How much will we need for basic living ?

Hello laura marina ruiz,

A new thread has been created from your post on the Ecuador forum so as you may get some feedbacks related to your queries.

There are some threads which can provide you infos :

- how much to live decently in ecuador

- Cost of living in Ecuador – 2015

- banking in Ecuador

Hope it helps,
Bhavna

laura marina ruiz wrote:

estimate about how much we (my mother and I) will need for basic living expenses. Power, water, phone and food. Just that for now.

In Quito...

Power and water combined total ... figure $15 for the household per month after setup costs.

Phone ... figure ten cents a minute from a cellphone.  Higher costs apply if you are dialing to another cellphone.

Food...   $15 for a basket of fruits and vegetables, or....

               $37 for a four course meal at Sher E Punjab restaurant,
               including agua potable, Indian nan bread and impuestos.

cccmedia in Quito

laura marina ruiz wrote:

if you have an account in the US, can you just withdraw your  money from the ATM or make wire transfers to your account in Ecuador on the Internet? Thanks

ATM, yes.  Lately I find I can reliably get up to $300 a pop at an ATM at MegaMaxi 6 de Diciembre.  Earlier, I was finding it difficult to get cash when I tried for a higher amount. 

Wire transfers:  should be possible with some banks.  Nobody on this forum can predict with confidence whether you can do it unless they bank with the same places as you do.  Check with the banks on both ends beforehand.

cccmedia in Quito

A very informative post here in the Spanish forum listing costs for many basic food items in Quito, and where to get them:

https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.p … 15#2812530

As an added bonus you get to practice your Spanish reading it!

Groundhog Day.

Found a new for me source of comparative costs of living for 7 expat spots.  Enjoy Living Internationally lists monthly expenses based on a 3BR downtown apartment for 2 adults with gym memberships, using public trans, moderate drinking and 2 fairly expensive vacations per year.  The amount for Cuenca is about $2,500/month, more like $2,000/month in a one bedroom apt.  This is about the same as Ching Mai, Thailand at $2,100.  Georgetown, Malaysia is listed at $1,200, Medellin, Colombia at $1,700, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico at $1,900.  Barcelona, Spain at $3,100 and Galway, Ireland at $3,500, compared to Denver, Colorado, listed at $4,900.  Other comparative details are available.

mugtech wrote:

Found a new for me source of comparative costs of living for 7 expat spots.... Georgetown, Malaysia is listed at $1,200... Puerto Vallarta, Mexico at $1,900.  Barcelona, Spain at $3,100 and Galway, Ireland at $3,500.

George Town, Malaysia (metro population 2.5 million), is the cheapest of these.  But the schvitz factor there is high.

It's in a tropical region with no dry season.  Average high temperatures every month of the year are 31-32 degrees Celsius (88-90 F.)

I'd say it's surprisingly reasonable (by these figures) for the location closest to the U.S. -- Puerto Vallarta, Mexico -- a Pacific Ocean beach town long considered a romantic getaway for North American couples.

cccmedia in Quito

The cost per month is looked at as a starting point, as Malaysia would be unacceptable to me at any price.  Makes sense that 870,000 USA citizens live in Mexico.

mugtech wrote:

Makes sense that 870,000 USA citizens live in Mexico.

It's close.

Flying not required from the lower 48.

A full-fledged passport no longer needed to drive in.

mugtech wrote:

Found a new for me source of comparative costs of living for 7 expat spots.  Enjoy Living Internationally lists monthly expenses based on a 3BR downtown apartment for 2 adults with gym memberships, using public trans, moderate drinking and 2 fairly expensive vacations per year.  The amount for Cuenca is about $2,500/month, more like $2,000/month in a one bedroom apt.  This is about the same as Ching Mai, Thailand at $2,100.  Georgetown, Malaysia is listed at $1,200, Medellin, Colombia at $1,700, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico at $1,900.  Barcelona, Spain at $3,100 and Galway, Ireland at $3,500, compared to Denver, Colorado, listed at $4,900.  Other comparative details are available.

The numbers don't add up. I lived in Georgetown Malaysia, and to state that Cuenca is $2500 while Georgetown is $1200 is ludicrous. The two are actually very comparable unless the variables of “gym membership” and “expensive vacations” distort the numbers.

Maybe the mistook $1200, for $2100

What is the basic criterion?

-Rent
-Food
-Transportation
-Utilities
-Entertainment
-Healthcare
.
.

mugtech wrote:

Found a new for me source of comparative costs of living for 7 expat spots.  Enjoy Living Internationally lists monthly expenses based on a 3BR downtown apartment for 2 adults with gym memberships, using public trans, moderate drinking and 2 fairly expensive vacations per year.  The amount for Cuenca is about $2,500/month, more like $2,000/month in a one bedroom apt.  This is about the same as Ching Mai, Thailand at $2,100.  Georgetown, Malaysia is listed at $1,200, Medellin, Colombia at $1,700, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico at $1,900.  Barcelona, Spain at $3,100 and Galway, Ireland at $3,500, compared to Denver, Colorado, listed at $4,900.  Other comparative details are available.

The numbers are from a graph, take a look.  I wouldn't live in Malaysia at any price.

mugtech wrote:

mugtech wrote:

Found a new for me source of comparative costs of living for 7 expat spots.  Enjoy Living Internationally lists monthly expenses based on a 3BR downtown apartment for 2 adults with gym memberships, using public trans, moderate drinking and 2 fairly expensive vacations per year.  The amount for Cuenca is about $2,500/month, more like $2,000/month in a one bedroom apt.  This is about the same as Ching Mai, Thailand at $2,100.  Georgetown, Malaysia is listed at $1,200, Medellin, Colombia at $1,700, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico at $1,900.  Barcelona, Spain at $3,100 and Galway, Ireland at $3,500, compared to Denver, Colorado, listed at $4,900.  Other comparative details are available.

The numbers are from a graph, take a look.  I wouldn't live in Malaysia at any price.

What graph?