Gyms in Ecuador

So the gym I like poses a little dilemma, while I accepted the price, and by the way for the Pacific gym it’s not $40 off if you pay in cash, they eliminate the registration fee which is $40 which means the monthly cost is $63 and not $50.

But the dilemma is their hours, on Saturdays and Sundays they close by 3 pm. And my preference is working out in evenings, so the membership fee is not justifiable. However one solution to all the gyms I visited thus far is to buy tickets that you can use on a monthly or bimonthly bases. Monster gym tickets are basically $7 a day, and Pacific offers 20 for $80 which means $4 a ticket and must be used within 2 months.

I’m going to check out more gyms next week and hopefully find one that I like that opens later with decent pricing plans. So the criteria is basically 1.) price, 2.) hours 3.) distance from residence and of course quality of premises.

If one is curious about how do many locals deal with these high costs, my guess is that many simply don't go to gyms, as most of gyms I've looked at so far seem tailored for more affluent Ecuadoreans. Then again, maybe in more southern and northern barrios (neighborhoods) there are more cost effective options.

vsimple wrote:

If one is curious about how do many locals deal with these high costs, my guess is that many simply don't go to gyms, as most of gyms I've looked at so far seem tailored for more affluent Ecuadoreans. Then again, maybe in more southern and northern barrios (neighborhoods) there are more cost effective options.

I am not in Quito but find your posts interesting and believe others in a similar situation as yourself would as well.  Clearly the "economic refugee" from the north won't be a member.  As I am sure you know, the basic 24 Fitness (your basic big box club) membership in the states is around $30 a month and nicer ones going much higher of course.  The fact that there possibly are so many well-to-do locals and others to support so many higher-end clubs is the surprising part.

SawMan wrote:

vsimple wrote:

If one is curious about how do many locals deal with these high costs, my guess is that many simply don't go to gyms, as most of gyms I've looked at so far seem tailored for more affluent Ecuadoreans. Then again, maybe in more southern and northern barrios (neighborhoods) there are more cost effective options.

I am not in Quito but find your posts interesting and believe others in a similar situation as yourself would as well.  Clearly the "economic refugee" from the north won't be a member.  As I am sure you know, the basic 24 Fitness (your basic big box club) membership in the states is around $30 a month and nicer ones going much higher of course.  The fact that there possibly are so many well-to-do locals and others to support so many higher-end clubs is the surprising part.

I agree some of these gyms might be a bit pricey living on the minimum required income. But I think it’s a worthwhile investment because it not only helps one keep in shape but also fills in hours of the day with something positive and healthy. As it’s a known fact that expats in general have a whole lot of free time on their hands. And to paraphrase a quote I read a while ago, "going out once a week is ok, twice is acceptable, three times or more and you're asking for trouble."

As for you being surprised about the number of well off people, I was like that initially, but now it’s obvious that there are many, at least in centro-north Quito.

I'm in Cuenca and there are a range of gyms to choose from. You get (for the most part) what you pay for. If you're okay with mostly free weights and some basic body building equipment, you can actually get a reasonable fee. (My husband and I buy a card that has 30 visits for $30 and is good for 90 days.) That being said there is no cardio equipment outside of a skipping rope. (Originally there were three treadmills, but they've since disappeared and been replaced with basic ab equipment and two yoga balls.) We're the only expats in the joint and it's usually quite busy. There are other gyms with more "high end" equipment that will definitely cost you more. It's pretty hard to find a 24 hour gym in Cuenca, although I'm sure one or two must exist. I imagine the equipment is quite expensive here, with all the import taxes, so I don't really think you'll find the $29.99 a month deals like you get in the major chain gyms in the US and Canada.