Best cities to live in Ecuador

.         Top Ten Places in Ecuador Based on What You Are Looking For

10.  For international restaurants and shops in a mild-weather environment -- north Quito.

9.  For the most Expat meetups and field trips -- Cuenca.  Also has mild weather.

8.  For a small town within an easy drive of the capital .. and a fair number of Expats -- Cotacachi.

7.  For upscale living near a big highlands city .. with outdoor swimming .. and enhanced personal safety -- Quito suburbs, including Cumbayá and Tumbaco.

6.  For a high percentage of Expats at Denver-level elevation, favorable weather and a New Age orientation -- Vilcabamba.

5.  Inexpensive living at the coast with a busy beach during high season (December-May) -- Salinas.

4.  Up-and-coming coastal city with high ratings from Expats --
    Bahía de Caráquez -- ba - EE - ah  day  kah-RAH-kez.

3.  Well-preserved and colorful Colonial architecture -- Cuenca .. and Centro Histórico, Quito.

2.  Surf city .. tourist-friendly .. party town .. quaint fishing village -- various different communities on the EC Coast, which is over 900 miles long.  Beware of insufficient infrastructure in some of the smaller places.

And today's #1 best-places option....

1.  World-renowned awesome flora and fauna -- places in the Galápagos Islands, a part of Ecuador 600 miles into the Pacific Ocean.  Note:  there are limitations on full-time living there for non-Galápagos-workers.

cccmedia in Quito

I'm currently living in Quito and it's exceeding my expectations. It's a nice, tranquil, entertaining  city. There are beautiful parks, nice cafes, restaurants, and malls and shops for every budget. The locals are engaging even if you know a little spanish. Cost of living wise: rent is from 300-2000+ it depends on area, size, furnished or not. Food, we're a family and we spend about $150 per person per month. Fruits, and vegetables are reasonably priced, many other products are costlier.

Safety wise, I think there is an exaggeration in this regard. Yes there are dangerous areas and this is true for every capital. Cheapest rent and you're either in a rough neighborhood or boondocks.

Take every precaution, be smart, petty crime will happen.

I have spent 2 years now in Cuenca, and it is a beautiful, friendly and engaging city. The cost of living is reasonable. Rent varies from $300 to whatever you want to pay. Some places are furnished and include utilities and internet. City of Cuenca has discovered that expats are getting gouged on rentals and is putting into place a system of finding out who is doing this. I spend roughly $150/month on food and staple items. Lunch can be had for $3.00. Cuenca has lots of cultural events, artisan markets and a fabulous symphony (free to listen too) Weather is favourable, but erratic. i have another favourite, but this is for someone that's wanting to get away from it all and live in a very small town and that Vilcabamba. In a word, eclectic comes to mind. But tranquil and beautiful. Loja, a good sized city is only a 30 minute bus ride away.

Quito! Loja, Ibarra, and the hidden gem, Riobamba.

I don't know where to begin I have lived in Ecuador for 4 yrs and I am retired from the USA I am 70 yrs old.
Now I will ask myself questions and answer them for you...
Income here is very low true?  Yes so you will not be making good money.  So you have to have on line business or go into a little business but that is very difficult here.  Unlike America Ecuador is for their citizens  working first before strangers so you have to go through a big routine its a different enviorment.
Do not come here without visiting for at least one month for data collecting would you agree? absolutely.
Never move to a foreign country with out visiting it for at least a month.  And never buy without living their 2 yrs I have seen terrible out comes for people.
Are prices cheaper?  Yes but so are incomes very small.  Lots of poverty.  High rate of crime in certain areas and attacks on women.  ***  Now I love it here layed back, beautiful weather in the Andes, but you must know Spanish start Spanish immediately if your going to any Latin Country they don't appreciate people who don't speak their language.  There is English but it is difficult more Spanish then English a lot more.
This is not a little decision.  Paper work is very important and you have to come with it all they prefer to turn it into Spanish here but you must know how to handle it another reason why to come here and learn what paper work your going to need in advance.  Birth Certicate, apostel in the city you were born wow
update your drive license now before leaving, get your Absentee Voters Ballad, Marriage License & apostel, and Divorce Papers it must be filed too.  Names on papers are important and must match my fathers name on my birth certicate was spelled wrong they made me correct it and it was a mess.  Details matter here a lot.  Learn about Cedula's because you will have to apply for one and you have 90 days and it is like an ID/ SS# it last 10 yrs.  It is very important.  Don't make this move without a lot of thought I have seen so many come and go right back.
Rember our city Cuenca is 400 yrs old so is its plumbing and electric think this over carefully its a big change.

The electric in Cuenca is not quite 400 years old but your point is well-taken.

If you don't like mosquitoes and you want access to the facilities of a big city, then Quito is ideal. No mosquitoes, good all year weather, relatively little air pollution compared to other big cities, and lots of thing to do/see. Russell

russelleaton wrote:

If you don't like mosquitoes and you want access to the facilities of a big city, then Quito is ideal. No mosquitoes, good all year weather, relatively little air pollution compared to other big cities, and lots of thing to do/see. Russell

More power to you, Russell, if you are able to avoid the bus fumes in Quito.  I am less than delighted with the pollution in my sector, Centro Hístorico -- the bus route outside my window on Oriente off García Moreno in particular -- and along well-traveled roads I frequent such as 10 de Agosto.

Where in Quito do you live or stay?  What are the best areas to live in Quito for minimal air pollution?

cccmedia in Quito

Pajaroazul wrote:

Quito! Loja, Ibarra, and the hidden gem, Riobamba.

Ah, Riobamba -- population 156,000 -- the name itself is music.

Riobamba, 120 miles south of Quito in the Avenue of the Volcanoes, it is Ecuador's center for mountain climbing.  An Andean town with cool to mild temperatures year-round.

Tell us, Bluebird, what characteristics of Riobamba led you to call it Ecuador's hidden gem?

cccmedia in Quito

Population statistic from United Nations, 2010.  Characterization as center for mountain climbing from Wikipedia.

Pululahua botanical reserve 45 min from Quito is ideal

ECUADOR GURU wrote:

Pululahua botanical reserve 45 min from Quito is ideal

Pululahua is the name of a dormant volcano and a botanical/national park 17 km or 10 miles north of Quito, not far from the touristy Mitad del Mundo monument park.

A hotel, Hotel del Crater, is in the area.

One poster wrote that it's best to take a part-day visit there early in the day before the clouds roll in.

cccmedia in Quito

I have lived in Esmeraldas for 15 years and am still partial to it. Just can't beat the warm climate and you can swim in the ocean 365 days a year. The entire area around Esmeraldas offers great food and music is the heartbeat of the city. The multi cultural mix is well accepted by all.

For me it is Portoviejo has everything i need here and not too far from the beaches, i have also made a blog post about Portoviejo if it interests you
ecuadorlivingparadise.blogspot.com/2016/01/ecuador-why-living-in-portoviejo-has.html

I see a lot of people praised Quito and Cuenca, but what about traffic?  I just can't stand it and that would dramatically affect my quality of life.

We are on the coast in Bahia de Caraquez since nearly 6 months and what I like (on top of the amazing weather) is the fact that we don't have to care about traffic and we can safely walk in town or on the beach.  We went to Cuenca last month and I was amazed to be stuck in traffic most of the time, or stopped at traffic lights (so long between green lights!!). And if you own a car, you can only drive it one day out of two in Quito!

You get less activities and services in a smaller coastal city, but it's so relaxing...

Some like it hot.

I think it's great that Brother Kendrick likes life in Portoviejo... with its many hospitals and medical specialists in beach-area Manabí province.

But there's a reason hardly any Expats live there:  it's devilishly hot !

Weather.com's current 10-day forecast shows Portoviejo daily highs at 85 to 87 degrees Fahrenheit.  And February isn't even the hottest month -- that's March. 

Those temps are simply too hot for most North American Gringos for a place that's not at the ocean.

You miss out on the cooling ocean breezes even just that far inland -- 20 km or about 12 miles east of the Pacific Ocean.

An Expat with a reliable car and command of the Spanish language could possibly live at the Coast and get to a hospital in Portoviejo timely in an emergency.  But that description doesn't cover most Expats.

cccmedia in Quito

yulrun wrote:

what about traffic?  I just can't stand it.  We went to Cuenca last month and I was amazed to be stuck in traffic most of the time, or stopped at traffic lights. And if you own a car, you can only drive it one day out of two in Quito!

Yulrun makes valid points about the traffic and traffic-lights in Ecuador's major cities.

However, it is not correct that Quito drivers can only drive one day out of two.

Under the pico y placa rules issued in 2010, a driver is restricted from motoring in a limited part of the city for part of only one day a week.  For instance, my driver's license ends in 2 and thus I supposedly cannot drive in certain busy areas on Mondays if the rules are followed.   Any other day of the week, there is no restriction.

The restricted times on that one day are only during rush hours -- 7 to 9:30 in the morning and 4 to 6 in the evening.

The stated restricted area is Avenida M. Valverde to the South, la Occidental to the West, Avenida Diego de Vásquez y Galo Plaza to the North and Simón Bolívar to the East.

Do you think the friendly Quito police will interrupt their duties during rush hour to admonish or fine a Gringo because he doesn't know which side of Valverde and Bolívar he's on?  Seems unlikely.

I did plenty of driving this Monday (my supposed day of restriction) without even being aware of the pico y placa rules at the time.

Now that I have read them, I plan to abide by the rule on Monday late afternoons.  (I never drive during Monday morning rush hours anyway.)  For Expats, I don't consider 2-1/2 hours of restriction a week a major problem concerning driving in this city.

cccmedia in Quito

I agree, (reply to russeleaton) and not to downplay Quito's pollution but it is much better than many bigger cities. What's interesting about Quito is the disparity of pollution readings from one part of the city to the next and from one time to the next. This is probably evidence that the air pollution does not hover over the entire city like a smog in which case all readings would be high.

Personally, the majority of air pollution is on the main arteries of the city. Residing between such main streets that have bus traffic will greatly limit the pollution. I'm sure some pollution makes its way all over and to the non-congested streets but you can't smell it like on the main streets.

There's also a noticeable reprieve in the evenings and on weekends from the pollution. Again, many bigger cities have a constant cloud of air pollution day and night, Quito certainly doesn't suffer from that.

The WHO(world health organization) for example ranks Quito air pollution as "good", and much better than most bigger cities in Latin America.

Source:http://aqicn.org/faq/2015-05-10/a-comparison-of-latin-american-air-quality-scales/

Thanks for correcting me cccmedia.  I just know someone who goes to Quito regularly and he chooses which car he takes depending on which day he goes... That's why I assumed it was one day out of two, which is something that exists in different big cities throughout the world.

That said, I know he learned it by getting a ticket! Be careful!

Reply to yulrun. Quito's traffic is not bad at all. It's backed up at traffic lights durning rush hour but that's about it. Even during those times it flows so it's not gridlocked. During the rest of day you can drive from one part of the city to  another without any delay.

If you only visited and left your hotel during those times it's understandable how you might arrive at such a conclusion. Quito is a bustling city but traffic is no where near as bad as you think it is. As for driving only limited days per week. My understanding for car owners is that depending on plate numbers, cars are prohibited from being on the road within Quito during rush hour one day per week. The fine is $80. Transito can easily spot violators at intersections.

vsimple wrote:

The WHO (world health organization) for example ranks Quito air pollution as "good", and much better than most bigger cities in Latin America.

Source: http://aqicn.org/faq/2015-05-10/a-compa … ty-scales/

Dear V. Simple,

Thanks for alerting us to this WHO-inspired page, which has a wonderful color-coded graph showing PM2.5 (super-tiny particulate matter) and PM10 (more coarse matter) averages in Latin American cities' air.

Here are the PM 2.5 and 10 readings, respectively, from that graph for the South American cities for which both numbers are reported, in the ascending order of pollution as listed on the page....

Cali, Colombia                 13        23

Buenos Aires, Arg.          16        30

Montevideo, Uruguay      18        27

Quito, Ecuador                18        38

La Paz, Bolivia                23        42

Santiago, Chile                26       69

Bogotá, Colombia            27       48

Lima, Peru                       38       63


  -- cccmedia in Quito

vsimple wrote:

Quito's pollution (is) much better than many bigger cities. What's interesting about Quito is the disparity of pollution readings from one part of the city to the next and from one time to the next. This is probably evidence that the air pollution does not hover over the entire city like a smog in which case all readings would be high.

Personally, the majority of air pollution is on the main arteries of the city. Residing between such main streets that have bus traffic will greatly limit the pollution. I'm sure some pollution makes its way all over and to the non-congested streets but you can't smell it like on the main streets.....

There's also a noticeable reprieve in the evenings and on weekends from the pollution.

Dear V.,

The most compelling part of the above citation -- which section I have highlighted in bold print -- is the suggestion that you may have seen pollution readings that vary in different parts of Quito and at different times of day.

If you have seen such, please share with us how we can also access such statistics for Quito sectors.

cccmedia in Quito

vsimple wrote:

depending on plate numbers, cars are prohibited from being on the road within Quito during rush hour(s) one day per week. The fine is $80. Tránsito can easily spot violators at intersections.

Thanks for this information.  I was hoping my earlier post would prompt someone to provide the multa amount.

cccmedia in Quito

Sure cc,

Quito basically has 5 real time air pollution reading stations - Centro, Belisario (diaz de agosto) west of Carolina park, Cotocollao in Norte, Los Chillos and Carapungo.

Sometimes they update, other times they lag. I look at the stations, often Belisario and Centro and the time of the reading. Historical data is also useful when available.

Be patient as they don't update as often like many other cities in the world.


http://aqicn.org/city/ecuador/quito/carapungo/

vsimple wrote:

Sure cc,

Quito basically has 5 real time air pollution reading stations - Centro, Belisario (diez de agosto) west of Carolina park, Cotocollao in Norte, Los Chillos and Carapungo.

Sometimes they update, other times they lag. I look at the stations, often Belisario and Centro and the time of the reading.

Thanks for this, V.

The range from minimum to maximum levels is really wide for the latest (Feb. 1) readings.

Having followed this over time, how would you rank the five sectors surveyed in terms of best air quality?

I suppose the suburban area of Los Chillos would top the list.

cccmedia in Quito

I am living in Cuenca and the traffic is horrible and when the busses drive past you you almost choke.  I have been to Quito and it is beautiful but I came to Ecuador to relax and enjoy the weather.  I prefer smaller towns like Loja, Gualacea,  Vilicabamba, Catacachi.
I find almost every native Ecuadorian friendly but in the smaller towns they seem to have more time for expats.

We've been in Vilcabamba for 6 months and although we love the small town feel, the heat can be unbearable at times. Also, recently there have been a rash of break-ins against gringos, some being attacked and beaten. The biggest deterrent to Vilcabamba is that prices are much higher than in say, Cuenca. Demand for expat housing is high and supply is low so as a result you get lower quality housing at a higher cost.  The nearest international airport is 9 hours away. Also another negative. During the rainy (green) season the views are stunning. But during the dry (brown) season not so much, also very dusty.

For me, Quito gets too cold. And no matter where I go in Quito, the smell of diesel exhaust fumes is strong.

Ditto on the diesel fumes pollution. Judging by the odor, I would say it is bad. And where you have diesel fumes you also have high levels of particulate pollution, smog. On a clear day, view Quito from afar. You can see the smog very clearly.

Reading your comment on cost of living in Equador and you say you're a family, the cost of food is $150 a month per person. Is this amount for small children? My children are 7 and 3 years old. I would like to know what the rent would be like in a nice safe neighborhood, 3 Bedroom house. Thanks Vince.

Our children are older and eat adult sized portions and more as their nutrition requires many more calories. The $150 includes the non-perishables such as detergents, soaps, etc but doesn't include products from the bakery, such as breads/pasteries/cookies and drinkable water which is $3 per 20 liter container. We also eat out 2-3 meals per week. To give you an idea of grocery costs at supermarkets, a 1.7kg chicken is about $5.50, a gallon of milk $5, ground beef is $1.50-$4.50 depending on percentage of fat. Tilapia fillets are about $4-5 per pound, loaf of white bread is $1.25-$165, natural juices are expensive, but making fresh lemonade is a good cheap alternative especially when you buy lemons at a Mercado. Mozzarella cheese is $3-4 for 500grams, cheddar about $4 for 400grams, and pizza dough $3.50 for 2 medium sizes. Olive oil $7-$10 a liter, pasta $1+ (Lasagna $3), these prices have been consistent at mega-maxi and supermaxi. Fruits and veggies are reasonably priced, more so at mercados, but sometimes it's not worth the hassle going to the Mercado, but you can save on some types of produce.

I've seen nice houses at Cumbaya, a nice suburb of Quito, for around $1k. For $1.5k you'll find something very nice, and $2.5k+ a big house with big yard, pool too. Alternatively, an Ecuadorean I know rents a house in North Quito for $400, it's a simple but nice 3 bedroom 2 story, he however doesn't like the neighborhood and says it's dangerous. When he says that I say maybe you mean at night because during the day it looks perfectly fine to me. This is for Quito, as I'm certain rent is cheaper in other parts of Ecuador.

vsimple wrote:

I've seen nice houses at Cumbaya, a nice suburb of Quito, for around $1k. For $1.5k you'll find something very nice, and $2.5k+ a big house with big yard, pool too.

K means one thousand, as in Y2K -- Year 2000.

So you mean what here, V.?  A house for $100,000 ... $150,000 ... or $250,000 ?

cccmedia

Sorry about that, I meant $1000, $1500, and $2500 for Cumbaya rent.

Wow, those prices are higher than in the U.S.! Are you purchasing local products or imported? As far as rent goes, same thing, cheaper here! I really don't see an advantage for me to move my family there. Thanks very much for your response! Be safe!

Big Will 59 wrote:

As far as rent goes, same thing, cheaper here! I really don't see an advantage for me to move my family there.

That may be true -- "no advantage" for Big Will's family to move here -- if he's in Waco or Wheeling.

For others, though... consider that Cumbayá is an upscale suburb of an international city (Quito).

$1,000 rent for a quality house just isn't doable any more in suburbs such as Mount Vernon, New York .. Chevy Chase, Maryland .. and Los Gatos, California.

cccmedia

Big Will 59 wrote:

Wow, those prices are higher than in the U.S.! Are you purchasing local products or imported? As far as rent goes, same thing, cheaper here! I really don't see an advantage for me to move my family there. Thanks very much for your response! Be safe!

Many if not most essential groceries for families are costlier, and I think the misconception stems from numerous blogs that take pics of fruits and vegetables laid out on a table and post something like “ohhh look we just bought this so cheap from the Mercado.” Ironically there aren't pics of chicken, meats, cheeses, milk, etc that are essential for a healthy family. Sure one can save a lot on fresh fruits and vegetables, we consume so much of the aforementioned and cost is never an issue, but the fact remains everything else costs more. Having said this the prices are okay on global scale, it's simply that the U.S has the cheapest prices for most groceries and most products in general. 

And yes practically everything we purchase is locally made, the quality for most items is really good. Tilapia for example, of course consumed in moderation, is much healthier than what's sold in U.S which is mostly imported from China. The chicken here is also really good, and the same for beef which has a nice flavor, even if tougher, but the solution is simple, learning to cook the different cuts. Basically, one has to balance their shopping cart, but I hope there is no illusion of the food cost for families who are not depriving their children of the nutritional value they need is higher. I want to emphasize families, because this doesn't apply to many retirees whose dietary need is probably less than that of growing child.

The cost of rent is where Ecuador in general and especially Quito is definitely favorable, cccmedia makes a good point about Cumbaya being an upscale neighborhood just minutes away from a capital city. It's a very nice area, and the houses are good size, with smallest I've seen being no less than 160sqm (1700 sqft). There are cheaper alternatives in other areas, and other cities, some houses go for around $400-$500, a search online will show such. You have to do your own diligence and see what is possible or not possible for your family, objectively. But there are misconceptions out there about cost of living in Quito (Ecuador) when it comes to families.

My neighbor is a retiree and lives in nice posh suite in central part of Quito, and is very comfortable. He absolutely loves the weather, for example yesterday was spring and today summer. While his standard of living is high, aside from medical costs which I have no idea about, he simply does not spend much. A family on the other hand, especially if you don't want to deprive them of the quality and standard of life they are accustomed too, will be costly. A simple example is an original BMX bike which costs around $150 on Amazon, is for no less than $400 here. More importantly is the cost of quality English curriculum education which is prohibitively expensive. If you have young ones, put them in local Spanish curriculum school to avoid high tuition costs but make sure their standards in maths, sciences, and English (writing, grammar, etc), are up-to par, but unfortunately, many parents lack the experience, knowledge and consistent commitment to supervise and intervene in their child's education.

I'm amazed at some parents who ask can we live life off $800, $900, etc. The answer is yes, you can live off that amount, but you will be bringing up your child/children as 3rd world children, because how is it possible to give them proper housing, adequate nutritional food, education, medical care, clothing, entertainment, toys/gadgets, etc on that amount?  A friend (Ecuadorean) of mine in Quito, earns around $1000 a month in addition to his wife's income of $600, they also have health and education benefits but are constantly struggling, sure they have rent, car payment, but my point is they as a family are doing okay but struggling. How can a foreign family, on half the income expect to live?

I hope this post does not seem pessimistic, because the intention is realism, and to thwart some of the misconceptions on the web about cost of living for families.

I appreciate your realistic reply! That is what I was looking for. A lot of people will give all the good stuff, but never the cons. Equador seems like a nice place, but all the ads for live on $1300 a month even if single would not be my lifestyle!  Only advantage I can see is medical cost! And that could be one of the pro reasons I make the move.

No, not in Waco or Wheeling, but I am outside of a major city! $1000 for a 3 br 2 bth is more than doable! Only difference is in U.S. I'm definitely safe! I can live in southern Florida at that price. But thanks anyway for your response!

Big Will 59 wrote:

I appreciate your realistic reply! That is what I was looking for. A lot of people will give all the good stuff, but never the cons. Equador seems like a nice place, but all the ads for live on $1300 a month even if single would not be my lifestyle!  Only advantage I can see is medical cost! And that could be one of the pro reasons I make the move.

In my opinion there are other pros in addition to cost of healthcare. It's a tremendously diverse and beautiful country, you can easily and cost effectively travel from the Andes mountains to the beaches on the coast or the amazon for that matter. Hotel and accommodation in general is cheap and so is transportation. The culture is lovely and the people are courteous and friendly. The weather is absolutely gorgeous year round, excellent for outdoor activities or just taking a stroll. Quito in itself is great, with nice parks, quiet areas, historic area, and a vibrant nightlife area. It's simply a beautiful city, and dare I say romantic for couples with many nice restaurants, and cafes. And I would imagine for singles as well as I think the people are outgoing. I think Ecuador has a whole lot to offer and provided the income it's a happy country.