Hello, I live in USA and am strongly considering moving to Ecuador. I'll be leaving behind my family and my girlfriend of 5 years, and our careers - she a doctor, me in investments / finance. Its a lot to leave behind but I am dissatisfied with the political environment of the USA and feel cultural degradation is a major issue ... So, anyways, I am seeking a city of warm people, warm climate, and warmer lifestyle. I am thinking most strongly of life in CUENCA, at least for the first year or two. I plan to be certified to teach English as a safe way to gain employment, but also, I may do sales calls (appointment setting) for the businesses of friends back in the states at $50 / appt, and then wait tables or something. I'd like some advice from a local on life for expats in Ecuador in general, or Cuenca if familiar. Once I received citizenship and mastered the Spanish language, would I have a shot at breaking into work in the financial industry as a gringo? Also, realistically, what is a monthly income I will need to rent a safe apartment in city center, have internet, afford a healthy diet from the markets, and grab a beer with friends here and there - I was thinking $600/month at a minimum? I'll be checking back here ... thinking of making the move soon, but may do the smart thing and wait until this summer so I will have 25k saved to achieve citizenship. Thanks BigSoccer fans for your help - enjoying this MLS CUP Final between Galaxy and Dynamo. Cheers
Hey Royslist. Cuenca is a nice place, the people are pretty friendly and you wont look out of place as a "gringo" because there are always a lot of tourists roaming around in the city. Cuenca isn't exactly the warmest place , but its not cold either. When the sun is out you really feel it m at nigh you will need a warm sweater for the most part. For warmer climates i suggest la costa regions of ecuador. Food in cuenca is very cheap ( as is in all of ecuador ) You can go out and have an excellent meal for under 3dollars. The local beer in ecuador is veryy cheap in comparison to beer in the united states and in canada. Your typical 40oz is a whopping 1dollar, possibly 1.25-2.00dollars if your at a club or bar. When i was in Giron for 3months this summer( 45mins from cuenca ) The usual weekend grocery shopping came out to about 25$. Im not sure how much rent would be and not sure how much internet is ( i think around 20 something a month ). I dont know about the financial aspect and all that. I hope this helped a bit .
If your making 600 a month in ecuador thats a very good income. Im pretty sure the minimum monthly income is between 170-270$
Hi royslist, I'll give you my personal insight given I am an American born to an Ecuadorian Mother/American father and have traveled back and forth between the States and Ecuador for many years. I have an feeling that you may have read this article? http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/RetirementandWills/RetireInStyle/the-worlds-best-places-to-retire.aspx or one like it. Anywhoo, I have never been to Cuenca personally but plan to, it's a colonial city up in the Andes. I doubt it's very calid(warm) but I heard it's not too cold either. I've been told great things about Cuenca, it's very beautiful known for it's flowers and colonial style structures and probably has the highest concentration of expats in the country. Food and housing is very cheap in general in all of Ecuador but you will find that a lot of the things you might see as basic necessities, over there are more like luxuries. Cars, TV's, Appliances, Phone service, Internet, cable TV, etc. are more expensive. If you want the quality stuff you'll spend the same or more then in the States. I myself have a house in Playas, Ecuador(2nd best climate in the world) right on the beach, it's huge and I usually stay a couple months at a time. I end up spending around $1200 during my stay, without paying rent... life in Ecuador doesn't seem that cheap anymore. Personally I opt to pay for a maid/cook and a "guard" this is the norm over there for the upscale or expats although it might be different in Cuenca(safer) and you might not need a guard but if you have valuables and want to be on the safe side you might want someone watching over you and you condo/apartment. Of course some Apartments or condos have their own. Usually for me that runs me $200 a month(the minimum) and if you leave to travel somewhere it's almost necessary to pay someone to keep guard until you return. Again this is my personal experience and like I said I've never been to Cuenca I assume it's a lot safer there due to the already established expat community. Being a "Gringo" you should be able to find work especially with your experience. As an English teacher I'm not sure what the pay is but it wouldn't be much I assume. Once you learn the language you should be able to break into the financial industry. In this case though you would probably have to move to Quito or Guayaquil. Guayaquil will have a significant cultutre shock, it's very hot, over-populated, a bit dirty and kind of dangerous. Quito is more foreign friendly but still quite different culturally and will take time for you to adapt. For some though it's not a bad transition I know Gringos who love it in these citys and wish they could live there if they could. The thing that makes Ecuador great as a whole is the people, I have met some of the greatest people in my life in Ecuador, they are very fun, warm and make living there a great experience. It seems to me Ecuador has become more culturally diverse over the years, you won't have trouble meeting people of your like and the locals won't treat you like some extraterestial. Life there is comfortable for the most part but at the end of the day it is a different culture, a very Latino culture so get used to salsa music blaring, lot's of partying and women always hitting on you, although from what I heard Cuenca is much more peaceful then the rest of Ecuador. Also things will usually take longer to do in Ecuador you have to be a patient person living there and also pretty independent. In my experiences Americans are treated well in Ecuador but just don't get too trustworthy at the end of the day it's a poor country and in my case I like to give back as much as possible while I'm there treat the locals well contribute to their business. I always have people working for me doing carpentry in my house I give gifts to the kids when I can, I spend at the local restaurants and digs, this keeps you in good regards with the people around you, at the end of the day you're kind of at their mercy.(police is not too dependable) I can tell you though I have never experienced any delinquency or criminal act to my person my whole time traveling there and I have been to what some considered "redzones" even at night, most of what I'm warning you about is hearsay, my personal experience has always been fun and safe. I've wrote a book practically so I'll stop here. My suggestion would be for you to travel there yourself for a couple weeks and get a feel for what it's like, I guarantee you'll love it but ultimately the decision to make a living there would be a more dificult one. Here are a few pics of my House by the beach in Playas that I am selling...
Not anymore, I send $550 for child support a month for 2 kids and it's barely enough, actually it's not enough but the mothers help out too. But yeah you need $500-600 minimum to live a middle class standard lifestyle if you have no kids. the MINIMUM salary over there is $250 a month, that's like living of $1200 a month here in the US.
Thanks for clearing that up. I Knew that the minimum salary was around those figures. But Realistically the average person in Ecuador isnt earning between 500-600$ a month.
Hi, wonderful information fellas, thank you. I'll be leaving behind my girlfriend as she is stuck in residency for 3 years come this summer. That's the only thing holding me back of course ... but if I landed there girls hitting on me would not be a problem On the note of girls, the locals don't seem to be as pretty as other parts of the world, including their South American neighbors, but there are pretty women everywhere I am sure. Comments on that? I've actually come to realize I should really get into the Real Estate business over there. All of my experience is in sales, its an emerging market, and that's where the $ would be for me as a gringo. I made a connection with a fellow in Quito and it seems very promising. He happens to be in a "microclimate" which is 10 degrees warmer than most of Quito so that is nice. He says he has more real estate to sell than time to sell it from international ex-pats "cashing in" for a cheaper and more laidback lifestyle, and he also has a tourism business as well as a hostel so I could really have some fun with it. Pay as an english teacher I am told is just 400-600 per month, so I would be scraping by it sounds like. Emelectric, is Playas a hot spot for real estate? Cool place. Let's say I don't do the Quito thing - if I wanted to find in a not over crowded, but emerging market community, with expats buying villas so I could sell real estate, where would be good cities? La Playa, any other suggestions? REALLY appreciate the guidance, thanks again -
Royslist, The women in ecuador are beautiful. I dont think justice is done when showing ecuador on television when they show the women. Ecuador has any kind of girl you can possibly think of. White skinned girls, tanned, mixed, black. La Costa Regions i must say have the most attractive women in ecuador, i would say they resemble Colombian and Venezuelan women . Cuenca and Quito have sexy girls too....ive noticed that the women from those parts of ecuador have more breasts then ass...so yea lol . The women for the most part know what they want in a man and are direct ( thats my experience )
Good luck on the trip. What Ecuador needs is a renaissance of entrepreneurship and investment. And to that end, I really believe that the nation is lacking a lot of essential things and could use that American innovative drive. Sadly, the current situation is primarily debt-driven growth and the business environment is worrisome at best and precarious at worst. Take caution when doing business in Ecuador. Land tenure is still a major issue there, so be sure to get official deeds and records on any real estate purchased. Like most other nations in Latin America, lands were sometimes squatted on, or appropriated and never fully legally recognized, so paperwork is a mess, and even with paperwork (like in my family's case), we still had problems with land as neighbors tried to invade it for their own use. The situation with the government makes businessmen a bit shaky, and FDI is at low levels because international markets didn't like Ecuador's 08 (or 09?) default, plus the ballooning public expenditures and appropriation of industry has made people a bit squeamish about investing. There's a higher tax on capital taken out of Ecuador which has more than doubled from 2 to 5 percent. That being said, my family business (hospitality) still thrives in Ecuador. Real Estate is booming as both housing scarcity and the growing economy in urban sectors is leading to high demand, and definitely any industry that the government is working in is probably a good place to start. Anything in retail or dealing with imports is a tough bet unless you've got a monopoly or friends in high places that are allowing your shipments to pass without paying duties (or slashing rates). Ecuador is a great place, and despite it's limitations in business compared to Peru and Colombia at the present moment, if you're creative, you can make some dough. Cuenca is a great city...relatively safe and more conservative place, but it's not terribly far from Guayaquil and both are places that have good industry and a sizable expat community. It's also very clean, but pricier than Quito and Guayaquil from what my Cuencano friends have told me lately. Keep us posted on how things go! good luck!
Hey royslist, Sounds like an interesting move you're making! From my experience Cuenca is a wonderful time. Much more European and artistic than Guayaquil or Quito. But if you want to party like crazy and perhaps make some money you could consider starting something near Montanita which is exploding right now ( i was just there for a week a couple months ago) and after being there year after year for the last 4 years it has really grown! Maybe others can provide their opinions on it but for my opinion that is the easiest place to make money right now as an ex-pat in Ecuador. Of course, the town is a bit crazy and if you're looking to relax then that's not your spot. For the best women in the country I'd say anywhere is Manabí. Those manabitas... Now I love Ecuador but after being in Brazil this year I'd say that could be another country to consider. Its very safe and a booming economy with lots of opportunities. People here are extremely open and warm as well, without always trying to take advantage of you. The only problem is that its a bit difficult to move here without a job due to the visa reciprocity. I'm not trying to down Ecuador, just expanding your options depending on your preferences. From my experiences in all the countries of Latin America nothing is like Ecuador or Brazil. Each very special and offers their own set of amazing cultures, climate and experiences. Hope I helped a bit!
Dang! Sweet.. OP: My flight to ECU is today and i'll be taking pics of Cuenca and i'll upload them here if you want
ask our fellow Big Soccer member, siempreazul about the chicks. He goes on "sex trips" to Ecuador multiple times a year. Matter of fact, he's possibly on one right now.
Guys, of all these trips to Ecuador, I still have not gone to La Isla del Tesoro. The other day about a week or two ago, I was watching the news on Ecuavisa, and they were reporting that "La Isla del Tesoro" was being shut down by the Intendencia del Guayas for selling alcohol without a license and also because performing sexual acts in the club. I heard from people that have gone there that this club is pricy to enter and to spend inside. Next month, when I go to Ecuador, I will still not be able to go because I cannot leave my son with anybody over there. He has to go everywhere with me.
guys i think siempre was a secret agent... but he confused buisness and pleasure and led a double life!!. lol .
That's jacked up. I wouldn't be able to do that. Poor girl. Anyway, hope it turns out the way you planned. From the comments Ecuador seems like a great place. Personally though I don't think I can ever move away from USA.
If I had money to live the way I do when Im over there for vacation then I would move to Ecuador. But I'm not loaded with money, and can only sustain that fast life I like when im over there for 3 weeks to a month . Dream place for me is to retire in Manta, Ecuador.
Hello, everyone! Thanks for your comments, some of which were very informative. I'd love to see those pics from the Cuenca trip! Well like I said, I am hesitant to move because I love my girl but like I also said, and this needs to take priority, and that is that I am worried about the internal political climate in the States. And, just as I suspected, the US just declared rules of war on its own citizens with the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act 2012. So, ummm, ya, I'll probably be in Ecuador in a few weeks time .... sucks but I'm not in a hurry to pay taxes to fund America's international war crimes anyways, and I can't have that riding on my conscience throughout life and I think Ecuadorians will understand. I don't think my girl was ever committed to leaving the USA and I am breaking up with the USA, so thus, I lose the girl. Life is tough sometimes, but still good. Is there an expression for that the natives use?
just read the Wiki on Montanita, sounds like it could be home .... The commune is one of the few beaches in Ecuador in which women frequently go topless, especially European tourists. The main means of transportation are bicycles, pedicabs and the occasional truck, although the streets are mostly pedestrian. In some cases, barter or exchange accepted as a means of payment. Montanita is the only place where marijuana is smoked freely in Ecuador. It is common to hear reggae music on street corners, tropical and hippie, with banners of peace symbols, or the portrait of Che Guevara, John Lennon or Bob Marley. won't be going to Manta .... Manta has an international cargo airport, Eloy Alfaro International Airport and an important military base (known as Manta Air Base or Eloy Alfaro Air Base). Between 1999-2009 Manta Air Base was used by U.S. air forces to support anti-narcotics military operations and surveillance flights against Colombian drug trafficking cartels. The lease was not renewed by the Ecuadorean government. I hope pickup soccer is common in Ecuador cities? Montanitas? I love to play and would be a great way to make friends!
Yea, the thing with Montanita is that you kind of have to change your life and culture into one of non-stop partying and living on the fringe. I mean after a week or so there and I need to get out of the void and get back to reality but hey, a lot of people love it and can handle the life in that town. And Manta... man I was there this year and I think it is one of the weirdest cities in Ecuador. I'm not a fan of the place and maybe people disagree with me but I think the Base did some damage on the city and it has a different layout and culture than other places I've been in the country. You may also want to consider Canoa, Puerto Lopez or San Vicente if you're looking for something quiet and a nice, easy lifestyle.