Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Quito and Ambato

For one person, living is cheaper in Ambato: $605 a month against $978 in Quito, rent and utilities included – about $4,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

48

Cost of Living Index in Quito
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Quito Living Index
30

Cost of Living Index in Ambato
Learn more

Ambato Living Index

Jump to prices

Quito

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$978

/mo nomad

Ambato

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$605

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $978 per month in Quito vs $605 in Ambato, rent included.

Quito $978
Ambato $605

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Quito vs $985 in Ambato, rent included.

Quito $1,586
Ambato $985

A family of three spends $2,194 per month in Quito vs $1,364 in Ambato, rent included.

Quito $2,194
Ambato $1,364

Quito costs about 62% more than Ambato, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Quito and Ambato are more affordable than the global median – Quito 28% lower, Ambato 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.08 $6.08

$3.46 $3.46

75.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.5 $55.5

$29.93 $29.93

85.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.61 $7.61

$5.32 $5.32

43.05%

Cappuccino

$3.40 $3.40

$2.76 $2.76

23.19%

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

$1.37 $1.37

$0.82 $0.82

67.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 $1.09

$0.75 $0.75

45.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 $3.43

$1.96 $1.96

75.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.06 $6.06

$3.22 $3.22

88.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$0.98 $0.98

16.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 $1.60

$0.98 $0.98

63.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.57 $1.57

0.64%

Eggs

$2.12 $2.12

$1.73 $1.73

22.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.58 $6.58

$5.42 $5.42

21.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$3.05 $3.05

80.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.65 $7.65

$3.93 $3.93

94.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.27 $1.27

76.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 $1.19

$0.88 $0.88

35.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.03 $1.03

29.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.03 $1.03

9.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 $1.24

$0.77 $0.77

61.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 $1.02

$0.99 $0.99

3.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 $0.92

$0.73 $0.73

26.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.03 $1.03

1.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.16 $6.16

$5.15 $5.15

19.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.07 $10.07

$8.78 $8.78

14.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.45 $1.45

8.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.81 $2.81

9.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 $0.36

$0.29 $0.29

24.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.37 $21.37

$14.21 $14.21

50.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.39 $1.39

10.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.12 $1.12

33.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.84 $9.84

$9.43 $9.43

4.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$0.86 $0.86

-5.81%

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

$21.3K $21.3K

$23.3K $23.3K

-8.92%

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

$27.9K $27.9K

$28.1K $28.1K

-0.88%

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

$28.75 $28.75

$39.20 $39.20

-26.66%

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

$17.86 $17.86

$13.58 $13.58

31.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.20 $28.20

$26.39 $26.39

6.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.08 $46.08

$29.76 $29.76

54.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.76 $17.76

Cinema Ticket

$6.34 $6.34

$4.39 $4.39

44.42%

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

$739 $739

$224 $224

229.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,909 $8,909

$2,408 $2,408

269.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.0 $71.0

$48.25 $48.25

47.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.4 $50.4

$35.22 $35.22

43.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 $114

$71.2 $71.2

60.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 $107

$55.5 $55.5

93.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$491 $491

$178 $178

175.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 $309

$124 $124

148.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$932 $932

$380 $380

145.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$540 $540

$273 $273

98.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,759 $1,759

$1,130 $1,130

55.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$715 $715

$884 $884

-19.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$594 $594

$679 $679

-12.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.12

12.44%

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

Last update for Quito: October 10, 2026

Last update for Ambato: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Quito

$309 31.6%

Ambato

$124 20.5% 59.8% $185

Groceries & Markets

Quito

$198 20.3%

Ambato

$147 24.3% 25.8% $51

Clothing & Footwear

Quito

$154 15.8%

Ambato

$95 15.6% 38.7% $60

Eating Out

Quito

$151 15.5%

Ambato

$99 16.4% 34.5% $52

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Quito

$75 7.7%

Ambato

$79 13.1% 5.8% $4.4

Sport & Entertainment

Quito

$59 6%

Ambato

$39 6.4% 34.4% $20

Getting Around

Quito

$32 3.3%

Ambato

$22 3.7% 29.7% $9.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $491 in Quito 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 14% 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 $55.0 in Quito versus $30.00 in Ambato. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $198 vs $147 – making Ambato the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇪🇨 Quito

🇪🇨 Ambato

🕒 Local time

00:30 12:30 AM

Same time as Quito

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,671,191 Capital

165,185

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Quito Ambato 110 km

From you

Quito
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

Quito vs Ambato: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Quito costs about 62% more than Ambato, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,467 per month in Quito and $908 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 $55.0 in Quito 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 $978 in Quito and $605 in Ambato. That's a gap of about 62%.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ambato, where all-in costs run around $605, than in Quito at $978. In Ambato it covers expenses comfortably, while in Quito it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ambato costs $605 versus $978 in Quito. 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, Quito makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.