The cost of Living in Ecuador in 2023

The dollarization of Ecuador.

During Y2K, after unacceptably high inflation

in the country, Ecuador switched its currency

from the sucre  to the U.S. dollar.

Since all U.S. dollars are printed in the USA and

Ecuador cannot print its own currency bills,

this has had a moderating effect on inflation.

Last month, December 2022, Ecuador's

annual inflation rate was recorded as 3.74 percent.

As for the coins accepted in Ecuador, the

country mints its own centavos  in addition to

accepting U.S. coins of equivalent size and weight.

For instance, a U.S. quarter dollar equals a

25-centavo piece.

One-dollar U.S. coins are commonly used since

the quality of U.S. printed one-dollar bills tends

to degrade from overuse.

Bills up to $20 are commonly used, except that

many mom-n-pop stores and taxi drivers

discourage their use, preferring denominations

of tens or less.  Hundred-dollar bills are

extremely rare in the general circulation.

cccmedia in Quito

Transportation costs in the capital.

In Quito, the fare for the trolley bus or

the Ecovia bus (eh-koh-BEE-ah) is currently

35 centavos.  Seniors, disabled

persons, embarasadas and others with

priority status pay 17 centavos.

The minimum taxi fare for a short ride these

days is $1.50.  Some drivers will charge extra

after 8 p.m. regardless of the true taximeter

value.

A ride between El Centro and the

international airport at Tababela, Ecuador,

typically 40 to 60 minutes depending on traffic,

has a fare of about $20 by taximeter, or could

have a fixed rate of about $26 with some

transportation services.

The cost by city of rents and many other products

and services can be accessed at the self-reporting

cost-of-living website www.numbeo.com

cccmedia in Quito

Medical costs.

Many Expats buy private insurance or pay out of

pocket for medical expenses.  Many of us also

pay a monthly fee for the government social

security health program IESS.  The monthly IESS

subscription costs between $70 and $90,

depending on such factors as one's declared

income and marital status.  Many of the Expats

who opt to enter the IESS system do so mostly

as a backup in case of a catastrophic diagnosis

or event.

Private coverage offers the advantages of

scheduling priority and choosing one's

own doctor.  Since medical costs in Ecuador

are typically far less than for equivalent

care in the USA and other countries, Expats

pay for convenience and choice over

dealing with the Spanish-language

bureaucracy of the government programs.

In IESS, preconditions are covered after the

first several months and there are no co-pays

or deductibles collected.  Medicines are at no

cost when available and prescribed.

In recent years, the cost of seeing a doctor

has ranged from about $30 to $70 per visit,

with the higher amounts applying to

specialists and 'domicilio' service.  A specialist

prescription known as a 'receta especial' is

required at the pharmacy for certain

anti-depressants and mind-altering meds.

cccmedia in Quito

I will speak in the first person to the question:

• Rent for my 2 bedroom, 1 1/2 bath apartment with spacious terraza in Cuenca: $420. (Rent has not increased in the three years I have been here).
• Building fee: none
• Electricity around $23 a month.
• Water: $8
• Food basket: $60 a week
• Leisure: None
• Internet: $35 a month for 40 Mbps fiber optic
• Health insurance: none ( pay out of pocket)
• Transportation: basically none
• Gas for water heater: $12 per year
• Laundry: $5 a load every few weeks
• Penalties for not voting: $40 per election (being domiciled in Cotacachi electorally makes it impossible to vote)
• Haircut every couple months $4

Meds:

• Benzos:  $5 a month
• Zalepla: $7 a month
• Amitriptilina: $5 a month
• Testosterone: Currently $0

@N.Barley …😂 are you SURE Testosterone cost you nothing? Your monthly expenses sound pretty close to mine, also in Cotacachi (moved here in September)… do you need health insurance to renew your Cedula? Or is that just for immigrants (from Canada) while transitioning from temporary residency to permanent residency?

@rkg695

I renew my cédula in 2026, but from my quick google search, it sounds like it only applies to expats who became residents in 2017 or after. I think I became a citizen in 2016, so I assume I am excluded.

The EcuadorResources.com site, under ¨how to

renew your cedula,¨ may shed light on this.

Expats who assume they are not required to

follow the usual route to extending cedula life

may be in for a rude awakening regardless of

any expiration date on their plastic.

cccmedia in Quito

@cccmedia Thanks for this post.  I have IESS and haven't used it recently.  I was able to be seen in emergency rooms but not for regular, routine visits, being told that there's not enough money in the IESS system to cover routine visits.  So, I've paid out of pocket for such visits.  I recently saw an otolaryngologist and paid for $80 for this visit.  I've been seeing an acupuncturist and have been paying him $60 a visit.

Do you know if one using IESS can now be seen for routine, medical visits?

Thanks again for your information regarding medical services in Ecuador.

John

@rkg695 I would also like to know the best price on Ecuador testosterone.

Is the zero because they ceased taking it, or was it offset by something?

Do the different farmacia companies play a role in pricing and availability?  Fybeca vs Cruz Azul?

Testosterone in Ecuador?

My primary residence is in Quito.  In the past year, I have had testosterone treatments via pellet in Lima, Peru, and Medellin, Colombia.  I am not at the point where I am administering T to myself and have relied on doctors at the Peru and Colombia facilities for pellets.  The Medellin clinic was out of T when I attempted to get a second pellet treatment there around December 2022.

As for Ecuador, the only doctor who may be administering T to my knowledge is Roberto Blum of the Blum clinic in Guayaquil.  He used to come to Quito regularly once a week, but that has possibly changed since the June 2022 Paro as I have had appointments with him canceled or not scheduled in Quito since that time.

I have no information about current T or T pricing other than what I paid in Lima, which was a lot and will not be posted online.

I plan to have a T treatment in May 2023, probably in Mexico City with a Dr. Dickter.

cccmedia