Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Guayaquil and Ambato

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.

61

Cost of Living Index in Guayaquil
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Guayaquil Living Index
29

Cost of Living Index in Ambato
Learn more

Ambato Living Index

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Guayaquil

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$1,281

/mo nomad

Ambato

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$603

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Guayaquil 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 Guayaquil and in Ambato actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

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

Guayaquil $1,281
Ambato $603

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

Guayaquil $1,944
Ambato $991

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

Guayaquil $2,607
Ambato $1,379

Guayaquil costs about 112% more than Ambato, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.10 $4.10

$3.59 $3.59

14.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.2 $50.2

$29.53 $29.53

70.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.92 $8.92

$5.22 $5.22

70.88%

Cappuccino

$2.72 $2.72

$2.66 $2.66

2.26%

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

$0.84 $0.84

$0.81 $0.81

3.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 $0.64

$0.73 $0.73

-12.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.02 $3.02

$1.96 $1.96

54.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 $4.35

$3.48 $3.48

25.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.98 $0.98

19.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.03 $1.03

95.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.53 $1.53

-5.23%

Eggs

$2.06 $2.06

$1.69 $1.69

21.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.78 $6.78

$5.65 $5.65

20.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.10 $5.10

$3.08 $3.08

65.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.45 $9.45

$3.97 $3.97

138.04%

Apples (1kg)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.29 $1.29

18.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 $1.18

$0.86 $0.86

37.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 $0.98

Tomato (1kg)

$0.95 $0.95

$0.98 $0.98

-3.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.81 $0.81

58.02%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 $0.91

$0.99 $0.99

-8.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 $0.83

$0.71 $0.71

16.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.03 $1.03

-8.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.87 $5.87

$5.37 $5.37

9.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.21 $12.21

$8.94 $8.94

36.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.45 $1.45

6.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.77 $2.77

-20.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 $0.36

$0.31 $0.31

16.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.28 $26.28

$13.77 $13.77

90.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.82 $2.82

$0.63 $0.63

347.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.08 $1.08

41.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.06 $12.06

$9.72 $9.72

24.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$0.83 $0.83

-3.61%

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

$22.7K $22.7K

$23.4K $23.4K

-2.92%

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

$30.7K $30.7K

$28.1K $28.1K

9.21%

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

$130 $130

$39.43 $39.43

230.81%

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

$14.70 $14.70

$13.01 $13.01

12.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.68 $25.68

$26.62 $26.62

-3.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.56 $44.56

$29.70 $29.70

50.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.30 $27.30

$16.28 $16.28

67.69%

Cinema Ticket

$7.52 $7.52

$4.52 $4.52

66.37%

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

$368 $368

$221 $221

66.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,002 $9,002

$2,453 $2,453

267.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.8 $65.8

$47.58 $47.58

38.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.98 $39.98

$35.68 $35.68

12.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 $125

$71.7 $71.7

73.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.4 $93.4

$54.6 $54.6

70.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$653 $653

$178 $178

267.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$545 $545

$123 $123

342.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$976 $976

$377 $377

158.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$940 $940

$274 $274

242.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,009 $2,009

$1,161 $1,161

73.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,201 $1,201

$908 $908

32.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$613 $613

$666 $666

-8.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.05

11.67%

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

Last update for Guayaquil: November 1, 2026

Last update for Ambato: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Guayaquil

$545 42.5%

Ambato

$123 20.4% 77.4% $422

Groceries & Markets

Guayaquil

$200 15.6%

Ambato

$148 24.5% 26.1% $52

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Guayaquil

$171 13.3%

Ambato

$79 13.1% 53.7% $92

Clothing & Footwear

Guayaquil

$146 11.4%

Ambato

$94 15.6% 35.3% $51

Eating Out

Guayaquil

$122 9.5%

Ambato

$99 16.4% 18.6% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Guayaquil

$60 4.7%

Ambato

$39 6.4% 35% $21

Getting Around

Guayaquil

$38 3%

Ambato

$21 3.5% 44.9% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $653 in Guayaquil 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 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 $50 in Guayaquil versus $30 in Ambato. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $200 vs $148 – making Ambato the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇪🇨 Guayaquil

🇪🇨 Ambato

🕒 Local time

02:50 2:50 AM

Same time as Guayaquil

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,500,000

165,185

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 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

Guayaquil vs Ambato: 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 $1,922 per month in Guayaquil 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 $653 in Guayaquil.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50 in Guayaquil 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 $1,281 in Guayaquil and $603 in Ambato. 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.