A
reader wants to know if they will be able to find and buy organic
fruits and vegetables in Cuenca Ecuador when they retire in three years.
We hope so! This is a really important subject because everyone needs to eat and most people care about their health and what they are putting into their body on a daily basis, but it's really difficult to get a straight answer about the healthfulness of the food at the Mercados. Watch the video to find our more.
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!
Monday, December 21, 2015
Sunday, December 20, 2015
A Reader Asks: Are There English Speaking Schools in Cuenca Ecuador
In this video we talk about English speaking schools in Cuenca and if there are such schools that cater to expat English speaking children.
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!
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, December 19, 2015
7 Endearing Traits of Latin Americans
We are known for giving out the details. Well, here are some details you might find interesting. Remember, these are things that “in general” apply to a culture, however, it certainly does not mean that every Latin American is going to exhibit all or any of these behaviors. Everyone is different and special with their own unique personality that makes them who they are.
1. Opposite of upfront: If they tell the truth about something it might make you disappointed. They don’t want to disappoint you, so they simply keep from telling you anything that might come across as negative sounding, especially if they have something to gain from it. You can call it, false-hope.
Story: When we were in Panama the Internet was not working in the hotel we stayed in. We asked the desk clerk, “When will the Internet come back on”? We had to let them know we were working and needed the Internet. And she said, “Soon, in a few hours”. A few hours goes by and still no Internet. We asked her at least four or five times about the Internet and we still got the same answer each time.
The Internet was out half of that day and all of the next day because the manager was gone for the weekend and she was the only one who had a key to the room where the router was to reboot the modem, which is all that was needed. The desk clerk was not upfront with us and instead of coming out and telling us that the manager is gone for the weekend and will not be in until Monday, she kept telling us it will get turned back on soon, today, in a few hours, etc, etc.
These kinds of appeasing stories happen all the time in Latin America and it doesn’t matter which Latin American country you live in, it still happens.
2. Friendly and Gracious – Sure, ALL Latin Americans are gracious folks; it goes with the territory, literally. On first meeting most people in the world are gracious. It’s funny how foreigners who do not speak a lick of Spanish say that all the Ecuadorians are the friendliest people in the world.
How about getting to know someone and doing business with them? Do you interact and communicate with them on a daily basis, and in Spanish? You might find some of that friendliness has vanished. Just saying, people go overboard with the friendliest people in the world when they don’t really know them.
3. Curious to a fault – There’s curious and there’s nosy. Here they tend to lean toward the nosy. However, it’s not in a confrontational manner but rather, “Let me get to know you” manner. They think that they can know someone by how much money a person makes and what kind of education they have had. What they are really doing is deciding if they want to be friends with you, and or deciding on how they will treat you.
This is a common trait throughout the world and does not necessarily pertain only to the Latin American culture. Latins are known for not being straight forward BUT with this subject and wanting to find out “how much money you make” that goes down the bath drain with the soap suds.
This is why it is unhealthy to flaunt your wealth in Latin American countries. If you find it difficult to keep a low profile in Latin America, you might find yourself in trouble and not just financially but in other ways as well.
When we first moved here our neighbors asked us “How much money do you make?” We told them, “We’re on a tight budget and are not tourists”.
4. Easy Going and Even Tempered – Yes, Ecuadorians and Panamanians are laid back and take the day as it comes. They do not allow much to bother them. They understand patience and don’t complain much, except for when they are driving a car. Behind the wheel of an automobile their other, more radical personality side comes out of hiding. You wouldn’t think it’s the same person. By the way, the Latin women are much calmer behind the wheel of an automobile than the men.
5. Easily Slighted – If you don’t drink with them they take it personal and get insulted. They can’t wrap their head around “why” someone doesn’t like to drink. To them, “everyone drinks” and if you don’t drink you don’t like them.
If you don’t eat their traditional foods like cuy they feel affronted. We don’t mean to rub anyone the wrong way and we’ll eat everything they put before us but we’ve had to tell them we are not interested in tasting cuy.
Our son Angelo said it well when neighbors asked him to eat cuy, He smiled and said, “I’m sorry, I don’t eat pets”. We had to explain to them that in North America little boys and some girls have pet gerbils, hamsters, rats and guinea pigs. They didn’t know that, so they learned something new that day.
We have found that if they feel slighted it’s because they do not understand something about the North American culture. Once you explain yourself they are usually ok with why you didn’t want to eat something or behave a certain way or believe a certain way, etc. Now, that’s getting to know someone on a more personal level.
6. Conservative Dress - In both Ecuador and Panama the women dress more conservatively than women in North America. Excluding the tight pants, Latinas rarely expose a lot of cleavage or upper thighs bared to the world, unless they are at the beach.
Latin’s take pride in their overall appearance and dress casually but very neat and tidy. No baggy pants, holey jeans or dirty ripped clothing like what you see the younger generation wearing in North America.
Most Ecuadorian and Panamanian women have their LONG hair put up in pretty clips or tied back into a bun. The men are clean-shaven, short hair, and many of them use gel to keep their hair in a style. Here's a video cam of the Cuenca people in the Park Calderon.
7. People Pleasers– Latin Americans in general do not like to tell you they don’t know something when you ask them. Instead of saying, “Sorry, I don’t know where that is” they will make something up, sending you on a wild goose chase. Have you ever tried to catch a goose in Latin America? Might take you all day.
This is an endearing quality and many times after the fact we laugh about it. But when you are still chasing the goose, it can be a bit annoying. We have learned to get multiple opinions instead of going by the word of one person.
Until we write again!
Did you like this article, then you might find these interesting 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!
 |
| Madre Park |
1. Opposite of upfront: If they tell the truth about something it might make you disappointed. They don’t want to disappoint you, so they simply keep from telling you anything that might come across as negative sounding, especially if they have something to gain from it. You can call it, false-hope.
Story: When we were in Panama the Internet was not working in the hotel we stayed in. We asked the desk clerk, “When will the Internet come back on”? We had to let them know we were working and needed the Internet. And she said, “Soon, in a few hours”. A few hours goes by and still no Internet. We asked her at least four or five times about the Internet and we still got the same answer each time.
The Internet was out half of that day and all of the next day because the manager was gone for the weekend and she was the only one who had a key to the room where the router was to reboot the modem, which is all that was needed. The desk clerk was not upfront with us and instead of coming out and telling us that the manager is gone for the weekend and will not be in until Monday, she kept telling us it will get turned back on soon, today, in a few hours, etc, etc.
These kinds of appeasing stories happen all the time in Latin America and it doesn’t matter which Latin American country you live in, it still happens.
2. Friendly and Gracious – Sure, ALL Latin Americans are gracious folks; it goes with the territory, literally. On first meeting most people in the world are gracious. It’s funny how foreigners who do not speak a lick of Spanish say that all the Ecuadorians are the friendliest people in the world.
How about getting to know someone and doing business with them? Do you interact and communicate with them on a daily basis, and in Spanish? You might find some of that friendliness has vanished. Just saying, people go overboard with the friendliest people in the world when they don’t really know them.
3. Curious to a fault – There’s curious and there’s nosy. Here they tend to lean toward the nosy. However, it’s not in a confrontational manner but rather, “Let me get to know you” manner. They think that they can know someone by how much money a person makes and what kind of education they have had. What they are really doing is deciding if they want to be friends with you, and or deciding on how they will treat you.
This is a common trait throughout the world and does not necessarily pertain only to the Latin American culture. Latins are known for not being straight forward BUT with this subject and wanting to find out “how much money you make” that goes down the bath drain with the soap suds.
This is why it is unhealthy to flaunt your wealth in Latin American countries. If you find it difficult to keep a low profile in Latin America, you might find yourself in trouble and not just financially but in other ways as well.
When we first moved here our neighbors asked us “How much money do you make?” We told them, “We’re on a tight budget and are not tourists”.
4. Easy Going and Even Tempered – Yes, Ecuadorians and Panamanians are laid back and take the day as it comes. They do not allow much to bother them. They understand patience and don’t complain much, except for when they are driving a car. Behind the wheel of an automobile their other, more radical personality side comes out of hiding. You wouldn’t think it’s the same person. By the way, the Latin women are much calmer behind the wheel of an automobile than the men.
5. Easily Slighted – If you don’t drink with them they take it personal and get insulted. They can’t wrap their head around “why” someone doesn’t like to drink. To them, “everyone drinks” and if you don’t drink you don’t like them.
If you don’t eat their traditional foods like cuy they feel affronted. We don’t mean to rub anyone the wrong way and we’ll eat everything they put before us but we’ve had to tell them we are not interested in tasting cuy.
Our son Angelo said it well when neighbors asked him to eat cuy, He smiled and said, “I’m sorry, I don’t eat pets”. We had to explain to them that in North America little boys and some girls have pet gerbils, hamsters, rats and guinea pigs. They didn’t know that, so they learned something new that day.
We have found that if they feel slighted it’s because they do not understand something about the North American culture. Once you explain yourself they are usually ok with why you didn’t want to eat something or behave a certain way or believe a certain way, etc. Now, that’s getting to know someone on a more personal level.
6. Conservative Dress - In both Ecuador and Panama the women dress more conservatively than women in North America. Excluding the tight pants, Latinas rarely expose a lot of cleavage or upper thighs bared to the world, unless they are at the beach.
Latin’s take pride in their overall appearance and dress casually but very neat and tidy. No baggy pants, holey jeans or dirty ripped clothing like what you see the younger generation wearing in North America.
Most Ecuadorian and Panamanian women have their LONG hair put up in pretty clips or tied back into a bun. The men are clean-shaven, short hair, and many of them use gel to keep their hair in a style. Here's a video cam of the Cuenca people in the Park Calderon.
7. People Pleasers– Latin Americans in general do not like to tell you they don’t know something when you ask them. Instead of saying, “Sorry, I don’t know where that is” they will make something up, sending you on a wild goose chase. Have you ever tried to catch a goose in Latin America? Might take you all day.
This is an endearing quality and many times after the fact we laugh about it. But when you are still chasing the goose, it can be a bit annoying. We have learned to get multiple opinions instead of going by the word of one person.
Until we write again!
Did you like this article, then you might find these interesting 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!
Friday, December 18, 2015
Here's the Nitty-gritty about Ecuadorian Almuerzo (Lunch) - Let's Eat!
Traditional Ecuadorian Lunch (almuerzo)
The traditional Almuerzo usually comes with soup, a piece of meat (beef, chicken, pork, fish), white rice, sometimes ensalada (something raw) and, what is called menestra, which is a stew of usually either lentils, beans, or peas and a juice drink.
The restaurateur will usually put outside the restaurant a slate board or whiteboard with the “menu of the day” and the price. That way you can know ahead of time what they are serving for lunch before you go inside and sit down.
Prices vary, depending on where you go and who they cater to. Ecuadorians do not generally spend more than $2.50 for lunch. Many of the $2.50 to $3.00 lunches still serve some of the tastiest and generous portions of food.
Non Traditional Almuerzo
In the almuerzo restaurants in Cuenca that cater to gringos you will often find prices as high as $6.50, but usually they are around $4 to $4.50. And they will serve foods they know gringos like.
Sometimes these lunches are a bit more creative and they make pasta dishes with chicken or rice or with sautéed beef. The more expensive almuerzo restaurants that cater to the gringos might serve lasagna and even hamburgers or Mexican food but the higher price will reflect the non-traditional lunches.
Ecuador Sopa (Soup)
Soups in Ecuador are usually very good and sometimes they are a meal in themselves. Poultry is very good in Ecuador and so the chicken soups are usually tasty. Some of the more popular soups they serve with almuerzo are vegetable or a rich broth with bolon (fried green plantain dumplings or a pork dumpling). It's interesting.
Some of the soups are made with chicken or vegetables with pasta or a creamy milk or tomato based soup. They’re all very tasty and are made from scratch. Ecuadorians make some of the best soups we’ve ever eaten for the price.
Ensalada (raw vegetables, Ecuadorian salad)
The raw part of the meal can be a very small salad of cucumbers, peas, and tomatoes drizzled with a little bit of vinegar and oil, or something simpler such as a half avocado. Sometimes the salad is more than just the side dish and is mixed with beans and mayo or potatoes and peas; if your salad is actually a bean or potato salad they will not usually serve (menestra) beans or lentils on the side.
Juice Drinks Served with Ecuadorian Almuerzos
We were living here for about 6 months before we realized (after I watched someone make ‘tree tomato’ juice) the juices served with the almuerzo lunches in Ecuador are loaded with sugar and not of the ‘integral panela’ variety, but the really refined stuff. So we quit drinking our juice drink when we have the traditional almuerzo. they are good though.
Here’s how they make the tree tomato juice in a nutshell.
Tree Tomato Juice: First they boil the tree tomatoes and then they skin them. Then they blend the tomatoes up with water; they use a lot of water to make the juice stretch further and then they strain out any loose tomato pieces, add sugar and blend again, then chill and serve a with the almuerzos.
When they make their fruit juices it is done a bit different because the fruits do not need to be cooked. I’ve watched them make many different juices at the Children’s home in Cuenca. Here’s how they make Papaya juice.
Ecuadorian Papaya Juice: They buy the huge papayas shaped like a watermelon and scoop out all the pulp. They then blend the pulp with (hot) water to make it go further; they strain out any small bits of papaya that did not get blended up to make it nice and smooth, and then they add a lot of sugar to make the drink even sweeter and blend up some more.
Interestingly we found that even some of the supposed healthy vegetarian restaurants, add refined sugar to their juices, because we asked of course. A warning to those that care about such things.
White Rice for SURE!
The one thing you can always count on for sure (seguro) with the traditional Ecuadorian almuerzos is white rice. There are a few restaurants that serve brown rice and we list them in our Free Restaurant Guide. The guide lists some of the traditional almuerzos as well as some of the more North American style fare restaurants.
By the way, in Panama they also ‘for sure’ serve white rice or potato salad and juice drinks with added refined sugar, so it must be a Latin thing. Panamanians love potato salad, and sometimes instead of the rice, you will be served potato salad in the almuerzo. See our video about the differences between the Ecuadorian almuerzo and the Panamanian almuerzo here.
Ecuadorian Aji Sauce
Aji is an Ecuadorian sauce made with onions, cilantro, sometimes tree tomato, aji peppers, carrots, herbs, etc. Each region of Ecuador makes it a little bit different. It is spicier on the coast.
Our next door neighbor came over to our house and she showed me how to make aji using tree tomatoes (tomatillos) . Here's the recipe. It's very good.
Pastre (something sweet)
Last but never least, at the end of the meal they serve slices of fruit or something a little bit sweet. It's always very interesting to see what you are going to get.
Until we write again…
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!
The traditional Almuerzo usually comes with soup, a piece of meat (beef, chicken, pork, fish), white rice, sometimes ensalada (something raw) and, what is called menestra, which is a stew of usually either lentils, beans, or peas and a juice drink.
The restaurateur will usually put outside the restaurant a slate board or whiteboard with the “menu of the day” and the price. That way you can know ahead of time what they are serving for lunch before you go inside and sit down.
 |
| Menu of the day |
Prices vary, depending on where you go and who they cater to. Ecuadorians do not generally spend more than $2.50 for lunch. Many of the $2.50 to $3.00 lunches still serve some of the tastiest and generous portions of food.
 |
| Cabbage soup with other veggies - Cuenca Ecuador |
Non Traditional Almuerzo
In the almuerzo restaurants in Cuenca that cater to gringos you will often find prices as high as $6.50, but usually they are around $4 to $4.50. And they will serve foods they know gringos like.
Sometimes these lunches are a bit more creative and they make pasta dishes with chicken or rice or with sautéed beef. The more expensive almuerzo restaurants that cater to the gringos might serve lasagna and even hamburgers or Mexican food but the higher price will reflect the non-traditional lunches.
 |
| Ecuadorian desayuno almuerzo - This one was 2.50 in Quito Ecuador |
Ecuador Sopa (Soup)
Soups in Ecuador are usually very good and sometimes they are a meal in themselves. Poultry is very good in Ecuador and so the chicken soups are usually tasty. Some of the more popular soups they serve with almuerzo are vegetable or a rich broth with bolon (fried green plantain dumplings or a pork dumpling). It's interesting.
 |
| Broth soup with bolon and yuca |
Some of the soups are made with chicken or vegetables with pasta or a creamy milk or tomato based soup. They’re all very tasty and are made from scratch. Ecuadorians make some of the best soups we’ve ever eaten for the price.
 |
| Tomato based soup with chicken |
Ensalada (raw vegetables, Ecuadorian salad)
The raw part of the meal can be a very small salad of cucumbers, peas, and tomatoes drizzled with a little bit of vinegar and oil, or something simpler such as a half avocado. Sometimes the salad is more than just the side dish and is mixed with beans and mayo or potatoes and peas; if your salad is actually a bean or potato salad they will not usually serve (menestra) beans or lentils on the side.
Juice Drinks Served with Ecuadorian Almuerzos
We were living here for about 6 months before we realized (after I watched someone make ‘tree tomato’ juice) the juices served with the almuerzo lunches in Ecuador are loaded with sugar and not of the ‘integral panela’ variety, but the really refined stuff. So we quit drinking our juice drink when we have the traditional almuerzo. they are good though.
Here’s how they make the tree tomato juice in a nutshell.
Tree Tomato Juice: First they boil the tree tomatoes and then they skin them. Then they blend the tomatoes up with water; they use a lot of water to make the juice stretch further and then they strain out any loose tomato pieces, add sugar and blend again, then chill and serve a with the almuerzos.
When they make their fruit juices it is done a bit different because the fruits do not need to be cooked. I’ve watched them make many different juices at the Children’s home in Cuenca. Here’s how they make Papaya juice.
Ecuadorian Papaya Juice: They buy the huge papayas shaped like a watermelon and scoop out all the pulp. They then blend the pulp with (hot) water to make it go further; they strain out any small bits of papaya that did not get blended up to make it nice and smooth, and then they add a lot of sugar to make the drink even sweeter and blend up some more.
Interestingly we found that even some of the supposed healthy vegetarian restaurants, add refined sugar to their juices, because we asked of course. A warning to those that care about such things.
 |
| Quinoa /vegetarian Restaurant serves brown rice |
White Rice for SURE!
The one thing you can always count on for sure (seguro) with the traditional Ecuadorian almuerzos is white rice. There are a few restaurants that serve brown rice and we list them in our Free Restaurant Guide. The guide lists some of the traditional almuerzos as well as some of the more North American style fare restaurants.
By the way, in Panama they also ‘for sure’ serve white rice or potato salad and juice drinks with added refined sugar, so it must be a Latin thing. Panamanians love potato salad, and sometimes instead of the rice, you will be served potato salad in the almuerzo. See our video about the differences between the Ecuadorian almuerzo and the Panamanian almuerzo here.
Ecuadorian Aji Sauce
Aji is an Ecuadorian sauce made with onions, cilantro, sometimes tree tomato, aji peppers, carrots, herbs, etc. Each region of Ecuador makes it a little bit different. It is spicier on the coast.
 |
| Aji sauce - Cuenca Ecuador |
Our next door neighbor came over to our house and she showed me how to make aji using tree tomatoes (tomatillos) . Here's the recipe. It's very good.
Pastre (something sweet)
Last but never least, at the end of the meal they serve slices of fruit or something a little bit sweet. It's always very interesting to see what you are going to get.
Until we write again…
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!
Thursday, December 17, 2015
Interesting Food Facts about Ecuador
Top Cocoa Producer: Ecuador is one of the top producers of Cocoa in the world and has one of the best tasting and distinctive flavors of cocoa in the world.
Source: World Atlas
Guanabana of Ecuador Kills Cancer: The Guanabana fruit grows in the Amazon Rain Forest of Ecuador. It kills cancer cells 10,000 times more effectively than chemotherapy. The fruit is sold throughout Ecuador for a reasonable price.
Source: Discover Cuenca Ecuador
Top Banana Producer: Ecuador is one of the top 10 producers of bananas in the world. Ecuador was the world's largest exporter of bananas in 2002 ($936.5 million). Today it is in the top ten of the world’s exports of bananas.
Source: World Knowing
Manta Ecuador Big Export of Canned Tuna: Manta Ecuador fishes, processes and cans some of the world’s favorite canned tuna, which is then exported to the U.S and Europe. Top brands are Bumble Bee and Van Camps Tuna.
Source: Wikepedia
Ecuador, Top Plantain Producer: Ecuador is in the top ten of the world’s farming of plantains. Most Ecuadorian dishes use plantains on the side or in a recipe. Here's a easy recipe using plantains.
Source: CGIAR
Ecuador, Largest Exporter of Passion Fruit: Ecuador is the largest exporter of passion fruit concentrate to the U.S and Europe. Two popular passion fruit varieties grown in Ecuador year round are the Maracuya and Granadilla. Both passion fruits taste good but the granadilla is sweeter. Click their names to watch our taste-testing videos of these fruits.
Source: Passion Fruit
Encebollado Soup from Ecuador Best Tasting: This is my opinion, of course. The best encebollado soup we ever had is in Cuenca and Quito. Here's our video of eating this delicious tuna fish soup in Quito Ecuador.
Until we write again…
If you liked this article, we think you should try these 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!
Source: World Atlas
Guanabana of Ecuador Kills Cancer: The Guanabana fruit grows in the Amazon Rain Forest of Ecuador. It kills cancer cells 10,000 times more effectively than chemotherapy. The fruit is sold throughout Ecuador for a reasonable price.
Source: Discover Cuenca Ecuador
Top Banana Producer: Ecuador is one of the top 10 producers of bananas in the world. Ecuador was the world's largest exporter of bananas in 2002 ($936.5 million). Today it is in the top ten of the world’s exports of bananas.
Source: World Knowing
Manta Ecuador Big Export of Canned Tuna: Manta Ecuador fishes, processes and cans some of the world’s favorite canned tuna, which is then exported to the U.S and Europe. Top brands are Bumble Bee and Van Camps Tuna.
Source: Wikepedia
Ecuador, Top Plantain Producer: Ecuador is in the top ten of the world’s farming of plantains. Most Ecuadorian dishes use plantains on the side or in a recipe. Here's a easy recipe using plantains.
Source: CGIAR
Ecuador, Largest Exporter of Passion Fruit: Ecuador is the largest exporter of passion fruit concentrate to the U.S and Europe. Two popular passion fruit varieties grown in Ecuador year round are the Maracuya and Granadilla. Both passion fruits taste good but the granadilla is sweeter. Click their names to watch our taste-testing videos of these fruits.
Source: Passion Fruit
Encebollado Soup from Ecuador Best Tasting: This is my opinion, of course. The best encebollado soup we ever had is in Cuenca and Quito. Here's our video of eating this delicious tuna fish soup in Quito Ecuador.
Until we write again…
If you liked this article, we think you should try these 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!
Wednesday, December 16, 2015
UPDATE Dec. 2015 - Can You Still Find the $250 a month Rental in Cuenca?
To see part 1 of this article click here.
We like to keep our readers updated on what's really happening with Cuenca Ecuador. It's been almost four years since the original posting of this article on February 14, 2012.
The BIG question that many people may want to know is if it is still possible to find rents in the $250 price range... and the Ecuadorians are saying, yes! That was then and this is now.
Look at our update in 2013 below.
UPDATE August 2013: It is rare to find the same amount of house in the same condition as ours in the $250 price range. We have not yet found a $250 rental as nice and as big as our home rental. We do not want to be discouraging but it just is what it is. However, in the $350 price range and even in the $300 price range you can still find nice 3 and 4 bedroom homes. And we're here to help you find a nice rental in the local price market.
When we moved to Cuenca we already knew that it was possible to rent for $250 or lower. We're renting in that price range now. But until one sees it and hears it for themselves it may be difficult to believe.
UPDATE December 2015: Not only is it rare to find a $300 4 bedroom 3 bath home in Cuenca, it is non-existent. That price range was gone a long time ago in 2014. We can only presume and hope that the Ecuadorians have their own underground market so they are not priced out of their homes. We see a lot of Ecuadorian families "searching" for homes in the $200 to $250 price range. See more new updates at the end of this article.
We've read on blogs and forums of how people say, "yeah you can rent at $200 to $250 a month in Cuenca but you'll be living in squalor". Uh? Who would say such a thing? Those who have a vested interest in the rental market in Cuenca Ecuador!!
This is a great article written by Karen and sums up her experience talking with the Ecuadorians about rentals here in Cuenca. To see the slide show photos that she attached with her article click here and go to Karen's Blog.
Below is the article on Karen's website.
What You Get for $250 – Cuenca, Ecuador
In one of my earliest posts, I said that it was possible to live in Cuenca and only pay $250 in rent per month. A kind commenter, who currently lives in Cuenca, then replied that really the monthly rates are more in the range of $300-$500. So, delaying further discussion, I decided to see for myself.
After a week in Cuenca, talking to everyone from taxi drivers, to friends, to shop keepers and bank officers, I can say that the commenter was WRONG!! You can absolutely live in a nice place in Cuenca for $250 or under and $250-$300 is considered the higher-end by the average Cuencano. Yes ladies and gentlemen, that is a fact.
Sure if you want to live the high life/expat life, with the other expats, paying higher rental fees to live in condo buildings that are essentially occupied by other retired expats from North America (ex Mexico)….then go ahead and pay more. [There's also that really fabulous, fully furnished house for $600 that I really want.]
However, if you are moving to Ecuador to make friends AND save money, well then you are in luck, because there are lots of options, you just need to have patience, a little flexibility and some time.
Okay, so why the serious difference in rental rates (perceived or real) between me and the commenter? Language skills, living standards, other stuff ….take your pick. All the conversations I had with people regarding living expenses were in Spanish. While I did contact one of the expat real estate agents, it was on the last day I was in town and we really did not have a chance to speak. For $250 and below (and it should be below), you can get a two bedroom newly renovated, apartment and the further you are from El Centro, the cheaper it gets.
I took a tour of a small, 2nd floor, 2-bedroom apartment that had just been renovated and the asking price was $250, which to me means that for a year lease you can get it for $200. It is a 10 minute walk from downtown and in a decent/typical area. I also spoke to the owner of a 2 bedroom, new construction apartment that had just rented it for $180. It is walking distance to a Coral Supermarket (one of the supermarkets that we all would be happy with), a $2 taxi ride or a $0.25 bus ride to downtown and it is a block off a major road and right on the bus lines.
If you are looking for a place, there are tons of rentals, signs are posted on the homes (“se arrienda”) and foreigners are very welcome. Just bring along some Spanish or a Spanish speaking friend, and negotiate heavily.
Update 2015: Rarely do you see "se arriendas" anymore. Those too have vanished because the real estate companies have them.
The big prize, however, is the home that originally got me excited about living in Ecuador. I actually got to see the house in person, had dinner on the beautiful handmade/homemade furniture, and it is now the type of house I aspire to have…at the exact same price or less! [Side Note - Frank, Angie and their boys have created some really incredible furniture pieces, my personal favorite is the dining table and its seating.]
To supplement the pictures of the house, below are pictures of the neighborhood. The house is about a 10 minute, $2, taxi-drive from downtown area, or a $0.25 bus ride.
Pictures of the home I visited, before it was furnished, are at following link – Frank and Angie’s Blog.
So when someone says it is not possible and you can’t, just repeat these words, “Yes you can!”
------------
Update December 2015 - As previously stated in our 2015 update above, no more is the $250 or $300 house. The price range now for the same value and standard of home is $450 to $600, and that's unfurnished. We're talking about a house not an apartment. If it has a nice sized yard, it could cost up to $1,500 per month or maybe more. Houses with yards, on one level are a demand from gringos and is why you see they are higher priced.
Rarely you might be able to find a 3 or 4 bedroom for $350 or $400 and the reason it is $350 is because it is on the eastside, or it's a tri-level (gringo's don't like stairs) or it is really old and needs some work, or doesn't have a green space for the dog, or just too far from Supermaxi.
Apartment rentals in Cuenca have gone up too, but it is easier to find 3/2 apartments in the $400 to $500 range (yes with elevator) and totally furnished for $500 to $750. However, with that said, apartment buildings with many gringos living there have risen the most and are way over-priced where you will seldom find a 3/2 NOT furnished for under $600.
Remember the article we just wrote a few days ago about how rents rise so quickly? Here it is again, just in case you missed it. Does Cuenca Have Neighborhoods to Avoid from High Priced Rents?
Okay then, that is our end of the year (2015) update for rentals in Cuenca Ecuador. Did you like this article? Then you might like these articles 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!
Tuesday, December 15, 2015
10 Best Places to Retire and Live in the World
No matter how many countries we have traveled to in the world, or how many countries we have lived in, or how much positive feedback we receive from others about a place to retire, how could we ever say any particular one is the best places to retire?
It would be like picking out clothes for a stranger, or telling someone what their favorite food is, or what their favorite color is…it’s impossible to please everyone with best “place to retire".
Reality tells us that ALL PLACES have something for everyone, so it’s up to us. We have to travel to, and explore some of these areas on our own to find out if it is the “best place to retire” for us! No one can do that for us.
We could grab the globe, spin it real fast, and then stop it and put a blind finger on numerous, wonderful, neat destinations to retire to too, because reiterating what we said previously; all places have something for everyone.
Here’s our 10 Best Places to Retire. And just so you know, we’ve either lived in and or traveled to each country we list so we know these places all have their beauty and unique qualities that make them livable according to each person’s circumstances and personality. In a nutshell we tell you about each one.
1. Ecuador - Diversity of atmosphere and climate with dry climates, oceans, mountains, and rain forest. Ecuador retains a lot of its traditional culture, especially in the mountain regions. Quito and Cuenca are both charming, lovely cities to live and to raise families. Prices are on the rise in Ecuador, however, if you go local a person or family can still live comfortable and frugal.
2. Panama - Diversity of atmosphere and climate with oceans, mountains, and rain forest. There are lots of pretty areas in Panama to live. The folks are friendly and sociable. Panama, with the exception of Panama city, reminds us of the old west, still developing and pretends to be urbanized. Panama City is expensive and so are beach tourist zones.
3. U.S.A - Diversity of atmosphere and climate with desert, oceans and mountains. The southeast is our favorite area of the states; it has wonderful people and nice beaches. Some areas are still relatively inexpensive compared to living in other parts of the world. Unfortunately, the U.S is going through moral depravity and you will want to make your own paradise wherever you live, far from the maddening chaos. There’s lots of beautiful country to choose from in the states.
4. Dominican Republic – The beaches are nice. The D.R is a cross between Latin panache and Caribbean flair rolled into one. Sort of the way Esmeraldas Province of Ecuador is like. The people are friendly and helpful. The D.R, like Ecuador can be expensive or inexpensive depending on your knowledge of going local. You will be gringo priced, so it's up to you.
5. Mexico – We’ve visited several of the tourist beach areas and off the beaten path areas. Unfortunately Mexico has gotten crime ridden and we’d only recommend living strictly in tourist enclaves where there is round the clock security that can be trusted! But that's no fun.
6. Turks and Caicos Islands – Beautiful white sandy beaches. There is not much out there, but for the person who enjoys peace and quiet, they’ll find it here, along with coral reefs, turquoise warm waters and lots of fishing.
7. Italy – Growing up in central Italy has taught me a lot about living in Ecuador. Italy still has some wonderful areas in the South that are still not that expensive. Italians are lovable, sociable people and are also excellent cooks. Italy is a family-oriented country and still has one of the lowest divorce rates in the world, amazingly so.
8. Canada – All we can say is beautiful sunny skies every single day, We spent two weeks in the summertime in Banff Canada camping and it actually was almost perfect weather. Did we really say, “Perfect weather”? Canada, even though it is in North America has some of the lowest crimes rates in the world. Canada is expensive.
9. Stay Where You Are Planted – It’s human nature to seek for greener pastures, taking where we live for granted. But for some people, and actually most people, staying put where they are rooted is probably the best place to be for them.
Traveling and exploring other countries is a great way to get that boredom out of our system, but coming back home to our own comfortable and predictable surroundings makes many folks the happier.
10. Your turn. Let us know where you think the best place to retire/move to in the world is. Talk to us!
BTW, this list is not in any particular order.
Until we write again…
If you thought this article was interesting, 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!
It would be like picking out clothes for a stranger, or telling someone what their favorite food is, or what their favorite color is…it’s impossible to please everyone with best “place to retire".
Reality tells us that ALL PLACES have something for everyone, so it’s up to us. We have to travel to, and explore some of these areas on our own to find out if it is the “best place to retire” for us! No one can do that for us.
We could grab the globe, spin it real fast, and then stop it and put a blind finger on numerous, wonderful, neat destinations to retire to too, because reiterating what we said previously; all places have something for everyone.
Here’s our 10 Best Places to Retire. And just so you know, we’ve either lived in and or traveled to each country we list so we know these places all have their beauty and unique qualities that make them livable according to each person’s circumstances and personality. In a nutshell we tell you about each one.
 |
| Cuenca Ecuador - /Tomebamba River |
1. Ecuador - Diversity of atmosphere and climate with dry climates, oceans, mountains, and rain forest. Ecuador retains a lot of its traditional culture, especially in the mountain regions. Quito and Cuenca are both charming, lovely cities to live and to raise families. Prices are on the rise in Ecuador, however, if you go local a person or family can still live comfortable and frugal.
2. Panama - Diversity of atmosphere and climate with oceans, mountains, and rain forest. There are lots of pretty areas in Panama to live. The folks are friendly and sociable. Panama, with the exception of Panama city, reminds us of the old west, still developing and pretends to be urbanized. Panama City is expensive and so are beach tourist zones.
 |
| David, Panama |
3. U.S.A - Diversity of atmosphere and climate with desert, oceans and mountains. The southeast is our favorite area of the states; it has wonderful people and nice beaches. Some areas are still relatively inexpensive compared to living in other parts of the world. Unfortunately, the U.S is going through moral depravity and you will want to make your own paradise wherever you live, far from the maddening chaos. There’s lots of beautiful country to choose from in the states.
4. Dominican Republic – The beaches are nice. The D.R is a cross between Latin panache and Caribbean flair rolled into one. Sort of the way Esmeraldas Province of Ecuador is like. The people are friendly and helpful. The D.R, like Ecuador can be expensive or inexpensive depending on your knowledge of going local. You will be gringo priced, so it's up to you.
5. Mexico – We’ve visited several of the tourist beach areas and off the beaten path areas. Unfortunately Mexico has gotten crime ridden and we’d only recommend living strictly in tourist enclaves where there is round the clock security that can be trusted! But that's no fun.
6. Turks and Caicos Islands – Beautiful white sandy beaches. There is not much out there, but for the person who enjoys peace and quiet, they’ll find it here, along with coral reefs, turquoise warm waters and lots of fishing.
7. Italy – Growing up in central Italy has taught me a lot about living in Ecuador. Italy still has some wonderful areas in the South that are still not that expensive. Italians are lovable, sociable people and are also excellent cooks. Italy is a family-oriented country and still has one of the lowest divorce rates in the world, amazingly so.
8. Canada – All we can say is beautiful sunny skies every single day, We spent two weeks in the summertime in Banff Canada camping and it actually was almost perfect weather. Did we really say, “Perfect weather”? Canada, even though it is in North America has some of the lowest crimes rates in the world. Canada is expensive.
9. Stay Where You Are Planted – It’s human nature to seek for greener pastures, taking where we live for granted. But for some people, and actually most people, staying put where they are rooted is probably the best place to be for them.
Traveling and exploring other countries is a great way to get that boredom out of our system, but coming back home to our own comfortable and predictable surroundings makes many folks the happier.
10. Your turn. Let us know where you think the best place to retire/move to in the world is. Talk to us!
BTW, this list is not in any particular order.
Until we write again…
If you thought this article was interesting, 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!
Monday, December 14, 2015
Is the Rent Really Negotiable or Bait and Switch? Renting in Cuenca Ecuador
As you know we like to report our observations and experiences of what it’s like to live in Cuenca Ecuador. We simply love to give out details so newcomers can be made aware of and know what to expect in certain situations. Recently we have noticed a pattern emerging in the rental market in Cuenca Ecuador.
Rental Ads Says Negotiable
In Ecuador many ads say “negotiable”, which means the price is not set and you can negotiate with the landlord/real estate agent for a better/fairer price.
And, just like in the U.S when something says negotiable it usually means the price is already too high to begin with.
Here in Cuenca you still can negotiate even when an ad doesn’t say it’s negotiable and THAT is why we find it odd when an ad says “negotiable” and then it turns out that it's really not.
Recently we have come across ads that say “negotiable” and when you negotiate for a lower price it’s not really negotiable after all. We call this back in North America “bait and switch”.
Bait and Switch Definition
It’s false advertising, plain and simple. They bait the person in with whatever product or service that is being sold (in this case, home rental) and once the person is involved and wanting the product, they switch price or don’t do what the ad says.
1. A fraudulent advertising claim or sales offer for a product or service that is not available or not for sale at the stated price, made with the intention of luring customers who are then offered something else or forced to spend more money to get the same thing.
2. A deception based on a false claim or enticement that proves to be disappointing.
Source: The Free Dictionary
Here’s how it’s played out in a nutshell. Both of these examples happened to us recently with two separate real estate companies in Cuenca.
Example 1: The rental ad says $500 negotiable. We call the advertisement. When we get out there we like the place and are prepared to negotiate. We negotiate the price to $450 and the landlord brings up a condo/aliquot fee not mentioned in the ad for $50. Do you see what’s happening here? The monthly rent still comes out to be $500.
We’re not done yet.
Example 2: The rental ad says $600 negotiable. When we get out there we like the place and are prepared to negotiate. We negotiate the price to $$550 and the landlord brings up a condo/aliquot fee not mentioned in the ad for $50, plus the rent is $600 not negotiable, so the rent comes out to be $650 but the ad read $600 negotiable!
uh?
Why Rental Ads Say “Negotiable” When It’s Not?
1. It gets more people to call the ad – the word “negotiable” brings in a much larger call-in for the rental than if it didn’t say negotiable. Perhaps they are hoping that someone (a gringo) will just take the price and not care to negotiate.
2. It is negotiable for the locals but not for the gringos.
3. By not mentioning the aliquot fee perhaps they think that if the ad says negotiable and you negotiate the rental price that you will not balk at the aliquot fee when they bring it up.
4. The real estate agent/owner knows they don’t have to call you back. Many times we negotiate a price and you never hear back from them but the house or apartment is still on the Internet for rent. What’s up with that? They wait it out and take the best price, which might take weeks, and there’s nothing wrong with that except for the fact you’re putting people in the wings and they might like to look at other rentals.
5. Playing on your emotions. They think that once you come all the way out to look at the apartment/house you will fall in love with it and won't care to negotiate or care about price.
Gringos Fear of Loss
And then you have the retiree who thinks it’s the only house or apartment they will like in ALL of Cuenca and so they are willing to pay anything. What they don’t realize is that in Cuenca, there’s lots of fish in the sea, and there is always a better price, if you’re not in a hurry.
When we put our emotional heart and soul into a place, we often think “it’s the one”, but that is our emotions talking, not our senses. In Latin American countries you sometimes have to be willing to walk away from getting trampled on; that’s all there is to it.
Something to Ponder
Have you ever thought about how the Ecuadorian real estate people were getting along financially before all of us gringos came along willing to pay two and three times as much as the locals?
In 2010 all the houses and apartments were $200 to $400 dollars? That was about five years ago. Five years ago in a building in gringoland you could rent a furnished 2/2 for $300 (local rate). Now, try $650 to $800 (gringo rate)!
What has changed in that building to make the rents and condo fees higher? Absolutely nothing, but the building is getting older and needs more repairs, paint, updates, etc.
Where’s the luxury we keep hearing about? The furniture in the first photo is cheap, uncomfortable and low to the floor. Hope you’re short legged.
The Ecuadorians were doing just fine renting to their own people and then we come along and they become insatiable! I wonder if they will negotiate. Our $250 dollar per month house is nicer than that.
Until we write again…
If you liked this article, we think you should try 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!
Rental Ads Says Negotiable
In Ecuador many ads say “negotiable”, which means the price is not set and you can negotiate with the landlord/real estate agent for a better/fairer price.
And, just like in the U.S when something says negotiable it usually means the price is already too high to begin with.
Here in Cuenca you still can negotiate even when an ad doesn’t say it’s negotiable and THAT is why we find it odd when an ad says “negotiable” and then it turns out that it's really not.
Recently we have come across ads that say “negotiable” and when you negotiate for a lower price it’s not really negotiable after all. We call this back in North America “bait and switch”.
Bait and Switch Definition
It’s false advertising, plain and simple. They bait the person in with whatever product or service that is being sold (in this case, home rental) and once the person is involved and wanting the product, they switch price or don’t do what the ad says.
1. A fraudulent advertising claim or sales offer for a product or service that is not available or not for sale at the stated price, made with the intention of luring customers who are then offered something else or forced to spend more money to get the same thing.
2. A deception based on a false claim or enticement that proves to be disappointing.
Source: The Free Dictionary
Here’s how it’s played out in a nutshell. Both of these examples happened to us recently with two separate real estate companies in Cuenca.
Example 1: The rental ad says $500 negotiable. We call the advertisement. When we get out there we like the place and are prepared to negotiate. We negotiate the price to $450 and the landlord brings up a condo/aliquot fee not mentioned in the ad for $50. Do you see what’s happening here? The monthly rent still comes out to be $500.
We’re not done yet.
Example 2: The rental ad says $600 negotiable. When we get out there we like the place and are prepared to negotiate. We negotiate the price to $$550 and the landlord brings up a condo/aliquot fee not mentioned in the ad for $50, plus the rent is $600 not negotiable, so the rent comes out to be $650 but the ad read $600 negotiable!
uh?
Why Rental Ads Say “Negotiable” When It’s Not?
1. It gets more people to call the ad – the word “negotiable” brings in a much larger call-in for the rental than if it didn’t say negotiable. Perhaps they are hoping that someone (a gringo) will just take the price and not care to negotiate.
2. It is negotiable for the locals but not for the gringos.
3. By not mentioning the aliquot fee perhaps they think that if the ad says negotiable and you negotiate the rental price that you will not balk at the aliquot fee when they bring it up.
4. The real estate agent/owner knows they don’t have to call you back. Many times we negotiate a price and you never hear back from them but the house or apartment is still on the Internet for rent. What’s up with that? They wait it out and take the best price, which might take weeks, and there’s nothing wrong with that except for the fact you’re putting people in the wings and they might like to look at other rentals.
5. Playing on your emotions. They think that once you come all the way out to look at the apartment/house you will fall in love with it and won't care to negotiate or care about price.
Gringos Fear of Loss
And then you have the retiree who thinks it’s the only house or apartment they will like in ALL of Cuenca and so they are willing to pay anything. What they don’t realize is that in Cuenca, there’s lots of fish in the sea, and there is always a better price, if you’re not in a hurry.
When we put our emotional heart and soul into a place, we often think “it’s the one”, but that is our emotions talking, not our senses. In Latin American countries you sometimes have to be willing to walk away from getting trampled on; that’s all there is to it.
Something to Ponder
Have you ever thought about how the Ecuadorian real estate people were getting along financially before all of us gringos came along willing to pay two and three times as much as the locals?
In 2010 all the houses and apartments were $200 to $400 dollars? That was about five years ago. Five years ago in a building in gringoland you could rent a furnished 2/2 for $300 (local rate). Now, try $650 to $800 (gringo rate)!
What has changed in that building to make the rents and condo fees higher? Absolutely nothing, but the building is getting older and needs more repairs, paint, updates, etc.
 |
| -- Cuenca Ecuador apartment rentals located in a gringolandia building they call "luxury" -- |
Where’s the luxury we keep hearing about? The furniture in the first photo is cheap, uncomfortable and low to the floor. Hope you’re short legged.
The Ecuadorians were doing just fine renting to their own people and then we come along and they become insatiable! I wonder if they will negotiate. Our $250 dollar per month house is nicer than that.
Until we write again…
If you liked this article, we think you should try 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!
Sunday, December 13, 2015
Does Cuenca Have Neighborhoods to Avoid from High Priced Rents?
Ask Frank and Angie: Can you recommend the top 5 neighborhoods to avoid if you want to avoid the gringo pricing, and the top 5 to focus on for best pricing, ambiance? We totally agree that we need to keep prices down for the benefit of all.
First, we’d like to say that it is always a pleasant surprise when we receive emails from prospective expats to Cuenca Ecuador like this one. It gives us encouragement to keep on trucking and to see that we’re not the only ones who have the pricing awareness and determination to keep prices from rising too fast like they have in other popular travel destinations abroad.
As you can see, we changed the question posed because there really are not neighborhoods to avoid for best rental pricing or neighborhoods for best pricing. It is true, in general the areas where there are not a lot of gringos living, you may find better priced rentals, but we’ve seen outrageously overpriced rentals in all areas of Cuenca.
For example: It is quite possible to get gringo gouged on your rent in any neighborhood in Cuenca; Just as it is possible to find a fair priced rental in the gringo preferred neighborhoods. That’s what we do for you; we find fair deals in good neighborhoods.
It is NOT always the neighborhood that you need to avoid; usually it is greedy / unethical landlords that you have to avoid…it is unfortunate but it is reality of life in popular expat destinations. Homeowners and real estate agents love the tourist pricing and it is something that is somewhat difficult but not impossible to avoid.
We often find fair rental prices in nice sought out neighborhoods. They have gotten somewhat harder to find but they are still in the Cuenca rental market. Some landlords just happen to be a bit more reasonable and will negotiate the price because they want tenants that will stay long-term, pay their rent on time and keep the place clean, and honestly, not all Ecuadorians are in the “greed game”.
In general, rental prices have gone up in Cuenca Ecuador. Demands from foreigners and knowing what the gringo prefers in a rental unit, has upped Cuenca’s rental prices more than 100% in five years. Has the bubble popped? Not so much…we’re seeing a slight pin hole and the bubble on rentals stabilizing ever so slightly. It’s still not anything to write home and tell mom about.
As soon as you see some newbie vlogger online gasping at cheap rents in some other area outside of Cuenca, just as soon, you start seeing massive gringo gouging prices on properties in these "newer" locales. Will it ever end?
Cuenca Ecuador Pricing Precedent
It works like this. A gringo sees an apartment or house he likes (any neighborhood) and doesn’t negotiate; they just pay the asking price and this is what starts the uptrend on rental prices. The next gringo comes along but he is a negotiator and tries to negotiate the price with the landlord, knowing full well it is an over-priced unit. The landlord won’t budge and says “the last gringo paid “such and such price” and I won’t go any lower”.
We hear this over and over again how the last gringo paid such and such price, which is always overpriced. What do we do? We walk away from these rentals that are based on greed!
The landlord knows that a naïve gringo will come along sooner or later and rent the unit at the price he is asking. PRECEDENT IS SET. It is a vicious cycle that continues to revolve into higher and higher rents. It is a simple concept, but this is how rents get out of control in popular expat locations overseas.
Now, it can go the other way too. We find fair and workable Ecuadorian landlords with apartments at reasonable prices and it might be in a popular gringo neighborhood. So you see, it can work both ways. The point is you can’t go by just the neighborhood and think you will automatically be targeted for a higher rent; or automatically get a lower rent. You have to do the work of searching.
Most Ecuadorians will negotiate with you on the price, but in the apartments that have had only gringos living in them, the prices just keep going up. We have to face the fact that we’re someday going to have much higher rents in Cuenca Ecuador than what we are seeing now. When we look at travel abroad trends in other popular expat destinations it tells us that Cuenca Ecuador is on the radar.
FYI: If we were to mention an area or neighborhood that has not spiked as fast as some (westside) neighborhoods have, it would be the eastside of town near the Monay Mall area. See this article that explores the eastside in detail.
Until we write again…
If you liked this article, you might like these 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!
 |
| Move in day - our rental house $250 per month |
First, we’d like to say that it is always a pleasant surprise when we receive emails from prospective expats to Cuenca Ecuador like this one. It gives us encouragement to keep on trucking and to see that we’re not the only ones who have the pricing awareness and determination to keep prices from rising too fast like they have in other popular travel destinations abroad.
As you can see, we changed the question posed because there really are not neighborhoods to avoid for best rental pricing or neighborhoods for best pricing. It is true, in general the areas where there are not a lot of gringos living, you may find better priced rentals, but we’ve seen outrageously overpriced rentals in all areas of Cuenca.
For example: It is quite possible to get gringo gouged on your rent in any neighborhood in Cuenca; Just as it is possible to find a fair priced rental in the gringo preferred neighborhoods. That’s what we do for you; we find fair deals in good neighborhoods.
It is NOT always the neighborhood that you need to avoid; usually it is greedy / unethical landlords that you have to avoid…it is unfortunate but it is reality of life in popular expat destinations. Homeowners and real estate agents love the tourist pricing and it is something that is somewhat difficult but not impossible to avoid.
We often find fair rental prices in nice sought out neighborhoods. They have gotten somewhat harder to find but they are still in the Cuenca rental market. Some landlords just happen to be a bit more reasonable and will negotiate the price because they want tenants that will stay long-term, pay their rent on time and keep the place clean, and honestly, not all Ecuadorians are in the “greed game”.
In general, rental prices have gone up in Cuenca Ecuador. Demands from foreigners and knowing what the gringo prefers in a rental unit, has upped Cuenca’s rental prices more than 100% in five years. Has the bubble popped? Not so much…we’re seeing a slight pin hole and the bubble on rentals stabilizing ever so slightly. It’s still not anything to write home and tell mom about.
As soon as you see some newbie vlogger online gasping at cheap rents in some other area outside of Cuenca, just as soon, you start seeing massive gringo gouging prices on properties in these "newer" locales. Will it ever end?
Cuenca Ecuador Pricing Precedent
It works like this. A gringo sees an apartment or house he likes (any neighborhood) and doesn’t negotiate; they just pay the asking price and this is what starts the uptrend on rental prices. The next gringo comes along but he is a negotiator and tries to negotiate the price with the landlord, knowing full well it is an over-priced unit. The landlord won’t budge and says “the last gringo paid “such and such price” and I won’t go any lower”.
We hear this over and over again how the last gringo paid such and such price, which is always overpriced. What do we do? We walk away from these rentals that are based on greed!
The landlord knows that a naïve gringo will come along sooner or later and rent the unit at the price he is asking. PRECEDENT IS SET. It is a vicious cycle that continues to revolve into higher and higher rents. It is a simple concept, but this is how rents get out of control in popular expat locations overseas.
Now, it can go the other way too. We find fair and workable Ecuadorian landlords with apartments at reasonable prices and it might be in a popular gringo neighborhood. So you see, it can work both ways. The point is you can’t go by just the neighborhood and think you will automatically be targeted for a higher rent; or automatically get a lower rent. You have to do the work of searching.
Most Ecuadorians will negotiate with you on the price, but in the apartments that have had only gringos living in them, the prices just keep going up. We have to face the fact that we’re someday going to have much higher rents in Cuenca Ecuador than what we are seeing now. When we look at travel abroad trends in other popular expat destinations it tells us that Cuenca Ecuador is on the radar.
FYI: If we were to mention an area or neighborhood that has not spiked as fast as some (westside) neighborhoods have, it would be the eastside of town near the Monay Mall area. See this article that explores the eastside in detail.
Until we write again…
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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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