Sound libraries

Urban Ambience Sound Effects

Urban ambience sound effects from cities all over the world. New York sidewalks. Tube trains in London. Parks, building sites, late-night streets and that distant city hum you only notice when it stops. Some of it is close and busy, some is far off and steady, so you can build a city that sits quietly behind the dialogue or one that's right in your face.

Libraries
262
Publishers
98
Formats
Mono, stereo, M/S, surround, ambisonic
Sample rates
44.1 to 192 kHz
Licence
Royalty-free for commercial work
Price range
$4.80 to $400
FiltersAll 262 libraries in Urban AmbienceFilter by the spec, not just the subjectRecorded or designed, sample rate, bit depth, channel format, embedded metadata and file count. Narrow it down before you download anything.
Recorded or designed
RecordedDesigned

Recorded means captured in the field or a studio. Designed means built from other material.

Channel format
MonoStereoM/SSurroundAmbisonic

Mono for 3D positional audio. Ambisonic and surround for immersive mixes.

Embedded metadata
Tagged for Soundminer or UCSUntagged

Soundminer and UCS fields written into the files.

All 262 libraries in Urban Ambience.
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New in Urban Ambience

96 kHz, 24-bit. Formats: Stereo.
Japan ambience sound effects recorded in winter across Kyoto, Nara, and Osaka, featuring train interiors, station announcements, bus interiors, crosswalks, busy street traffic, walla, and street musicians.
50 files · 1.96 GB
96 kHz, 24-bit. Formats: Stereo.
China ambience sound effects recorded across Shanghai, Dali, and Shangri-La, featuring busy intersections, Pudong Airport, Buddhist temple chanting, night crickets and frogs, and windy grasslands in 77 24-bit/96kHz files.
77 files · 4.16 GB
44.1 to 96 kHz, 24 to 32-bit. Formats: Stereo.
Moscow and Saint Petersburg sound effects featuring 171 clips of street traffic, subway rides, train stations, airport crowds, museum murmur, elevators, and canal waves recorded between 2012 and 2015.
171 files · 10.5 GB
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All 262 libraries in Urban Ambience

-50%
48 to 96 kHz, 24 to 32-bit. Formats: Mono, Stereo.
A professional library of sound effects for film, television, and media, containing ambiences, Foley, impacts, and a range of detailed design elements.
451 files · 17.16 GB · Metadata
Was $80.00, now $40.00
Add Brown Bird General to cart
-60%
48 kHz, 24-bit. Formats: Stereo.
Japan field recording sound effects captured across Tokyo, Osaka, Hiroshima, Kyoto, and other cities, featuring pachinko parlors, train and metro interiors, street traffic, pedestrian crossings, ramen shops, suburban neighborhoods, and Tsukuba Circuit racing.
149 files · 10.3 GB · Metadata
Was $80.00, now $32.00
Add Sounds from Japan to cart
-50%
96 kHz, 24-bit. Formats: Stereo.
Immersive Moroccan soundscapes blend market prayers with natural sound effects, capturing authentic ambience across three distinct locations, from bustling souks to serene desert winds.
55 files · 3.66 GB · Metadata
Was $10.00, now $5.00
Add Background Morocco to cart
-20%
96 kHz, 24-bit. Formats: Stereo.
Thunderstorm sound effects featuring 66 files of city, village, and countryside rain, from windowsill drops, gazebo rain, and rattling metal plates to standalone thunder one-shots, recorded at 96 kHz, 24-bit.
66 files · 4.99 GB
-55%
48 to 96 kHz, 24-bit. Formats: Stereo.
This library comprises 567 global ambient sound effects, featuring urban cityscapes, nature, transportation, and public spaces recorded across the USA, Brazil, India, Europe, and East Asia.
567 files · 43 GB · Metadata
-60%
96 kHz, 24-bit. Formats: Stereo.
Detailed recordings capture authentic London transport ambience, featuring underground and railway sound effects, from screeching rails to passenger chatter and station announcements in high-quality 24-bit format.
23 files · 1.42 GB · Metadata
96 kHz, 24-bit. Formats: Stereo.
City rain sound effects capturing 26 minutes of rainfall on streets, sidewalks, and buildings across three minimally processed field recordings delivered in 96 kHz / 24-bit stereo WAV.
3 files · 869 MB · Metadata
96 kHz, 24-bit. Formats: Stereo, M/S.
Background ambience sound effects encompassing diverse environments, from bustling theme parks to alien worlds, featuring 100 high-quality, loopable recordings captured in 96kHz/24-bit stereo format.
100 files · 2.75 GB · Metadata
-65%
96 to 192 kHz, 24-bit. Formats: Stereo.
Featuring over 400 files with UCS metadata, this collection covers authentic UK ambiences, ranging from London streets and Northern England crowds to Scottish landmarks and rural sound effects.
402 files · 38 GB · Metadata
-40%
96 kHz, 24-bit. Formats: Stereo.
From the bustling Ruhr region of Germany, nearly 5 hours of sound effects capture authentic urban life, featuring industrial zones, crowds, transport networks, and natural city spaces.
143 files · 10.05 GB · Metadata
Was $59.00, now $35.40
Add Urban Ambiences to cart
-60%
96 kHz, 24-bit. Formats: Stereo.
Natural ambiences and sound effects captured across northern England, featuring 124 recordings of canals, markets, traffic, and room tones spanning 328 minutes of high-quality audio.
10.68 GB · Metadata
Was $69.00, now $27.60
Add UK Small Town Bundle to cart
-60%
96 kHz, 24-bit. Formats: Stereo.
Eastern European locations provide the backdrop for this extensive collection of horror-themed sound effects, featuring multilayered ambiences from abandoned mansions, shipyards, and ancient tombs in 96kHz, 24bit quality.
121 files · 11.7 GB · Metadata
192 kHz, 24-bit. Formats: Stereo, M/S.
Detailed urban ambiences from Prague feature layered sound effects, including distant trains and sirens, recorded in pristine 192kHz quality using professional Sanken and Sennheiser microphones.
14 files · 9.14 GB · Metadata
-30%
96 kHz, 16-bit. Formats: Stereo.
This comprehensive surround-sound library captures authentic urban sound effects across cities, featuring varied ambient backgrounds from downtown bustle to quiet parks, with recordings lasting between 2.5-8 minutes.
99 files · 12.92 GB · Metadata
Was $55.00, now $38.50
Add Urban Air to cart
-15%Only on Sonniss
96 kHz, 24-bit. Formats: Stereo.
Immersive amusement park ambiences from Buenos Aires feature authentic crowd reactions and sound effects, capturing the energetic atmosphere of eleven distinct carnival locations.
11 files · 443.7 MB · Metadata
96 kHz, 24-bit. Formats: Stereo.
Four-channel urban recordings capture Berlin's diverse soundscape, featuring pristine sound effects of traffic, open spaces, and city ambiences recorded with premium DPA microphones across multiple locations.
34 files · 26.7 GB · Metadata
-30%
96 to 192 kHz, 24-bit. Formats: Mono, Stereo.
Construction site sound effects recorded at 192kHz, covering angle grinders, nail guns, DEWALT and Makita drills, excavators, tree saws, concrete pours, tape, rope, and site ambiences.
225 files · 4.04 GB · Metadata
-60%
96 kHz, 24-bit. Formats: Stereo.
London ambience sound effects featuring 24-bit/96kHz recordings of busy streets, cafes, construction sites, passing traffic, quiet parks, and heavy bridge rumbles captured across the UK capital.
21 files · 1.34 GB · Metadata
Was $17.00, now $6.80
Add London Ambiences to cart
-30%
96 kHz, 24-bit. Formats: Stereo.
Hong Kong urban ambience sound effects featuring 39 recordings at 96kHz/24-bit across street markets, MTR metro stations, harbour scenes, Kowloon Park, crosswalk alerts, ferry interiors, and Cantonese crowd walla.
39 files · 2.35 GB · Metadata
-55%
48 to 96 kHz, 24-bit. Formats: Mono, Stereo.
A mini library of 50 ambient sound effects from the Americas, Europe, and Asia, featuring diverse content including cityscapes, public spaces, traffic, and natural environments.
50 files · 4.17 GB · Metadata
44.1 kHz, 16-bit. Formats: Stereo.
A collection of 30 city ambiance sound effects recordings featuring urban traffic, rain, playgrounds, and birds from diverse street and rooftop perspectives.
30 files · 1.57 GB
44.1 kHz, 16-bit. Formats: Stereo.
This library contains 43 city ambience sound effects. Included are street traffic, rain, rooftop views, backyard sounds, exterior vents, and mixed urban atmospheres for diverse settings.
43 files · 1 GB
-60%
96 kHz, 24-bit. Formats: Stereo.
Scottish ambiences featuring authentic field recordings capture local accents, city atmospheres, and transportation sound effects, delivered in high-quality 24-bit format with detailed metadata.
24 files · 2.39 GB · Metadata

Built for sound pros who need to reflect the heartbeat of modern life (not just hint at it), these textures bring grit, movement, and authenticity to your mix.

Public Place Ambience, Restaurant & Bar Ambience, Transportation Ambience, Traffic Ambience, Crowds, and Suburban Ambience sit right next door.

Before you buy

Where do I start?

Tell us what you are making and we will narrow it down for you. Or start from a recordist whose work you already know. Some release here and nowhere else.

Can I use these commercially?

Yes. One licence covers commercial use, including client work, broadcast and games. No subscription, and nothing expires.

Film, games, audiobooks, all of it?

All of it. The licence does not care what you are making. Audiobooks, podcasts, film, television, games, theatre, advertising, installations.

Do you accept AI-generated sounds?

No. Every library here was recorded or designed by people. We do not accept generated audio from publishers.

How do I know a sound is in there before I pay?

Libraries publish a full tracklist, linked on the library page, and you can play the previews first. Still not sure? Ask us and we will check for you.

Will the files work with my setup?

Everything is WAV. 4,223 libraries carry embedded metadata for Soundminer and UCS, and the sample rate, bit depth and channel format are shown on the library page before you open it.

Where are the full licence terms?

On the licence page, in full, before you buy. Studio and multi-seat terms are there too.

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