Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ambato Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ambato

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $589 in Ambato, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $963 in Ambato, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $1,337 in Ambato, rent included.

Medellin costs about 191% more than Ambato, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Ambato is 57% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.2K

$3.51 $3.51

128.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 151.7K

$30.47 $30.47

58.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.7K

$5.30 $5.30

84.34%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,149

$2.64 $2.64

10.23%

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

$1.94 COP 6,110

$0.71 $0.71

173.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,783

$0.64 $0.64

137.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,721

$1.95 $1.95

58.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

$2.99 $2.99

91.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,287

$0.99 $0.99

37.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,505

$1.01 $1.01

136.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,346

$1.58 $1.58

7.59%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,021

$1.75 $1.75

64.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.2K

$5.40 $5.40

84.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.9K

$3.06 $3.06

252.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.3K

$3.91 $3.91

276.73%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$1.27 $1.27

222.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,940

$0.89 $0.89

76.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,682

$0.97 $0.97

119.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,959

$0.98 $0.98

125.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,435

$0.83 $0.83

146.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,728

$0.98 $0.98

53.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,740

$0.63 $0.63

88.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,640

$1.03 $1.03

12.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$5.27 $5.27

-26.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.4K

$8.84 $8.84

63.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,978

$1.47 $1.47

7.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,889

$2.77 $2.77

2.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,672

$0.29 $0.29

303.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

$13.92 $13.92

458.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,038

$0.97 $0.97

31.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

$1.13 $1.13

84.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

$9.41 $9.41

-8.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,080

$0.82 $0.82

58.54%

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

$27.7K COP 86.9M

$23.3K $23.3K

18.93%

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

$35.5K COP 111.6M

$28.2K $28.2K

25.71%

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

$176 COP 553.4K

$36.45 $36.45

383.05%

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

$13.37 COP 42.0K

$12.16 $12.16

9.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.0K

$26.25 $26.25

13.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.7K

$29.83 $29.83

50.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

$4.52 $4.52

37.17%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$221 $221

259.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

$2,437 $2,437

270.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.1K

$48.05 $48.05

78.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 183.8K

$35.06 $35.06

66.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 428.4K

$72.6 $72.6

87.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.1K

$55.2 $55.2

86.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$180 $180

489.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$123 $123

450.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$376 $376

434.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$276 $276

323.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

$1,139 $1,139

261.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$889 $889

91.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$666 $666

-0.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

21.56%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Ambato: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin 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 0% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $30.00 in Ambato. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 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

Medellin vs Ambato: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 191% 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 $2,574 per month in Medellin 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 $48.00 in Medellin 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 $1,716 in Medellin 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 Medellin at $1,716. In Ambato it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ambato costs $589 versus $1,716 in Medellin. 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, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.