Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Ambato Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Ambato

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,456 per month in Mexico City vs $673 in Ambato, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,361 per month in Mexico City vs $1,005 in Ambato, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,266 per month in Mexico City vs $1,336 in Ambato, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 116% more than Ambato, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Ambato is 50% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$2.97 $2.97

340.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$24.88 $24.88

116.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$5.27 $5.27

83.68%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$2.51 $2.51

49.00%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$0.78 $0.78

107.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.69 $0.69

68.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$1.98 $1.98

63.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$3.40 $3.40

39.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$1.02 $1.02

61.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$0.99 $0.99

177.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$1.58 $1.58

18.35%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$1.95 $1.95

28.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$2.97 $2.97

243.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$3.04 $3.04

171.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$3.93 $3.93

200.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$0.98 $0.98

207.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$0.98 $0.98

84.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$0.98 $0.98

104.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$1.02 $1.02

96.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$1.02 $1.02

103.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$0.98 $0.98

131.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$0.46 $0.46

217.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$1.02 $1.02

5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$5.65 $5.65

-23.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$8.97 $8.97

89.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$1.45 $1.45

19.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$3.04 $3.04

17.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.31 $0.31

25.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

$23.71 $23.71

-21.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$0.62 $0.62

114.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$0.98 $0.98

-71.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$9.27 $9.27

-43.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$0.64 $0.64

109.38%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$29.8K $29.8K

-34.95%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$29.1K $29.1K

-18.08%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$39.27 $39.27

3.62%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$13.82 $13.82

94.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$30.90 $30.90

-1.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$29.48 $29.48

79.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$14.45 $14.45

84.43%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$6.33 $6.33

2.84%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$246 $246

73.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$2,434 $2,434

331.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$50.9 $50.9

12.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$38.12 $38.12

19.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$87.1 $87.1

19.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$59.3 $59.3

81.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$346 $346

190.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$189 $189

230.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$629 $629

235.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$246 $246

395.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

$1,130 $1,130

243.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

$884 $884

129.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$664 $664

56.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

41.75%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Ambato: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,003 in Mexico City versus $346 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 56% higher in Mexico City, 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 $54.0 in Mexico City versus $25.00 in Ambato. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $140 – 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

Mexico City vs Ambato: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City costs about 116% 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 $2,185 per month in Mexico City and $1,009 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 $54.0 in Mexico City and $25.00 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 $1,456 in Mexico City and $673 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 $673, than in Mexico City at $1,456. In Ambato it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ambato costs $673 versus $1,456 in Mexico City. 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, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.