Would Like To Contact Expats Living In Quito

Hi   I moved to Quito not too long ago---its a vibrant city with so much more to do and enjoy than Cuenca where I spent some time ---Living in a suburbia ---cumbaya  is far more  quiet than the city--less traffic--Please feel free to contact me if you decided to move here ===will be a pleasure to make friends =

Dodd

Quito is a big city and suitable for people who like big cities, but also as Dodd Sheikh mentioned there is a suburb(s). This city is rapidly progressing, and structurally growing but often vertically. Choosing a right apartment, house or whatever it may be is crucial to peace of mind especially with traffic, pollution, noise and weather. For instance choose a residence on a quiet block with most of your windows facing west to get a blast of sunshine to warm up the place in the morning.

There are people from all over the world, and some are contributing positively as they are bringing their ethnic diversity. My personal observation is that people mainly stick to their limited social circle(s). It’s maybe this way because there is no need to expand and people are pre-occupied with their lives. The exceptions are people who are genuinely curious about other cultures, languages, etc. In Quito there are a lot of these people but they will not come to you as you must engage them.

From a personal perspective I am one of such people, but my absolute focus is socializing mainly with Spanish speakers, for me it’s a means to an end. All the grammar, verb conjugations and vocabulary is coming to life by conversing with Spanish speakers. And to put it in definite terms, I have a schedule, with hourly goals each week for conversation. Living in Quito makes this possible because there is such a large population to potentially socialize with. This of course assumes that one is able to socialize. We’re social beings and it’s documented that we are generally happier when we do so..

About a month or so ago, there was an Indian, and his Spanish was very good, so I was interested because I wanted to know how long it took him, and to gauge my level. So I approached him, and asked exactly that, and his reaction was one of happiness, judging by the look on his face when I asked. One of my newer social circles consists of 3 Venezuelans, two women, and a guy. These people have aspirations and doing very positive things with lives considering the challenges in their country. There is a ton of Spanish from that social circle alone.

Quiteños are who I feel most comfortable with and while my social circles continuously expand, evolve, and fade. The ones with my close Quiteños friends are core ones.

And a final note, just like everywhere else, be careful as there are people who have ulterior motives. So go about enjoying this city gradually and beginning with learning Spanish, learning about different people, learning about different areas and places.

Thank you for your reply. We have lived in Cuenca for five years and were considering a possible move to Quito, but after looking at three online sites for apartments in Quito we have decided to stay in Cuenca one more year. We also checked an online site for cost of living comparisons and were surprised that Quito was appreciably more expensive than here in Cuenca. If we were "rich gringos" it would not make a difference, but our income is only $1300 monthly. We just returned from a trip to Moldova in Eastern Europe and that could be our next destination. The cost of living there is about 25% less than Cuenca and we found many differences between the two cities, Chisinau, Moldova and Cuenca. Thanks again!

Thank you for your reply. We have lived in Cuenca for five years and were considering a possible move to Quito, but after looking at three online sites for apartments in Quito we have decided to stay in Cuenca one more year. We also checked an online site for cost of living comparisons and were surprised that Quito was appreciably more expensive than here in Cuenca. If we were "rich gringos" it would not make a difference, but our income is only $1300 monthly. We just returned from a trip to Moldova in Eastern Europe and that could be our next destination. The cost of living there is about 25% less than Cuenca and we found many differences between the two cities, Chisinau, Moldova and Cuenca. Thanks again!

“Rich gringos”, is an oxymoron in Quito. With the exception of a few expats like those who have expat packages that include competitive salaries, housing and education allocation for the entire family, and other perks, most expats in Quito are more or less middle class and across this class from lower to upper.

There are some cheaper areas, but you get what you pay for, and the quality of everything decreases. This is across the board, and sure a chicken empanada will be cheaper but it will taste anything but delicious. The purpose is not taste, but rather a whole lot of flour/dough to fill up one’s stomach. The internet will be lesser quality. The streets not as safe at night and decent amenities will be about 30-40 minutes or more by bus. In South Quito decent amenities are basically at Quicentro Sur, or Recreo. And I don’t know why because lower income people like to spend their entire salaries. But then again many come up north to shop, as they like a reprieve from their own neighborhoods.

Five years in Cuenca, that's a good amount of time in one place, and it's the life of an expat that we sometimes need change. And Moldova, while I don't know much about the country it does have a pretty cool name. 

Here are what we observed between the two cities:

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CUENCA, ECUADOR & CHISINAU, MOLDOVA

As I found differences between the two cities / countries I noted them, good, bad or indifferent – there is no particular order.
1.    There Are Four Seasons In Moldova – The Weather Is Similar To Central Pennsylvania
2.    Gasoline Is about $.95/Liter In Chisinau and comes in 92, 95 and 98 octane. Diesel Fuel Is $.10 less. ( 1 Gallon Is 3.8 Liters)
3.    Prices Are Lower In Chisinau Except Utilities
4.    We Could Sleep - Noise Levels In Chisinau Are MUCH Lower
a.    No Dogs Barking All Day & Night
b.    No Bars In Residential Areas
c.    No Motorcycles Seeing Who Can Be The Loudest
d.    No Partying On The Streets After The Bars Close
e.    No Fireworks
5.    In Chisinau, No Polluting Buses – Electric Trolley Buses Are Used
a.    The Drivers Aren’t Lunatics
b.    Drivers are Separated From Passengers By Plexiglas
c.    Buses Are Curb Height
d.    A Person On The Bus Collects The Fare And Gives Change
e.    One Can Use The Front, Center Or Rear Doors To Enter/Exit
f.    Entrances/Exits Are Very Wide
g.    Cost To Ride: $.11 For All
h.    There Are Electronic Signs Above The Bus Windshields And On The Side Indicating Bus Number And Destination
i.    Not Knocked Around By Back Packs On Buses
j.    No Line Jumping
k.    Buses Are Cleaner Inside And Out
l.    No Rap Or Other Annoying Music On Bus
6.    Very Little Graffiti Defacing Buildings In Chisinau
7.    The Bus Stops Are 25 To 30 Feet Long And Covered.
8.    Even though Chisinau Was Founded In 1436, Sidewalks Are 20-30 Feet Wide, But Then There Was Much Destruction During WWII And Rebuilding Was Necessary.
9.    Sidewalks Are Not Obstacle Courses In Chisinau.
10.    Don’t Have To Worry About Avoiding Dog Poop On The Sidewalks In Chisinau.
11.    In Chisinau Pedestrians Don’t Try To Walk Over You, Through You Or Try To Push You Into The Street As Though They Owned The Sidewalk.
12.    In Chisinau - Many Trash Receptacles Along Sidewalks And In Parks – Not Much Litter On The Ground And No Street Sweepers.
13.    VERY Few Car Alarms Blaring In Chisinau – Heard Three In Three Weeks.
14.    Cars Do Not Use Horns As Soon As The Light Changes In Chisinau
15.    Cars Use Turn Signals In Chisinau
16.    Cars Stop For People In Crosswalks In Chisinau
17.    In Chisinau At Crosswalks Both “Walk” And “Don’t Walk” Signs Show The Seconds Remaining
18.    Waiters / Waitresses Remember What One Orders At Chisinau Restaurants
19.    IVA 8% To 20% In Chisinau
20.    IVA Is Not Returned To Seniors In Chisinau
21.    There Were No “Senior Only” Lines In Chisinau
22.    No Problems With The Airport In Chisinau
23.    Streets Are Three-Lane And Most Are One Way In Chisinau
24.    Even Though Moldova Is The Poorest Country In Europe, I Have Never Seen So Many Volvo’s, Land Rovers, Range Rovers, Porsche’s, Mercedes, Audi’s And BMW’s Anywhere.
25.    Groceries In Chisinau Are Less Expensive – Example: Chicken Breasts Are Around $3.00 Per Kilo.
26.    In Chisinau It Is Very Difficult To Flag Down A Taxi – They Must Be Called On The Phone Most Of The Time.
27.    In Chisinau The Main Street Is Six Lanes – Three Lanes Both Ways With Pedestrian Walkways Underneath The Main Intersection – In The Underground Walkways There Are Store And Shops
28.    People Are Less Friendly In Chisinau – Sometimes Quite Rude
29.    In Chisinau Restaurants There Are Napkins, Salt, Pepper And Toothpicks On The Tables. Many Restaurants Have Pink Sea Salt, Oil And Vinegar On Tables, Also.
30.    Chisinau Public Restrooms Have Toilet Paper, Soap, Paper Towels And Are Clean.
31.    In Chisinau Toilet Paper Can Be Flushed
32.    In Chisinau The Refrigerators Are Taller But Narrower And The Freezer Is On The Bottom.
33.    In Chisinau The Washing Machines Are Front Load And The Capacity Is About One-Third That Of A Standard Washer
34.    Very Few Drying Machines In Chisinau – Clothes Drying Is Done On A Drying Rack, Outside Or On The Balcony.
35.    Streets In Chisinau Are Tree Lined, Main Four Lane Routes Are Tree Lined, Back Roads Are Tree Lined With Walnut Trees So People Can Collect The Walnuts.
36.    Apartment Bathrooms Are Two Rooms – One With A Toilette And Sink, The Other With Bathtub And Sink
37.    People In Chisinau Are Very Punctual
38.    In Chisinau People Do Not Come In Late, Eat, Bring Infants/Toddlers Or Talk During A Symphony / Opera Performance – But Then Concerts Aren’t Free.
39.    In Chisinau There Are No Loud-Mouthed Gringos Trying To Win The Gringo Yelling Contest In Restaurants.
40.    In Chisinau The Financial Institutions Pay Less Interest.
41.    In Chisinau There Is No Problem Getting Change After A Purchase.
42.    In Chisinau Money Must Be Exchanged – The Currency Is The Moldovan Leu……Averages About 17.25 Leu Per US Dollar (A Leu Is A Little Less Than $.06). I Had 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 Leu Notes. There are also 500 and 1000 Leu Notes – I Did Not See Any. The Coins Are Called Bani. A Bani is 1/100 Of A Leu.
43.    One Does Not Get “Gringo’ed” In Chisinau. The Prices Are Marked And We All Paid The Same.
44.    There Is No “Gringolandia” In Chisinau.
45.    Did Not See A Person Peeing On The Sidewalks In Chisinau.
46.    Saw Very Few Babies Or Pregnant Women In Chisinau.
47.    Didn’t Have Rice At Restaurants – It Does Not Get Served With Meals In Chisinau Unless Ordered.
48.    My Allergy/Sinus Problem Disappeared In Chisinau – I Didn’t Have To Take An Allergy Pill, (Cleaner Air?).
49.    Many More People Smoke Cigarettes In Chisinau – Local Cigs Are $.10 Per Pack.
50.    In Chisinau Health Insurance Only Costs $230 Per YEAR. If One Pays The Premium Before April 1st, It Is Half Price. It Is An 80/20 Plan. My Wife’s, Cousin’s Husband Had An 8 Hour Heart Operation – They Paid $2012.
51.    Electricity Is 220-240 Volts In Chisinau And Moldova.
52.    For Some Reason My Eye Glasses Only Had To Be Cleaned Once Every Three Days. In Cuenca I Clean Them Three Or Four Times Daily. (Cleaner Air?)
53.    In Chisinau Most Menus Are In Three Languages - Russian, Romanian And English
54.    In Chisinau Most Museums Have The Exhibits In Three Languages.
55.    In Moldova The Political Situation Is Iffy – Moldova, Although The Size Of Maryland, Is Divided Into 3 Separate Geopolitical Regions
56.    Heard Both Good And Bad About The Health Care System In Chisinau – Bribery Helps
57.    In Chisinau The Bread Is So Much Better. It Doesn’t Taste Like It Was Made With Sawdust.
58.    In Chisinau The Ice Cream Is Really Ice Cream And Is Much More Flavorful And Cheaper.
59.    Meats Are MUCH Better In Chisinau.
60.    Average Monthly Wage In Moldova - $267
61.    I Definitely Had A Language Problem In Chisinau. Olga Did Not – She Speaks Russian, Romanian And English.
62.    When Entering An Apartment In Chisinau, Shoes Are Removed And “House Shoes” Are Provided For One To Wear
63.    Wines Are Better And Less Expensive In Chisinau.
64.    In Chisinau One Can Bring Any Size Container And Have It Filled With Wine From A Barrel At The Super Market.
65.    Liquor And Beer Are Less Expensive In Chisinau.
66.    The Price In Chisinau for My Wife, Olga, To Have Her Hair Done Was $9.00
67.    In Chisinau People Do Not Wear Cargo Pants, North Face Gear And Backpacks Looking Like They Are Going On Safari Or Getting Ready To Climb Mount Everest
68.    I did Not See One Back Pack At The Symphony, Opera Or Concert Performances.
69.    Heard And Saw Many More Ambulances In Chisinau
70.    Some Prices In Restaurants:
•    Bailey’s - $2.60
•    Amaretto - $2.05
•    Finlandia - $1.50
•    House Vodka - $.90
•    Bottle Of Wine - $5.20
•    Glass Of Wine - $1.10
•    Martini - $1.15
•    Bacardi - $2.05
•    Local Beer - $.95
•    Burger / Fries - $3.20
•    Cappuccino - $1.30
•    Two Eggs, Bacon, Toast - $1.80
•    Pasta Dishes - $2.60
71.    No Meters In Cabs In Chisinau – Had To Ask For A Price
72.    Maxi Taxis Are 12 Passenger Mercedes Sprinter Vans That Charge $.15 And Are Marked As To Where They Go in Chisinau.
73.    Did Not See Any Pick-Up Trucks In Chisinau.
74.    On Chisinau Restaurant Menus, The Weight Of The Item Is Listed.
75.    In Chisinau There were No Electric Wires, Internet Cables, etc. Hanging Low And The Wires Didn’t Look Like A Mass Of Black Spaghetti At The Electric Poles.
76.    Construction Projects Are Completed On Time In Chisinau.
77.    Didn’t See Any Broken Bottles / Glass On Chisinau Sidewalks / Streets.
78.    I Saw Women On The Sidewalks Wearing Dresses And Skirt Outfits – But Not As Many As When I Was There 12 Years Ago.
79.    Saw More Street Cats Than Street Dogs In Chisinau.
80.    Didn’t See Many Street Vendors In Chisinau.
81.    Didn’t See Any Street Performers In Chisinau.
82.    In Chisinau Receipts Are Not Nearly As Long & Wide.
83.    In Chisinau Streets Names Are Posted At Every Corner.
84.    Larger Variety Of Fruits And Nuts In Cuenca – Both Plant And Human
85.    In Chisinau I Didn’t Have To Encounter The “Gluten Free Fad For Frenzied Folks” Crowd.
86.    No Gas Tanks To Exchange, Hence No Gas Trucks In Chisinau

Excellent notes comparing both cities, they were pleasurable to read, thanks. 

Chisinau sounds like a tranquil and sanitized city.

The only issue I have with is #28, is this their general attitude, and towards everyone including other locals, or is the rudeness directed at foreigners? By comparison it’s known that locals in Ecuador are friendly, even if some of it is a facade especially with Sierra people who sometimes mask their true feelings because it’s polite to do so. This is contrary to coastal people who are more direct, and expressive, at least IMHO.

#48, From personal experience I think air quality is just one factor. It could also be in conjunction with climate, temperature, water supply, local/imported food/produce, etc, etc. I have a bottle of Claritin that will expire soon that I’ve only used once or twice in Quito.

I think Chisinau, judging by your notes is quite the opposite of Cuenca. I can absolutely relate as sometimes an expat destination simply loses its appeal.

Hi---  I live in Cumbaya--    a suburb of  Quito====with my girlfriend===be happy to share with you my experiences here


Dodd