K

$23.3K $23.3K

57.64%

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

$30.9K €26.6K

$28.2K $28.2K

9.53%

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

$188 €161

$36.45 $36.45

414.76%

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

$15.44 €13.27

$12.16 $12.16

26.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.80 €32.49

$26.25 $26.25

44.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 €49.16

$29.83 $29.83

91.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 €14.44

Cinema Ticket

$11.58 €9.95

$4.52 $4.52

156.19%

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

$1,003 €862

$221 $221

354.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K €14.6K

$2,437 $2,437

598.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.2 €76.7

$48.05 $48.05

85.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.87 €35.14

$35.06 $35.06

16.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 €94.5

$72.6 $72.6

51.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 €105

$55.2 $55.2

122.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,673 €1,438

$180 $180

830.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 €1,145

$123 $123

979.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,596 €2,232

$376 $376

589.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,950 €1,676

$276 $276

606.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,573 €6,511

$1,139 $1,139

565.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,370 €4,617

$889 $889

504.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,402 €2,065

$666 $666

260.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.16

-64.89%

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

Last update for Barcelona: August 30, 2026

Last update for Ambato: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,673 in Barcelona versus $180 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 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 $69.0 in Barcelona versus $30.00 in Ambato. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $332 vs $147 – 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

Barcelona vs Ambato: 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 $3,743 per month in Barcelona and $884 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Barcelona and $30.00 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 $2,495 in Barcelona and $589 in Ambato. 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.