A Reader Asks: My income is 25T,what can I expect? 1br+ba cost close to pk caldron? Medical services? Sorry for all the? I'm 82, get around quite well, a gym close to apt?
We are asked this question from time to time. Everyone is different, with own circumstances, wants and needs and budget and so this subject is very subjective and depends on you and how you want to live. Cost of living in a tourist destination is ambiguous at best. Meaning, you just have to come here with a plan in mind and live your plan.
Throwing out some random figure on the table can mean a lot of things to a lot of different people. Here are a few things to consider about budgeting and cost of living in Cuenca Ecuador. By the way, we are assuming you meant $25K.
Bring Funds, Not a Wad of Cash
Rethink coming here without a pension coming in; unless you already know for sure you have something lined up that brings in your expenses for living. 25K might be enough to buy some land and get a residency visa, but how will you know if Cuenca is right for you? Plucking down your savings on property in Ecuador is not a good idea. We recommend that everyone come here and live for at least a year before investing in property.
Know Yourself & Know What You Want
If you are making your budget work in the U.S then it will likely work in Cuenca Ecuador as well. From your email it looks like your plan is to live in El Centro, walking distance to the park. It sounds neat to live in the Center of town but many people learn the hard way, it's not as neat as they thought it would be.
Finding a one bedroom Furnished apartment in downtown Cuenca is easy and they range from $250 to $1000 dollar monthly rent. However, living downtown is not for everyone, especially the older generation.
A couple of examples come to mind that we know of personally. A single middle-aged woman lived in a furnished studio apartment in El Centro. She loved the apartment but across the street was two nightclubs and she wasn’t getting any sleep and had to move. The second example is of a couple who also lived in El Centro but after a couple of months the traffic noise and the diesel fumes wafting up into the apartment was overwhelming and they had to move.
We hear of numerous stories such as these. Staying in El Centro as a tourist for a few weeks or even a month is probably ok for the tourist, but for permanent long-time living it is not a healthy environment for emotional and physical well being. We've been saying this for going on five years in our DIY Cuenca Landing Guide. Trying to save $20 and then having to waste hundreds to move again, well, its penny wise and pound foolish, isn't it?
For some people, staying in a condo with elevator and 24 hour security is what they need for peace of mind and for a peaceful night’s rest.
Anyway, you did not specify monthly budget so we can’t really talk about what you can get (rental figures) for a certain amount of money but the one thing to be careful of is not to get taken advantage of when looking. Research the rental market so you know what to expect cost wise. Knowing some Spanish helps.
Until we write again…
If you liked this article, we think you might like these ones too.
We're an Expat Family of Five, Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy Abroad. We live in Cuenca, Ecuador and travel the Ecuador coast whenever we get a chance. We just adventured throughout the country of Panama for five weeks! Come along and enjoy some of our experiences with us!
Welcome to Gringo Good Samaritans, integrated with our 8 years of living in Cuenca Ecuador and traveling the world. We create informative videos and articles helping people come to awareness of what's happening in our world so they can enjoy their retire early lifestyle with their families, healthy, happy and free!
Tuesday, January 26, 2016
Monday, January 25, 2016
Seeking Cheap Rental for Less than 3 Months in Cuenca Ecuador?
A Reader Asks: We’re coming to Cuenca to check it out in January and we’re wondering if it is possible to find a cheap rental for 3 weeks for both of us.
Frank and Angie's Response: The million dollar question asked by hundreds of people. The short answer to your question is there are no “cheap” rentals in Cuenca, and especially for less than 6-months. Less than 3 month short term rentals will be more costly. Understand that you are coming to a popular tourist destination where hundreds of gringos visit each month and prices reflect that.
Minimum stays in furnished apartments is usually 6-months, however a few landlords are willing to rent for a minimum of 3 months. Anything less than that is going to be other options. Let’s take a look at some of those options.
Note: If you have a pet, if the landlord allows small pets in the home the renter will have to pay a pet deposit, in case something gets ruined by pet.
Short Term Rentals
If you’re only visiting for several weeks to a few months you can check out these websites for short term rentals. And remember to negotiate according to your personal circumstances. The asking price is usually not the set price.
Craigslist – This is accommodations that charge per day and weekly rates for apartments and home stays in Cuenca Ecuador.
Airbnb - You can find plenty of short term stays on Airbnb, however be careful and make sure that you know what you are getting...there has been some complaints.
OLX - This is the daily - weekly - monthly ads for short term stays in Cuenca Ecuador
Hostels in Cuenca Ecuador
Cuenca Ecuador has some nice comfortable hostels and if you are only one or two people then staying in a hostel is probably your best bet for the budget minded traveler(s). Hostels are less expensive than hotels and will usually have a shared kitchen and common area for guests to use. Kitchens are supplied with utensils, pots and pans and cooking appliances. The only thing you will need is your own dish detergent for doing your own dishes.
We list several hostels, according to different budgets in the DIY Cuenca Landing Guide. Below are videos of a couple of these hostels.
La Casa Cuencana Hostel – Martha, the owner of this hostel offers the DIY Cuenca Landing Guide readers a discount if staying for a full week. Please show her you bought the book with a printout of the page of her Hostel or the book itself.
Note: We list rates for several hostels in the DIY guide; however rates are higher during holidays and festivals. The whole month of February Carnaval is celebrated throughout the country of Ecuador.
Hostal Macondo - Here is a video tour of this hostel.
Cuenca Ecuador Short-Term Rentals – Rooms for rent and home stays in Cuenca Ecuador.
Another great option, if you are only one or two people, is staying with an Ecuadorian family. There’s two ways this is done. The Ecuadorian family will rent out a room in their house and you use the shared kitchen; the room may or may not have a private bath. You will find these listed as a "habitacion".
The other way we’ve seen it done is with the bigger Ecuadorian homes where they make a separate apartment attached to their home; These "mini departamentos" will usually have a one bedroom with a private bath, kitchen and its own entrance. Renting this way can also be more economical than staying in a hotel, plus you will have the added benefit of interacting with Ecuadorians on a more personal level and learn some Spanish!
Until we write again…
Related Articles
We're an Expat Family of Five, Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy Abroad. We live in Cuenca, Ecuador and travel the Ecuador coast whenever we get a chance. We just adventured throughout the country of Panama for five weeks! Come along and enjoy some of our experiences with us!
Frank and Angie's Response: The million dollar question asked by hundreds of people. The short answer to your question is there are no “cheap” rentals in Cuenca, and especially for less than 6-months. Less than 3 month short term rentals will be more costly. Understand that you are coming to a popular tourist destination where hundreds of gringos visit each month and prices reflect that.
Minimum stays in furnished apartments is usually 6-months, however a few landlords are willing to rent for a minimum of 3 months. Anything less than that is going to be other options. Let’s take a look at some of those options.
Note: If you have a pet, if the landlord allows small pets in the home the renter will have to pay a pet deposit, in case something gets ruined by pet.
Short Term Rentals
If you’re only visiting for several weeks to a few months you can check out these websites for short term rentals. And remember to negotiate according to your personal circumstances. The asking price is usually not the set price.
Craigslist – This is accommodations that charge per day and weekly rates for apartments and home stays in Cuenca Ecuador.
Airbnb - You can find plenty of short term stays on Airbnb, however be careful and make sure that you know what you are getting...there has been some complaints.
OLX - This is the daily - weekly - monthly ads for short term stays in Cuenca Ecuador
Hostels in Cuenca Ecuador
Cuenca Ecuador has some nice comfortable hostels and if you are only one or two people then staying in a hostel is probably your best bet for the budget minded traveler(s). Hostels are less expensive than hotels and will usually have a shared kitchen and common area for guests to use. Kitchens are supplied with utensils, pots and pans and cooking appliances. The only thing you will need is your own dish detergent for doing your own dishes.
We list several hostels, according to different budgets in the DIY Cuenca Landing Guide. Below are videos of a couple of these hostels.
La Casa Cuencana Hostel – Martha, the owner of this hostel offers the DIY Cuenca Landing Guide readers a discount if staying for a full week. Please show her you bought the book with a printout of the page of her Hostel or the book itself.
Note: We list rates for several hostels in the DIY guide; however rates are higher during holidays and festivals. The whole month of February Carnaval is celebrated throughout the country of Ecuador.
Hostal Macondo - Here is a video tour of this hostel.
Cuenca Ecuador Short-Term Rentals – Rooms for rent and home stays in Cuenca Ecuador.
Another great option, if you are only one or two people, is staying with an Ecuadorian family. There’s two ways this is done. The Ecuadorian family will rent out a room in their house and you use the shared kitchen; the room may or may not have a private bath. You will find these listed as a "habitacion".
The other way we’ve seen it done is with the bigger Ecuadorian homes where they make a separate apartment attached to their home; These "mini departamentos" will usually have a one bedroom with a private bath, kitchen and its own entrance. Renting this way can also be more economical than staying in a hotel, plus you will have the added benefit of interacting with Ecuadorians on a more personal level and learn some Spanish!
Until we write again…
Related Articles
We're an Expat Family of Five, Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy Abroad. We live in Cuenca, Ecuador and travel the Ecuador coast whenever we get a chance. We just adventured throughout the country of Panama for five weeks! Come along and enjoy some of our experiences with us!
Saturday, January 23, 2016
Living Your Retirement Dream Abroad: Why Expats Stay in Cuenca Ecuador
Why expats leave Cuenca Ecuador has been overdone; it’s like a sirloin steak that was left to char on the grill and subsequently has lost its flavor? Planning to move to Cuenca Ecuador or not to move to Cuenca on the whim of what other people do, is a bad reason to make a life-long change to live abroad.
Just saying, don’t look at the reasons why some expats have left. The point is, we’re still here and a lot of other expats we know personally are still here as well and no one has any plans to move anywhere. So then the question is, “Why do some expats stay?”
We’re guessing but we think about half of the expats that move to Cuenca stay in Cuenca or move to other areas abroad. The reasons for staying are many’ and we compiled these reasons from talking with expats over the years who still live here and from our own experiences of life in Cuenca Ecuador. Enjoy!
1. No GMO foods – This issue is important to many people who care about their health. If you have done the study on what Genetically Modified Organisms do to your body you would know that genetically modified foods (GMF’s) can radically change a person’s overall health, for the worst. GMOs in the food you eat actually mutate the cells in your body, transforming your genes. It’s disgusting. Source: Collective Evolution
2. Abundance and variety of fresh (some organic) produce at reasonable prices – We have talked a lot on the blog and in our videos about all the variety and abundance available of fruits and vegetables in Cuenca Ecuador; this is just one of the reasons why we chose to move our family here.
3. Don’t want to live in the U.S – We have been told by several different expat couples, “We’ll never move back!” Everyone has their own personal reasons why they don’t want to live in the United States, but if the reason is strong enough and people are convicted they will make living abroad work for them and quite frankly, if folks set something in their mind, they will do it regardless of obstacles.
Moving abroad is sort of like a marriage; if you are not committed to it then it probably won’t work out. But if you set it in your heart to commit yourself, and know that moving back to the U.S is not an option then we are much more apt to make it work.
4. They brought their family with them abroad and have nothing to go back to the states for. Perhaps they might visit an elderly parent(s) or they may go back because of sickness or death of a parent but if they have their own family in Ecuador with them then what’s the pull to go back for? Skippy Peanut butter, beef hot dogs, apple pie filling? You can make your own or move to a country that has them.
5. Liberty and freedom to walk on the streets and be who you are. In Ecuador you can preach the gospel and pass out pamphlets on the street! In the U.S children can’t wear t-shirts to school that say, “I love God”. How oppressive is that!!
6. Mild weather – Just yesterday we were talking with an expat and I said the weather was one reason why expats like Cuenca and she said, “Oh, the weather is terrible here, I can’t stand it!” I explained again to her that the weather is mild, meaning it never gets too cold or too hot, which for some people is actually ideal. If you are a walker, the weather here is perfect for that.
7. Low cost and good health care – Thousands of expats have used the medical services in Cuenca Ecuador and we’re still waiting for a bad review. Everyone raves on the professionalism, the U.S standard facilities, and the inexpensive cost of medical and dental. So, it must be good, even if they're not really paying local rates.
8. Inexpensive cost of living – Some people like to call Cuenca “cheap” but Cuenca is nothing but. We try not to use the word “cheap” for Cuenca because nothing is ever “cheap”; it’s all very subjective. However, in most respects it is inexpensive to live here (although prices are going up on everything) but if you go local it is even more inexpensive.
9. Good transportation options - Getting rid of the burden of car ownership is a plus for many folks. Half of all expats that move to Cuenca never drive; it’s easier to take a taxi, bus or walk where you need to go. You absolutely do not need to own a car in Cuenca…the public modes of transportation are that good.
10. They adapt – believe it or not some people adapt to living in other countries and actually like it better than where they came from. It depends a lot on how a person was raised and how set they are in their ways. Some folks are just good at adjusting to change and they simply adapt and love it! Children are also good at change in environment.
11. Safe for expats – Cuenca is fast becoming one of the safest cities of its size in Latin America…thanks to the ramped up security/tourist police and expat awareness! Thank you City of Cuenca!
12. Cuenca is a very livable city – family oriented culture and the friendly people and the traditional culture make Cuenca a likable city. There are many restaurants, bakeries, small shops, and nice grocery stores to choose from; and let’s not forget the free symphonies and concerts; oh and the infrastructure. Cuenca has basically (most of the time) good Internet, good roads, bike paths, nice parks and it’s a very clean, safe city for walking around in, even off the beaten path. Now, that doesn’t mean you can get lax about your personal safety but it means you are quite safe during the day in Cuenca Ecuador, it wasn’t always that way.
Until we write again…
If you like this article, you will surely like these ones too.
We're an Expat Family of Five, Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy Abroad. We live in Cuenca, Ecuador and travel the Ecuador coast whenever we get a chance. We just adventured throughout the country of Panama for five weeks! Come along and enjoy some of our experiences with us!
Just saying, don’t look at the reasons why some expats have left. The point is, we’re still here and a lot of other expats we know personally are still here as well and no one has any plans to move anywhere. So then the question is, “Why do some expats stay?”
We’re guessing but we think about half of the expats that move to Cuenca stay in Cuenca or move to other areas abroad. The reasons for staying are many’ and we compiled these reasons from talking with expats over the years who still live here and from our own experiences of life in Cuenca Ecuador. Enjoy!
1. No GMO foods – This issue is important to many people who care about their health. If you have done the study on what Genetically Modified Organisms do to your body you would know that genetically modified foods (GMF’s) can radically change a person’s overall health, for the worst. GMOs in the food you eat actually mutate the cells in your body, transforming your genes. It’s disgusting. Source: Collective Evolution
2. Abundance and variety of fresh (some organic) produce at reasonable prices – We have talked a lot on the blog and in our videos about all the variety and abundance available of fruits and vegetables in Cuenca Ecuador; this is just one of the reasons why we chose to move our family here.
3. Don’t want to live in the U.S – We have been told by several different expat couples, “We’ll never move back!” Everyone has their own personal reasons why they don’t want to live in the United States, but if the reason is strong enough and people are convicted they will make living abroad work for them and quite frankly, if folks set something in their mind, they will do it regardless of obstacles.
Moving abroad is sort of like a marriage; if you are not committed to it then it probably won’t work out. But if you set it in your heart to commit yourself, and know that moving back to the U.S is not an option then we are much more apt to make it work.
4. They brought their family with them abroad and have nothing to go back to the states for. Perhaps they might visit an elderly parent(s) or they may go back because of sickness or death of a parent but if they have their own family in Ecuador with them then what’s the pull to go back for? Skippy Peanut butter, beef hot dogs, apple pie filling? You can make your own or move to a country that has them.
5. Liberty and freedom to walk on the streets and be who you are. In Ecuador you can preach the gospel and pass out pamphlets on the street! In the U.S children can’t wear t-shirts to school that say, “I love God”. How oppressive is that!!
- Parents must vaccinate their children or they can't attend school.
- In the U.S homeowners can’t grow a garden in their own yard! In Ecuador they welcome farmers to farm and eat from their garden for sustenance.
- In Ecuador you can buy unpasteurized milk from the goat farmers. In the U.S they shut down all the milk farmers who were selling unpasteurized milk to its members.
- In Ecuador you are free to be who you are as long as you are not harming another human being and that’s the way it should be!
- Ecuador allows people to make their own choices of how they will live; and in the U.S, they make choices for you. We could make such comparisons to write a whole book, but you get the drift.
6. Mild weather – Just yesterday we were talking with an expat and I said the weather was one reason why expats like Cuenca and she said, “Oh, the weather is terrible here, I can’t stand it!” I explained again to her that the weather is mild, meaning it never gets too cold or too hot, which for some people is actually ideal. If you are a walker, the weather here is perfect for that.
7. Low cost and good health care – Thousands of expats have used the medical services in Cuenca Ecuador and we’re still waiting for a bad review. Everyone raves on the professionalism, the U.S standard facilities, and the inexpensive cost of medical and dental. So, it must be good, even if they're not really paying local rates.
8. Inexpensive cost of living – Some people like to call Cuenca “cheap” but Cuenca is nothing but. We try not to use the word “cheap” for Cuenca because nothing is ever “cheap”; it’s all very subjective. However, in most respects it is inexpensive to live here (although prices are going up on everything) but if you go local it is even more inexpensive.
9. Good transportation options - Getting rid of the burden of car ownership is a plus for many folks. Half of all expats that move to Cuenca never drive; it’s easier to take a taxi, bus or walk where you need to go. You absolutely do not need to own a car in Cuenca…the public modes of transportation are that good.
10. They adapt – believe it or not some people adapt to living in other countries and actually like it better than where they came from. It depends a lot on how a person was raised and how set they are in their ways. Some folks are just good at adjusting to change and they simply adapt and love it! Children are also good at change in environment.
11. Safe for expats – Cuenca is fast becoming one of the safest cities of its size in Latin America…thanks to the ramped up security/tourist police and expat awareness! Thank you City of Cuenca!
12. Cuenca is a very livable city – family oriented culture and the friendly people and the traditional culture make Cuenca a likable city. There are many restaurants, bakeries, small shops, and nice grocery stores to choose from; and let’s not forget the free symphonies and concerts; oh and the infrastructure. Cuenca has basically (most of the time) good Internet, good roads, bike paths, nice parks and it’s a very clean, safe city for walking around in, even off the beaten path. Now, that doesn’t mean you can get lax about your personal safety but it means you are quite safe during the day in Cuenca Ecuador, it wasn’t always that way.
Until we write again…
If you like this article, you will surely like these ones too.
We're an Expat Family of Five, Living Frugal, Healthy and Happy Abroad. We live in Cuenca, Ecuador and travel the Ecuador coast whenever we get a chance. We just adventured throughout the country of Panama for five weeks! Come along and enjoy some of our experiences with us!
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