Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Vancouver and Ambato

For one person, living is cheaper in Ambato: $603 a month against $2,683 in Vancouver, rent and utilities included – about $25,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

128

Cost of Living Index in Vancouver
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Vancouver Living Index
29

Cost of Living Index in Ambato
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Ambato Living Index

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Vancouver

🇨🇦 Canada

$2,683

/mo nomad

Ambato

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$603

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,683 per month in Vancouver vs $603 in Ambato, rent included.

Vancouver $2,683
Ambato $603

A couple spends around $3,963 per month in Vancouver vs $991 in Ambato, rent included.

Vancouver $3,963
Ambato $991

A family of three spends $5,244 per month in Vancouver vs $1,379 in Ambato, rent included.

Vancouver $5,244
Ambato $1,379

Vancouver costs about 345% more than Ambato, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Vancouver sits 98% above the global median, while Ambato is 55% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.10 CA$25.37

$3.59 $3.59

404.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.0 CA$99.5

$29.53 $29.53

140.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.57 CA$14.81

$5.22 $5.22

102.49%

Cappuccino

$3.97 CA$5.56

$2.66 $2.66

49.25%

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

$2.07 CA$2.90

$0.81 $0.81

155.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 CA$2.59

$0.73 $0.73

153.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.67 CA$7.95

$1.96 $1.96

189.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.61 CA$9.27

$3.48 $3.48

89.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 CA$3.02

$0.98 $0.98

120.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 CA$3.62

$1.03 $1.03

150.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.30 CA$6.02

$1.53 $1.53

181.05%

Eggs

$4.09 CA$5.74

$1.69 $1.69

142.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.12 CA$16.98

$5.65 $5.65

114.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.28 CA$18.62

$3.08 $3.08

331.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.11 CA$28.19

$3.97 $3.97

406.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.96 CA$5.56

$1.29 $1.29

206.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 CA$2.00

$0.86 $0.86

66.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.71 CA$5.20

$0.98 $0.98

278.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.92 CA$5.50

$0.98 $0.98

300.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 CA$4.02

$0.81 $0.81

254.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.98 CA$4.17

$0.99 $0.99

201.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 CA$3.66

$0.71 $0.71

267.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 CA$2.29

$1.03 $1.03

58.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.94 CA$22.35

$5.37 $5.37

196.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 CA$19.97

$8.94 $8.94

59.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 CA$3.54

$1.45 $1.45

73.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 CA$4.03

$2.77 $2.77

3.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.57 CA$3.60

$0.31 $0.31

729.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.4 CA$118

$13.77 $13.77

512.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.74 CA$3.85

$0.63 $0.63

334.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 CA$2.28

$1.08 $1.08

50.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.90 CA$44.71

$9.72 $9.72

228.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 CA$2.04

$0.83 $0.83

75.90%

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

$26.7K CA$37.4K

$23.4K $23.4K

14.34%

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

$21.0K CA$29.5K

$28.1K $28.1K

-25.30%

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

$88.2 CA$124

$39.43 $39.43

123.79%

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

$36.72 CA$51.5

$13.01 $13.01

182.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.81 CA$69.8

$26.62 $26.62

87.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.34 CA$63.6

$29.70 $29.70

52.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.13 CA$17.00

$16.28 $16.28

-25.49%

Cinema Ticket

$12.55 CA$17.59

$4.52 $4.52

177.65%

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

$1,055 CA$1,479

$221 $221

377.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.5K CA$39.9K

$2,453 $2,453

1061.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 CA$79.1

$47.58 $47.58

18.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.37 CA$48.18

$35.68 $35.68

-3.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 CA$126

$71.7 $71.7

25.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.3 CA$132

$54.6 $54.6

72.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,738 CA$2,436

$178 $178

877.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,528 CA$2,143

$123 $123

1140.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,107 CA$4,355

$377 $377

723.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,547 CA$3,570

$274 $274

828.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,540 CA$12.0K

$1,161 $1,161

635.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,328 CA$8,870

$908 $908

596.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,770 CA$5,284

$666 $666

465.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.24

-52.89%

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

Last update for Vancouver: November 2, 2026

Last update for Ambato: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Vancouver

$1.5K 57%

Ambato

$123 20.4% 91.9% $1.4K

Groceries & Markets

Vancouver

$398 14.9%

Ambato

$148 24.5% 62.9% $250

Eating Out

Vancouver

$281 10.5%

Ambato

$99 16.4% 64.7% $182

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Vancouver

$175 6.5%

Ambato

$79 13.1% 54.8% $96

Clothing & Footwear

Vancouver

$124 4.6%

Ambato

$94 15.6% 23.8% $29

Getting Around

Vancouver

$106 3.9%

Ambato

$21 3.5% 80% $84

Sport & Entertainment

Vancouver

$70 2.6%

Ambato

$39 6.4% 45% $32

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,738 in Vancouver 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 in Vancouver are about 5.7 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71 in Vancouver versus $30 in Ambato. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $398 vs $148 – making Ambato the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇦 Vancouver

🇪🇨 Ambato

🕒 Local time

00:23 12:23 AM

02:23 2:23 AM

2 h ahead of Vancouver

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

631,486

165,185

💱 Currency

Canadian Dollar CAD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CAD = 0.713 USD

1 CAD = 0.635 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇦 Canadian Dollar ($)

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.713 USD). 1 EUR = 1.57 CAD (1 CAD = 0.635 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CAD in detail →

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Between locations

Vancouver Ambato 7,040 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Vancouver
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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

Vancouver vs Ambato: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vancouver costs about 345% 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 $4,024 per month in Vancouver 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 $1,738 in Vancouver.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71 in Vancouver 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 $2,683 in Vancouver and $603 in Ambato. That makes Ambato about 78% cheaper.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Ambato, where all-in costs run around $603, than in Vancouver at $2,683. In Ambato it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vancouver 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.

If budget matters most, go with Ambato. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Vancouver makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.