15 Caveats You May Still Be Living as a Tourist in Ecuador

When
you’re a tourist you expect to pay more, for everything! When you are a
traveler that means you are just visiting. Visitors are on VACATION and having
fun eating out in expensive restaurants, staying in nice hotels, and doing all
the sight-seeing tours and museums of the city!



Tourists
don’t understand gouging, they just pay the first price quoted, which in a Latin
culture you can almost bet it will be two to three times more than what the
actual price should be. However, who cares, you’re on vacation,
right? 



Example:
Tourist rental: 1 bedroom furnished all inclusive, $400 to $900  

Local-priced
rental: 1 bedroom unfurnished all inclusive $200 to $400



When
you are only visiting for one to three months who cares if you pay $800 for a
furnished apartment, right? But when you are a resident, is that what you want
to pay year round? 



Residents
are not on vacation anymore and do not expect to pay tourist prices for rentals,
food, eating out, etc.  In
fact, residents should be quite familiar with the city, and know where to eat
for the value and where not to eat.  Dining out in fancy, expensive restaurants
is fine once in a while, just like eating ice cream is fine, once in a while,
but you wouldn’t want to do it every day.  



Moderation
is the key to balance. Is paying $800 a month in Ecuador moderate? When you look
at average earnings in Ecuador where most families do not even make $500 a
month, then living in a $800 dollar a month home seems excessive, for Ecuador.

15
Caveats that You Are Still Living
as a Tourist in Ecuador

1. You
are over-spending on your retirement pension.

2. When
you are in your apartment you forget that you are in a developing country, and
then you go outside and become overwhelmed.

3. You
read the hype, believed it was cheap; you came here and found out, not
everything is cheap...so now what?

4. You’ve
been here six months and you still only know how to say buenas dias and
gracias.

5. You’re
still in the honeymoon stage and everything is good; nothing seems to
bother you.

6. You
have not experienced any dishonest or unethical business practices because you
just pay up and don’t ask questions.

7. You
never negotiate for anything.

8.  You
never ride the bus.

9.  You
got sick from eating out in tourist traps.

10. You
do not know what a calefon or bombola is.

11. You
didn’t know you could drink the water from the tap.

12. You
walk around with Jewels, purses, and wallets on your person.

13. You
still have a wad of cash in your money clip and you pull clip out in plain view
when paying for a $3 souvenir.

14 You
got robbed of your purse, cell phone, wallet, camera, or back pack, etc,
etc.

15. You
tip the taxi driver, the tour guide, the translator, even though these service
providers are already getting paid plenty.

Are
You a Permanent Resident or a Tourist?

If
you are living in Ecuador now and any one of the caveats above applies to you,
then possibly you are still on vacation rather than enjoying the benefits of
being a permanent resident. 



Locals
catering to tourists are laughing all the way to the bank.  But locals and foreigners on a budget
competing with tourist prices are not.  Don’t you think it’s about time
you settled in to your life in Cuenca Ecuador and start caring more about your
expat footprint?  Expat lite, go local!



For
more information on how to do that, see the DIY Cuenca Landing Guide or any of the other guides to other parts of Ecuador.  Quito Landing Guide --- Coastal Travel Guide.

We're an Expat Family of Five Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy in Cuenca Ecuador! Enjoy the blog!

10 Warning Signs You MAY Be Paying Too Much for Rent in Cuenca Ecuador

 

Some of you might think you got a great deal on your rental and maybe you have. However, we know that many expats in Ecuador are overpaying for their rental house or apartment. So consider the list below to see if you may be getting gringoed on your rent.

1. You procured your rental through an English speaking/ Ecuadorian real estate agent or online.  


2. You asked for any one of these amenities in your new place: views 2) elevator 3) by the river 4) near shopping 5) walk to Supermaxi.


3. You took the first price that was quoted and did not negotiate.


4. Your new place is a furnished one bedroom suite. (Tourist rental) 


5. Your landlord raised the rent after one year. (Illegal in Ecuador)


6. You paid three months rent upfront. (The locals do not do this)


7. You compared the Ecuadorian rental price to what you WERE PAYING in the u.s.


8. You brought your u.s standards of living with you.


9. You simply don’t care how much your rent is.


10. You’re paying more than $400 for an unfurnished 3-bedroom 3-bath house, or you are paying more than $350 for an unfurnished 3 bedroom 3 bath apartment that does not have 24 hour security or elevator.

None of these are a guarantee that you are getting gringoed, but we think you should use it as a red flag, and do some more due diligence.   



Are you paying too much for your rent?



We're an Expat Family of Five Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy in Cuenca Ecuador! Enjoy the blog!

Live Comfortably on Less than $1000 in Cuenca Ecuador!

We've been living comfortably, happy, and healthy in Cuenca Ecuador for over three years! We miss absolutely nothing in our lives. We have everything we could possibly ever want and need. Everyone can do what we do with the exception of possibly building your own furniture. However furniture is a one time expense and with more and more expats coming to Cuenca it is very easy to sell your furniture to gringos moving here, if you ever decide to move!

The Point: It is possible to live on $1000 a month in Cuenca, IF you go local!

                   
 

Expat Family Living Frugal, Healthy, and Happy in Cuenca Ecuador! We don't just tell people how they can save money, we LIVE it!

10 Ways to Save Money in (Cuenca and Quito) Ecuador

We all love to save money, and Ecuador is a wonderful place to find superb deals and keep some moolah in your wallet! So is Ecuador really cheap like everyone says it is? As we’ve already shown in other posts: not necessarily; however you can live well on less here if you know some of the ins and outs of working with the Ecuadorian folks and staying away from those things which are geared for tourists and unsuspecting gringos.
 

So let’s get started saving money in Ecuador. Oh, and by the way, you will have to participate in the money-saving process or it just won’t work. If you apply all of these solutions into your daily living in Ecuador you’ll save hundreds of dollars every month.
 

1. Shop Around  



Did you know you can find the best deals for appliances in El Centro? Be careful though because prices are all over the map down there. Here’s what you do. Enter into an appliance store, act real interested in what you are thinking of buying and then ask price. When the clerk states the price, grimace and begin to turn away, smile and say thank you as you actually walk out of the store. Nine times out of ten they will give you a lower price.
 

The clerk may have actually given you an okay price but you want the best price. Shop around. Take note of (jotting down on paper) the name of the clerk who gave you the price and the address and name of store. You might be going back if you can’t find a better price for the same item.
Continue to shop around and negotiate, using other appliance stores as leverage. You do not have to say the names of the less expensive appliance stores but let the clerk know you can get a better price elsewhere. Let them see it in your face you are serious about walking off.
 

2. Pay Cash

 
We’re still shopping in El Centro: When buying an expensive item like washer, refrigerator, or TV you will see two prices on the item,. The lower amount is the cash price. But, you can still negotiate the cash price too and actually get a really good deal. Remember, shop around and use other stores as a negotiating tactic. Enter into the same store, look at the item again and walk out again. Do this about three or four times. The clerk sees interest, he wants to make a sale, and he’ll lower the price. If not, go to another store.
 

3. Department Stores Will Negotiate

 
This is Ecuador after all, and negotiating is the name of the game. Food prices are fixed at the grocery stores but more expensive items like appliances and furniture you can ask the store manager for a discount. Let him know you will buy it today. Remember, to smile and say “Buenes Dias”.
 

4. Buy Items in Bulk

 
One of the ways we get discounts for items is buying in bulk. Bulk buying is actually a great negotiating tactic in Ecuador, no matter what the vendor is selling.
 

EXAMPLE: The grape vendor is asking $1.50 lb. you offer $1. When she counters with $1.25 you offer to buy three pounds for a total of $3.00, which is still the one dollar per pound you initially offered, but now she has to think about declining a larger sale, which in most cases she’ll be loath to do.



5. Extended Stays for Lodging

 
A great way to save on lodging in hotels and hostels is to stay more than three days. When making reservations ask for rate quote; if it seems like an ok price, ask to see the room. If you like what you see in the amenities ask if you can receive a discount for staying three days or longer. We have always gotten discounts for staying three days or longer, with pretty hefty discounts.
EXAMPLE: Fixed rate $50 night
Three day stay or longer: $45 night
SAVINGS for three days: $15 dollars
 

6. Never Pay Three Rents Upfront

 
They only ask this from the gringos. You don’t think Ecuadorians are paying three rents upfront do you? Real estate agents love to ask for the first month’s rent, a deposit and then a last month’s rent and they do this because it is a bigger onetime payment in their pocket. The problem is, it is dishonest and unethical.
 

They only ask this from the gringos because gullible gringos pay it. It is a sham. There is no Ecuadorian law that says the renter owes more than the first month’s rent and maybe the deposit, which is something between you and owner written up in the contract. But a third months upfront rent is bogus! Besides that, nine times out of ten most folks will not ever see any of this upfront monies, including the deposit ever again. If you have a pet, go ahead and pay the deposit, but never pay three rents, that is ridiculous!
 

If for some reason you have to get out of the lease, as we know people do have emergencies and such and need to leave Ecuador, pay all of the rent you agreed to, and do as you said you would. Treat others as you would like to be treated, and give them no reason to want to ask for more deposits to the next guy.
 

7. Don’t Buy Imported Food Items at the Grocery Stores

 
This will actually bring down your grocery bill by hundreds of dollars every month. Food imports cost two to three times more than what you’d expect to pay in the US. If you can’t stop using favorite brands then expect a high grocery bill. We’ve had expats tell us they think groceries are expensive here. However, most fruits and vegetables in the grocery stores are reasonably priced but everything else cost the same as in the US or more.
 

Don’t be afraid to try the locally prepared and manufactured food items of Ecuador. You might be pleasantly surprised to find out that some of these items are healthier and much more cost effective.
 

8. Bring a Resident Attitude rather than Tourist Attitude

 
This is where you REAL savings come in. It’s all in how you perceive a good deal. Newcomers seem to gloat in comparing rent prices and everything else prices to the US prices. This is a no-no because you will overpay on everything if you come with a tourist approach. This is Ecuador!
 

If you’re moving to Cuenca and want to save money it is best to end the vacation attitude right away and go local. You will need to let everybody know you don’t want to pay tourist prices. Behave as if you know what prices are for things, or know what the prices should be and don’t be afraid to walk away if you have to.
 

9. Enjoy the Free LIVE Entertainment that (Cuenca) Ecuador Offers

 
If you like concerts and symphonies Cuenca boasts many free musicals of some sort showing in Cuenca a couple of times a month!  If you enjoy going to the movies, on Tuesdays the movie theaters have 2for1 showings. Buy one ticket get the second ticket free. Start asking around with some of the North American restaurant owners about doing 2 for 1 dinners as well. We think that would definitely be a big draw for the expats who live here; and the restaurants would get more business during the weekdays.
 

10. Build Your Home

 
The real estate markup has always been high in Cuenca, even before all the foreigners made camp here. It’s a funny thing but land prices in Ecuador are out of this world; way higher than most cities in the US. Property prices have risen a bit in the last three years, but mostly because of the returning Ecuadorians. Most of the homes here will not have all the finishing touches we so much love in the US. We recommend building if you are going to settle down in Ecuador.
 

However, if you can rent for $400 or less, it is better for your pocket book to just keep renting. Rents have risen tremendously in Cuenca just in the last couple of years.
 

BOTTOM LINE: to live well on less in Ecuador you must take a proactive approach. The north American way of not having time to be bothered with anything will cost you more than just a few extra dollars. Yes, it takes some effort but the rewards are more than meets the eye.
 

For more information see the DIY Cuenca/Quito Landing Guide.

Retire Cheap Cuenca Ecuador: Do Expat Forums Work?

So far we have replaced a restaurant, a bakery and now a travel van service business in the DIY Cuenca Landing Guide! Why? Because prices got out of hand and skyrocketed. When we take a business or service out of the guide we always replace it with a new (better, locally priced) one. We will continue to work hard to keep the DIY Cuenca Guide updated with timely information and locally priced businesses, goods and services.

                     

Retire Cheap? Cuenca Ecuador Reality Check! (Ep 1 Parmesan Cheese)

We bring you this video because we think our followers want to (continue) to know the reality of what's happening in Cuenca Ecuador. This way you can make a more informed decision when it comes time to decide where you want to move or retire to. If we did not bring you our experiences and reality checks, who will?

                      

How Safe is Your (Ecuador) Expat Retirement from Gringo Gouging and Inflation?

It
doesn’t matter where you decide to live in South or Central America;
prices will increase; they always do; gringos will be targeted and
gouged.  Your retirement check will only go so far until (perhaps) you
can’t make ends meet anymore, even in South America. You've heard of
the expat's that had to leave Panama because it got too expensive for
them, right?

So what can you do about gringo gouging and inflation? You can integrate and blend in. 



We
knew the minute we landed in Cuenca Ecuador that we were getting
gringoed; we made some mistakes but quickly learned from them. It is
through our own experiences we are able to write this post to help
newcomers to Cuenca and Quito not to be gringo gouged. 

Most people do not realize that just by certain actions we make, even if they are small gestures will make us a target of gringo gouging.

NOTE:
There are many more ways we can keep ourselves from being a target of
gringism but these are ones that any newcomer can do no matter how much
Spanish they have under their belt.

1. Introduce Yourself (right off the bat) as NOT a Tourist 



If you are here to “live” then you are not a tourist anymore and that means a total different set of rules.
 Why would anyone, seriously, pay more for rent if they don’t have to?
The first thing you want to let any Ecuadorian know who has something to
sell you is, "I'm not a tourist", and do not want "the tourist price"!



Ecuadorians
LOVE to ask Americans what they did for a living back in the states.
Why? Because they can size you up to see if you are rich and then price
their assets and commodities accordingly. Or, some actually have long
term agendas and will badly want to be your friend if they think you are
loaded. Be careful; that’s all we’re saying.



When
a landlord shows us a rental we let them know right off the bat, “We’re
not tourists, we live here, and we are not rich”. The first time Frank
told a landlord we were not tourists and we’re not rich Americanos, I
laughed out loud because I felt uncomfortable that he is telling a total
stranger our personal business, however, the landlord smiled and
totally agreed, with respect at what we were saying.



And when he told us the price of his 3 bed, 2 bath small,
brand new apartment by Coral Centro for $180 and views (this was 3
years ago) we sighed in relief because we had a single expat lady we
were helping who happened to be on a very limited Social Security
budget. This apartment was perfect for her. 



2. Do Not Speak English 



It
does not matter if you are tall and blonde; the point is if you go
around speaking loudly in English it makes the locals want to charge you
more for everything.  Of
course they already know you are not a local, but just the fact that
you may be energetically displaying English speak in their country makes
it seem like you do not care about their language.



They
do not know how long you have been here. And if you’re speaking loud
English, it is assumed you must have just landed and so you’re a
(loaded) unbeknownst tourist.



One
couple we were with on a Cuenca city bus kept speaking loud English
even after our gentle suggestion not to, and he promptly got pick
pocketed! No kidding!



They
will respect you more if you at least try and speak their language. Do
sign language if you have to, just don’t speak English, seriously! 



3. Write Down Spanish Phrases on Index Cards and Use Them!! 



Whatever
the occasion, whether you are going out to lunch, going to the dentist,
having a document translated, or shopping in the Mercado, have short
Spanish phrases ready that you will need for the occasion and use them.
This is also the best way to learn Spanish. You just have to get out
there and apply the language to your daily life. Use sign language with
the phrases to get your point across. The more phrases you apply into
your daily life the faster you will learn Spanish!! 



4. Negotiate for EVERYTHING 



Don’t
be apprehensive about negotiating. Ecuadorians love to haggle and they
will respect you for doing it. Did you know you can negotiate with the
manager at grocery and department stores too? Well, it’s true, you can! 



This is why learning your numbers is the most important part of learning the Spanish language, because once you know your numbers you can get out there and negotiate and save lots of money while living in Ecuador. 



5. Be Willing to Walk Away 



I
don’t know how many times we have “smiled”, turned around and walked
away from a vendor, or a mom and pop shop because we were getting
gringoed. Some of the time they yell back for us and sell it to us for
the price it should be. Sometimes they don’t, but it doesn’t matter.

The
neat thing about Cuenca is there are many different vendors selling the
same stuff! We just go to a different store or vendor.



You
can do this with anything from real estate to buying produce. And the
more gringos that actually walk away when they know the price is
inflated the more we all will be helping the whole expat community in
Cuenca and Quito.



If
you care about what the Ecuadorians may think about you and you want to
be a part of the community then do these five simple methods of expat
integration; you’ll be glad you did!



We have a lot more great expat integration information and money saving tips in the Cuenca and Quito Landing Guides.

We’re
curious to know the ways you have not given into gringo gouging and
inflation. Let us know your experience with this in the comments below.

Inside Scoop on Best Priced Laundry Service in Quito and Along the Ecuador Coast!

When traveling we invariably have laundry that needs to be cleaned. We like it when we find a laundry service that has the prices listed. When the prices are already listed for something you will not get gringo gouged! This laundry service has the prices listed. Frank and I checked out a lot of the laundry service establishments in some of the coastal towns when we were traveling north up the Ecuador coast, so now we know where to take our laundry and where not to take our laundry.

                    

Would You Pay $20 for a 20-Minute Car Ride on the Ecuadorian Coast? That's What Some Drivers Are Gouging Gringos For!

Would you pay $20 for a 20-minute car ride? All it takes is one gringo to pay it and it starts the gouging for the rest of the folks. Wow! Gringo gouging is worse along the coast, especially some of these smaller coastal towns and villages. I'm wondering why someone would pay that instead of taking the bus the same distance for $1.

                      

Gringo Gouging on the Ecuador Coastal Buses

Sadly we have been gringoed on several occasions (about half the time) while riding the buses along the Ecuador Coast. So how do you know if you are paying more than the locals on the buses? Generally speaking you should only pay a dollar per hour of travel time. However along the Ecuador coast we have noticed it is a bit higher at $1.50 per hour of travel time. If the bus attendant thinks you don't know the price he will gouge the gringo for a higher bus fare.


                         

Frank and Angie Enjoy Relaxing on the Beach in Puerto Lopez Ecuador

We're in Puerto Lopez Ecuador. The skies have been overcast but it doesn't keep us from getting a suntan. The weather is great, the ocean is warm, and the beach is 2-miles long!!



PUERTO LOPEZ



Frank and Angie Talk More About PTO Lopez



Short Video Clips of Town and Beach of Pto Lopez



Taking a Motor Trike to the New Mercado in Pto Lopez



Pto, Lopez, A Little Bit of the Wild, Wild, WEST



The New Pier and the Bay Area of Pto Lopez 



We're Taking a Motor Trike in the Town of Pto Lopez



Enjoying North Beach and Offering Tips on Negotiation



Walking Along the Malecon in Pto Lopez



Local Fishermen Safeguarding their Catch from the Sea Birds!



 Small Town Coastal Shopping with Frugal Frank! 



The Puerto Lopez that Nobody Talks About 



Directors Cut, Video Clips Taken in Puerto Lopez

 

Cuenca Ecuador Has Been Discovered! UPDATE 2016

UPDATE 2016 - Wowy, is Cuenca Ecuador getting discovered or what? Last week the president visited the USA and Europe to promote more tourism in Ecuador. We normally wouldn't update an article if its only 2.5 years old like this one but lots of changes we should tell you about that's happening in Cuenca.

Firstly, we think the charms of Cuenca are literally vanishing before our eyes.  Last week was Cuenca's Birthday and guess what, we didn't hear one firecracker or see one firework to display this momentous occasion. That's darn right weird. 

NOTE: This article is NOT just referring to just gringos from North America and Europe but Cuencano gringos who have lived in the states for 15-20-30 years who are now returning to Cuenca...

Cuenca
Ecuador has been discovered! How do we know? Living here lets you observe and
experience the steady progression of things changing. And it doesn’t take long
for it (few short years) to turn into well, just another city on the list of
cities. When a city becomes discovered, changes take place and it begins to
lose some of its charms and likeability.

You Know a Place Has Been Discovered when rents keep going higher and
higher…and it gets harder and harder to find local priced rentals.  Let’s take a look. 

Cuenca has
been discovered when Ecuadorians won’t budge on the rent for their older,
(needing TLC) home from $450 a month to $300, which is what it is really worth.

Cuenca has
been discovered when landlords put in their ads, “by the river”, or “off of
Ordonez Lasso”, (Gringolandia Street) or “walk to downtown”, and then they
raise their rent from $300 to $600 and say “prefer to rent to foreigners.

They
certainly can’t get Ecuadorians to rent a $300 dollar home for $600 just
because it’s walking distance to downtown.

Cuenca has
been discovered when you see older, (TLC Homes, some really dumpy) all over the
net for over $1,000 or more!!

You know
that Cuenca has been discovered when you open the Spanish newspaper and out of
30 ads 10 of them say they will “rent to foreigners only”. How sad and
discriminating! While at least half of the ads are clearly out of the
Ecuadorian local price range, so the
foreigners are the ones who rent those too. That leaves only 5 rentals that
cater to the whole population of Cuenca.

Umm…something is not right here. I
think Cuenca has been discovered!

You Know
Cuenca has been discovered when most of the Ecuadorian real estate agents working
in Cuenca are from New York, New Jersey, or Chicago, and they are only back in
Cuenca to get in on the action and the influx of gringos moving here.

You truly
know that Cuenca has been discovered when you try and work with the Ecuadorian
real estate agencies, telling them you can bring them more gringos (constant
flow of expats) to rent to if they lower their rental prices, and yet, they
won’t budge from their high priced rentals, some of which are ridiculously
priced!!

You know
that Cuenca has been discovered when you constantly get gringo gouged by the
Ecuadorians thinking you are a rich and
an Norte Americano.

You really
know that Cuenca has been discovered when the monthly maintenance fee of the apartment
building they live in keeps going up every month.

Update 2016 - Cuenca Ecuador has a few unscrupulous folks working in the real estate market, some of them gringos. Fortunately we know most of them and so we simply don't work with them, however newcomers will not know them and will at the very least over-pay and sign contracts that are pro-landlord not tenant. We often hear stories.

Sure, rents have doubled in the last five years...wondering whats going to happen in the next five years. 

~~~

You know
Cuenca has been discovered when many of the charms are diminishing from the
city. Let’s take a look.

NOTE:  All the blogs and forums have gringos complaining incessantly about the noise of the fireworks!! Don't think for a minute that the city does not read the most popular forums. Fireworks have been going off for hundred of years in Cuenca and now after it has been named the "best retirement city" in the world it decides to regulate fireworks...interesting...

Cuenca has
been discovered when fireworks are being regulated; what kind of fireworks can
be used and what holidays they can be displayed. Haven’t you noticed how quiet
Cuenca is lately?  When we moved here fireworks were going off every single day and all night. Someone high up is reading the complaints.

Update 2016: Sadly they didn't even create a professional manned firework show for Cuenca's birthday this year (2016). We're just shaking our heads.  


NOTE: The produce vendors have been selling on Cuenca sidewalks for hundreds of years...and now all of a sudden, after Cuenca has been named the "best retirement city in the world...they are removing vendors from the sidewalks?  Someone is complaining...just saying...

Cuenca has
been discovered when your favorite banana lady vendor is gone from her usual
sidewalk selling site. You ask her why she is not selling bananas in the
location she has been in for years and she tells you there’s a new county
ordinance that vendors can’t sell on certain main thoroughfares anymore. What?

How sad!! 

She is losing money day by day because she is off the main road now and down a
side street where no one can see her. Bottom line, her livelihood has been
basically taken from her. This is silly, moving the local vendors off the
sidewalks. They are not hurting anyone.

Update 2016 - ...and the saddest part is, she went out of business. We're not only shaking our heads but wondering what she does for a living now. 

What happened to all of the cart vendors in Cuenca? Little by little they are dwindling down to just wheelbarrows now. We recently learned that the city is not permitting anymore cart vendors. Our son went down to the office with a Ecuadorian friend of his where you register your cart and they told them now more permits and if anyone is selling food out of a cart they are doing it illegally. Sad...

Getting rid of the charms of the city is ruining the beauty of Cuenca.

Cuenca has
been discovered when they start regulating wheelbarrow vendors and telling them
they can only sell in certain areas of the city. They are no longer free to
walk around the city and sell where they want. Is the old world charm
disappearing and being replaced by a little North America? 

YES!

You Know a Place Has Been Discovered
When the government starts regulating everything. 

NOTE: Cuenca has been named, for the fourth year in a row the "best retirement city in the world"...you better bet that all the NEW changes and regulations have something to do with that. 

Cuenca has been discovered when you
can get fined $90 for making a u turn where traffic cops didn’t exist before.

Cuenca has been discovered when an
orphanage administrator tells you the government is now regulating the
children’s home to be run and modeled after the way the u.s does things.  What they don’t realize is this will affect
the children who only want to be loved. To a child, a hug and a story will
always take precedent over money and stuff.

NOTE: We want more police protection in the city...that is NOT what we're talking about here...Cuenca has been discovered when 120
new TRAFFIC police (differentiated from police protection) are now installed
throughout the city of Cuenca checking papers and writing tickets. Will they be
able to protect you while busy pulling you over and fining you for traffic
violations?

Cuenca has been discovered when they
want to install meters in the taxis.

Update 2016 - This has actually been a good thing for Cuenca all the way around.

You know Cuenca Ecuador has been discovered when the
president says he is going to get rid of gas subsidy and go totally electric by
2016. Watch your utility bill shoot up from $9 a month to $190 a month in a
flash. And many will have to buy all new 220 volt appliances.

Cuenca has been discovered when so
many gringos are coming here so fast that the immigration has to keep changing
the laws so as too slow down the influx of paperwork.  Funny! 

Update 2016 - and now they actually moved the immigration office out of the city of Cuenca about 40-minutes out in a city called Azogues. That'll slow things down nicely...or will it?
~~~ 
You know Cuenca has been discovered when…dental and medical are not really
inexpensive anymore. Well, at least for some people who are getting gringoed!

Cuenca's been discovered when a
friend tells you they paid $120 to get their tooth pulled…when it should have
only been $15. And he thought it was still Cheeeeep!  Our Ecuadorian friends told us in 2013 that
$15 was the price for a minor tooth pull. The molars cost $20 to $25 depending
on how impacted they are.  I paid $30 to
have two teeth pulled in 2012.  

You know Cuenca has been discovered when your
expat friends tell you they spent one night in a Cuenca hospital with a stomach
ache and it cost over $1,000!! What? Crazy as crazy gets.

Cuenca has been discovered when more
and more expats are complaining of paying extravagant prices for services to an
Ecuadorian facilitator and because they are “recommended”, they are too busy, and yet they just keep taking the clients/money but while not being able to deliver the service they
promised!!! We talk with expats on a “regular basis”…we heard this from the
horses-mouth.

You know Cuenca has been discovered when
some of the almuerzo
restaurants keep raising their prices. And when some of the mom and pop stores
follow the lead.

Cuenca has certainly been discovered when a
small burrito at almuerzo price slowly inches up to tourist pricing, I think it
is time to walk away from that restaurant, and we have.  

You know Cuenca has been discovered when a
certain almuerzo restaurant keeps getting more and more pricy on their menu $4.00
dollars for the same menu item that cost $3.00 just a year ago, from a non
tourist point of view its time to quit patronizing that restaurant.

Cuenca Ecuador has been discovered when you
go back to the same health food store and they start charging you almost double
for the exact same item you can buy in another health food store, it’s time to
stop going there. Anyone spell, G.R.I.N.G.O  G.O.U.G.I.N.G.

Cuenca has been discovered when the
Parmesan cheese lady raises the price
of Parmesan cheese because she knows you’ll be back to buy it from her, you
know Cuenca has been discovered and that you are being targeted.

You really know Cuenca has been discovered when
different expats keep complaining to us that wherever they go and whatever they
do, they keep getting gingoed, you know something is happening to this once
beautiful paradise.

And
everything we’ve just mentioned has happened/changed in the last one and two
years of living here…imagine what it is going to be like in two and three more
years!   Someone said it very nicely in the commnets "little NORTH america". 

All the changes we have mentioned and more you see in and around Cuenca are the direct cause of Cuenca being named the "best retirement city" in the world for the 4th year in a row... 

Update 2016 - And lastly, you know that Cuenca and other cities in Ecuador have been discovered when gringo enclaves are being home invaded on a consistent basis. 

So, what do you think happens to a city that has been glorified for four years in a row, as a retirement paradise.  The city makes new regulations, gets more organized, and begins to change the city by implementing things of a first world. 

These changes are happening in Cuenca faster because more baby boomers are on the Internet now than ever before and just like Panama, Costa Rica, AND Mexico when a city is named "best retirement city in the world" for several years in a row it is going to see major changes and fast.  

In fact, rumor has it that they are trying to transform Cuenca to be just like the USA. The one thing that would be good that they could do is "turn down the radio or TV in restaurants and public buses. That would be a good start to calming the senses.

Well, one
thing the 'travel media' love to say about Cuenca and it is still the same; it will never change. The weather
is still almost spring like 365 days out of the year...aaaaaah, paradise!

Until we write again, you might want to take a look at these articles about Cuenca Ecuador being discovered!

We're an expat family of five living frugal, happy and healthy in Cuenca Ecuador. Come along with us and enjoy some of our adventures!

New 3/2 Home for $300: Why We Walked Away and Why You Should Too!

The house is brand new, never been lived in. The price is not spectacular, it is what a 3 bedroom home or apartment should actually go for in Cuenca. It is the local Ecuadorian price market for a new home.



So what's the problem you might be wondering? Well, the problem is the owner/agent sees four gringos showing up to look at this house (Frank and I and the couple we were showing it to) and she decided to impose an outrageous deposit of $500. She knew the house was only for the two people but she felt compelled to ask for this silly deposit. It happens often to us and we just walk away.



She could not go up on the rental price because the $300 price was already listed, so she thought she'd be coy and ask for a hefty deposit, which the renter will NEVER see again. Frank simply and nicely told the lady that we were not going to pay that and to call us if she changes her mind. Obviously she is waiting for some more gringos to come along, she certainly will not get that deposit from an Ecuadorian!!!



                      

Cuenca Secure 3/2 Apartment $325, Great Location!

How would you like to walk 2 short blocks to the grocery store or 3 blocks to a three floor, huge department store and be located very close to a major bus line? Well, with this rental you can. It is a wonderful location. This rental is no longer available. See $300 Dollar Cuenca Rentals for more home tours, rental specials and updates!



                

Are Taxis Safe in Cuenca Ecuador and How Much Should I Pay?

A question we get asked sometimes is if hailing a taxi off the street is a safe thing to do in Cuenca. And our answer is always the same, “yes it is”.



The worse thing that can happen is some drivers might try and gringo gouge you a few bucks just because you’re new here and don’t know the prices for travel distances. Having said that, we recommend always take a registered taxi, which here in Cuenca 95% of them are.



BTW, hailing a taxi off the street in Manta, Quito or Guayaquil is not a safe practice and we do not recommend that anyone just hop into a taxi off the street in these big cities of Ecuador. It’s unfortunate but also a real scary truth that you cannot trust taxis in these areas of Ecuador. Do your due diligence and stay safe!



3 Reasons for Calling Radio Cabs



Rumor going around in Cuenca is to always call a radio cab for safety reasons. What’s funny about this is if you hop into a yellow cab in Cuenca it is already registered with the city and so it is a “radio cab”. The purpose for “radio cabs”, which is what ALL THE TAXIS ARE ANYWAY, is…



1. …to have the convenience of having a favorite driver who may speak English.

2. …to not have to stand around on the street hailing a taxi since they come to you.

3. …and because the same cab driver will charge the same fee to you.

All of which are very good reasons for having the same driver. Hence-"radio cab".



UPDATE November 2014 - ALL taxis in Cuenca should have meters. If the cab does not have a meter, do not take it; hail another. Taking taxis in Cuenca now is the normal rate it should be when you compare the rates to other areas, like Quito, Loja, and Riobamba. Before the meters were put in the rates were higher than anywhere else in Ecuador.  



We are leaving the information about "how not to get gringoed gouged in this article for those folks who live outside of Cuenca and take taxis often.  Also if you visit the coast or any other cities in Ecuador the taxis probably will not have/use the meters.



Popular Ways Expats Get Gringo Gouged When Taking a Taxi



1. Hopping right into the cab without asking the fare. New arrivals that own the DIY Cuenca Landing Guide, know the fares in advance, and so don't need to ask. See below:



2. Talking amongst yourselves about the expensive hotels you’re staying at and eating at, in English. (Understand that to the locals, all tourists are rich and have money to spend, so what is a few extra bucks for your cab ride?)           PRINCIPLE - PRINCIPLE - PRINCIPLE.



3. They hand the driver a $5, $10, or $20 dollar bill for a $2.50 cab ride.



4. They readily pay whatever the driver says the fare is and do not negotiate.



Things NOT to do when flagging Down and Taking a Taxi in Cuenca



1. Never get into an unmarked taxi cab!



2. Always ask the price first, or know the price and have exact change.



3. Tone down the English until you have been told what the rate is.



4. Don’t pull out a wad of cash in front of the driver.



5. Do not brag about where you are staying and the expensive restaurants you are eating at.



6. Do not hand the driver anything but the EXACT change!



7. It is best to, either know the price ahead of time and hand the driver that amount at the end of the ride, or ask what the fee is BEFORE you get into the taxi, knowing what the approximate fare SHOULD be.



8. Speak Spanish if you can and act like you know where you are going.



Just the other day, Frank and I went to the Cuenca airport to pick up a friend. Heading outside we see about 10 or 12 taxis all lined up waiting for fares. We asked the first guy how much the rate was to take us where we needed to go and he quoted $4.00 for a cab ride we knew should only be $2.50 to $3.00 at the most.

So we simply said, “No thanks” and went to the next taxi in line, who said they would take us for $2.50. We happily climbed into the taxi and paid the real rate, not the gringo rate.



When people pay whatever the taxi driver says it sets a precedent. That means if a gringo just pays $4.00 then that driver will expect $4.00 the next time and the next time…and the next time…pretty soon all the taxis will be gringo gouging the gringos! It’s up to us to not allow gringo gouging.



What do you think? Please, go ahead and chime in with your comments or questions in the comments area below.

$250 Town Home Rental in Cuenca Ecuador!

This town home for $250 per month is like the $230 per month town home except this one has a small bonus room off of the covered laundry area instead of green space, and it has ceramic tiles on the bottom level instead of simulated hard wood, and it has curtain type shades on every window. They are both in the same private, gated community and have a guardian/caretaker for an additional $25 per month. I also added different music in the background on this one for a change of pace...:-)   so sit back and enjoy the video home tour.  For more info about this town home or the villa for rent for $300 click here for the photos and specifications.



                    

Alice Gives us a Tour of Her Lovely Rental Home in Cuenca Ecuador

This is Alice's home. We truly appreciate Alice and all of the time she has given us, so we can give it back and share it with you, our devoted readers and viewers. Alice's home is amazing, but hey, this is Cuenca and you never know what you might discover.



Enjoy the video tour of Alice's rental home!



Stay tuned, we have more with Alice coming up!



                         

In Ecuador You Can Ask For a Discount…

In Ecuador You Can
Ask For a Discount…

…and nine times
out of ten, receive it! Isn’t that cool? Ecuadorians like it when you bargain
with them; not only will it show them that you are not a "rich gringo", or at least do not want to be labeled as such, but it lets
them see you being humble about not wanting to be gringoed!  It really is “ok” to not
accept gringo inflated prices, especially if you live here. 

Next time you go
to that same vendor she or he will remember you and you’ll most likely not get
the higher price quoted to you again. We’re writing a free negotiation ebook
right now that we think our readers will find extremely helpful for when they
arrive in Ecuador.

Whether you are on
an extended visit or are moving here to Cuenca, don’t forget to negotiate the
prices of food, rents, shopping, etc; it will save you mucho dollars in the long run.
Stay tuned for more from the "In Ecuador You Can" Series.

One Year in Cuenca, What Has Changed

One year ago we arrived in
Cuenca. It is almost hard to believe that we have lived in Cuenca for a year
now. It seems like we only arrived three months ago. It has been a great year working on the language and integrating ourselves into the Ecuadorian
culture.  We have made some wonderful friendships within the community. And since living here we have
noticed a few changes about Cuenca that we're going to talk about.

Higher Food Prices

Some food prices are higher! In just
the one year we have lived here we have noticed higher prices on many food items.
An example is: when we first got here you could buy a five pound bag of onions
for $2, well, gone is the day for $2 bag of purple onions; try $4 a bag now!
The price has doubled. So what has happened? More and more people are paying
the “whatever price” they quote, that’s what happened. Do we pay that? No way…more
on that in our up and coming bargaining ebook.

It’s not just North
Americans raising the prices either. Wealthier Ecuadorians are coming home to
Cuenca and after living in New York City for ten or twenty years, coming home
to a five pound bag of purple onions for $4 is refreshing, indeed.

Two Rental Markets: Only One Keeps Going Up!

Rentals
that are targeted to gringos have gone up and they continue to go up. Thank goodness
we stay away from the over-priced gringo gouging rentals and real estate. The
good news is
rentals in Cuenca in the $200 to $300 price range,
still come up all the time. We know because we see them listed in the resources
we list in the DIY Cuenca Guide, and from people
we know in the local Ecuadorian circles.

We’ll do a bit of footwork
for you today…in just one of the resources we list in the Cuenca guide (I noticed it a few days
ago) there is a big 4 bedroom 3 bath villa for rent for $300 in a good Ecuadorian neighborhood…was
listed on July 2, 2012. Better hurry, it might be gone by now.

This is why it is important
to continue checking out the resources in the DIY Cuenca Guide a couple of times a week. Today I saw in the Cuencanos.com classifieds online, a 3 bedroom apartment with hardwood floors for just $120 a
month! The photo looks like the apartment is nice! That’s the unfurnished
price, but it is worth a call or email for sure. Click here to see it.

Basically, you have to go to
the resources we list in the guide a couple times a week, at least, and when
you see a local-priced rental that you like, snap it up.

When good deals in the local rental price range come up they do not last
long! It's important to know that in this price range you are competing with the locals—they too are
seeking the local priced rentals and this is the price range the average
Ecuadorian is willing to pay, or lower. This is bargain hunting territory.

The other way to find the
local-priced rental is to make friends with the locals, of course, and tell
them you’re looking for a house or apartment in the local rental price range. We found our friend Karina a 3 bedroom 2 baths, nice apartment for $200, so we know they are out
there but it takes due diligence and the Do-it-yourself-mindset.

So what’s making the rental
market go up for the gringo market? I think it is fair to say that it is not just gringos that are raising rental prices. As we mentioned earlier, Ecuadorians are coming here with their
retirement savings from North America and are now ready to enjoy their country.  

But still we all must understand that if we come here and demand a
river view, 24 hour security, and furnishings to boot, we’re going to be
escorted to the higher priced rentals...that's the other rental market. But sometimes, in the case with Karina,
she got the beautiful river and city view but still only pays the local-priced rental rate. So sometimes demanding may be a disadvantage.

Taxi Service

Taxi service for
gringos has gone up. In just the one year we have lived here taxis
have gone up $1 to $1.50. So if the fare was $2.50 to go downtown from Super
maxi on Ave Las Americas, it now is $3.50 to $4. But the price gouging is
mostly given to the gringos. Again, do we pay that? Sometimes we do, like if
it's at night, but most of the time, no we don't. We have experienced this as a
fact, and more than once. Our son goes with a local friend in a taxi downtown
and only paid $2! Two dollars! We have never yet paid two dollars! The least
we’ve ever paid for cab fare to go downtown was $2.50 and we thought that was
good, and that was when we first got here in summer 2011.

We Love Cuenca
Even More

Being more familiar with how
everything works truly makes living here that much easier and convenient for
us. I think you begin to value where you live a lot more when you are more
familiar with the people, the language, and your surroundings. Living within
the city of Cuenca, near shops, restaurants and malls, makes daily living quite
expedient. When we need to go somewhere we know exactly what bus to take and
exactly where to go. What has changed from when we first got here and now, one
year later is the fact that we are much more comfortable with Cuenca and its
friendly people and that makes Cuenca that much more livable and loveable!