15 Popular Products or Services that Cost Less in Ecuador than the U.S

This list is by no means exhaustive...these are just some of the more popular products or services that people use and need every day.



1. Fresh Fruits - There is an abundance of fresh fruits available here and at reasonable prices. 

Avocados - 4 for $1

2. Fresh Vegetables - There is a variety of fresh vegetables available in Cuenca and at reasonable prices. 

3. Eating out in (MOST) Restaurants (out of the tourist areas)
 

4. Going to a movie - Btw, for Star War fans out there. Star Wars is playing at the Milenium Mall Cinemas (December 28, 2015) in Cuenca and it's in English with Spanish subtitles! Don't know how long it will be playing but you can call them and find out.
 

5. Filling up your car tank with gas
 

6. Propane gas for appliances
 

7. Rents - Usually anyway. This is subjective because rents compared to lower cost u.s. areas can be similar and not necessarily cheaper.
 

8. Electric and water (Utilities)
 

9. Lumber for construction/building
 

10. Taking the city bus
 

11. Taking the national (regional) bus
 

12. Prescription medications - Just be careful, prescriptions are all over the map. We have found the best prices are not in the touristy areas.
 

13. Dental care -  Again, this is subjective, gringos looking for English speaking dental and medical caregivers, end up paying many times more than Ecuadorian rates, and are therefore not that much lower than in your country.

14. Medical care (same as above)

15. Taxi fares - In Cuenca all taxis are metered. Never get into a taxi that does not have a meter running or you will be scalped.
 

If you would like to add a product or service that cost less in Ecuador than the U.S, let us know in the comments below.
 

Until we write again…here's a few more articles you might like.

• Need to Take a Bus in Cuenca Ecuador? Terminal Terrestre and El Arenal Bus Stations

• 10 Warning Signs You May Be PAYING Too Much for Rent in Cuenca Ecuador

• Confusing Information and Misinformation about Living in Cuenca Ecuador

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!

Top 11 Reasons Why North Americans Move Abroad

Note: We're not saying any or all of these issues couldn't be addressed some other way other than moving abroad.


1. North America becoming too expensive for pension – We recently heard from two different expats the reason they want to move to Ecuador is so they can be in the middle class again.  Many folks do not want to give up standard of living. Unfortunately, the way foreigners go about it almost assures their costs abroad will be much higher than they anticipated.

Comment from a viewer on one of our YT videos

2. Dissatisfaction with the culture of North America – Many find that although they left a culture they wanted to leave behind, their adopted culture isn't necessarily one they would choose either.  The knee jerk reaction is they try and make changes that suit them, but the long-time people who live in Ecuador have adjusted just fine and do not want a little N. America.
 

3. Dissatisfaction with health care/medical system/costs - Health care is sometimes better and less expensive in South and Central America.  However, that's not all there is to know.  It is possible to have better health anywhere in the world, yes even in your own country. We didn't come for the health care and mostly don't use it.

4. Wanting to leave extreme weather conditions - Expats have told us too much snow, ice, freezing temps or humidity and hot temperatures. This is probably not a good reason to leave where you were planted.  Its easy enough to just take a winter sojourn to Florida or similar.

5. Dissatisfaction with politics – Moving abroad for this reason will surely not last long and you’ll be moving back home soon. This reason goes well with number 2.
 

6. Change and adventure – If this is the reason you are moving abroad then once you get the change and adventure out of your system, most people will be ready to move back home. Did you read our article called, After the Honeymoon? You'll get a kick out of it.
 

7. Married to a foreigner – Lots of immigrants who expatriated to N. America and married a North American now want to move back to their home country. Some of the returning Ecuadorians may be bringing N. American wives and or husbands back to Ecuador with them.
 

8. Curiosity of what it’s like to live abroad - Who knows you might just love it, or you might just move back where you came from.
 

9. Think it will make them happier or improve their marriage - If your marriage is not already healthy, moving abroad will not improve your marriage. On the other hand, if you both are dedicated and believe marriage to be a life-long commitment, getting out of the rat race and moving abroad can make your marriage stronger. How can Retiring abroad make your marriage stronger?
 

10. Want to get children out of the decaying environment of N. America - South America still retains (some of) its family values.
 

11. Want to eat healthier / fresher food - There's an abundance of fresh produce at reasonable prices in South America.
 

These top 11 reasons why North Americans move abroad are not in any particular order. If you retired or moved abroad for another reason not listed here, please let us know in the comments section of this blog post.
 

Until we write again…
 

If you like this article, we think you might like these too.

• How Many Gringo Expats Live in Cuenca Ecuador? (This article has been updated)

• What Future Expats Need to Know Before Retiring to Ecuador - UPDATED

• Why Some Expats Move Back to N. America after Living in Ecuador

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!

20 Popular Food Products that Cost More in Ecuador than U.S

If you move anywhere in South America you will find that imported food products cost two to three times more than what you’ve been paying in the states. And some foods even though they are produced locally cost more too. Some expats have posted on forums that their grocery bill is higher in Cuenca.  Part of the reason for that is because they are sticking to their favorite brands, which are the imports here in Ecuador. But that’s not the only reason.



Ecuador is a country that produces and manufactures many things. So before you get to the checkout counter, you might want to add to the cart the local brand and try it out and see if it is acceptable to your palate because buying local (most of the time) will save you a bundle, but not always as you'll see in this article.  
 

As far as food goes, produce is less expensive in Ecuador than the U.S but just about everything else is higher.



Note: photos taken from Walmart online in December 2015
 

1. Olive oil - Extra Virgin and Regular – Expect to pay almost twice as much in Ecuador. Sadly extra virgin olive oil is the only raw oil sold in Ecuador. We have been talking with the managers of many chain grocery stores, practically begging them to start adding on their shelf a different raw (cold-pressed) oil…still waiting.

101 EV Olive Oil $17.56 in the U.S

This much EV olive oil (101 oz) would cost about $35 in Ecuador.



2. Chicken – The chicken tastes 100% better (fresher) here but the price is about one third higher than what you’ll pay at Walmart in the states.You might want to double click on the images to enlarge.

Chicken Breasts $1.49 LB U.S.A

Chicken breasts in Cuenca Ecuador cost double that or more.

3. Sweet Potatoes – in 2012 we bought sweet potatoes at local pricing which is much lower than what they’re asking now, and now after the gringos showed up, they cost more than in the U.S.  They’re grown in Guayaquil, so why so high?

Sweet Potatoes 28 cents LB

We just wrote about the sweet potatoes in this article.
 

4. Parmesan cheese – Parmesan cheese is produced in Ecuador! Watch the video and find out more about this reality check on food.

                     

6. Coffee – The local Loja grown coffee (which in my opinion is the best) has shot way up in price!  What’s going on? We think all the rest of the gringos think it is the best too. See what happens? It’s crazy
 

7. Psyllium Husks – In 2012 they used to be cheaper than the U.S and now they cost more. This is another high demand gringo product. After I post this article, I’ll probably have at least two or three people (gringos) ask me where they can buy psyllium husks in Cuenca Ecuador. Let me just tell you the quick answer to that while we have you here. None of the health food stores in Cuenca are carrying psyllium husks at this time. Will that change? Who knows?
 

8. Brown rice – It’s only a little higher than what you would expect to pay in the U.S, so it’s not a big deal.  But it’s still higher, huh?
 

9. Alcohol – We don’t drink but we hear from time to time about how much higher (two times the cost of the U.S) it is in Ecuador than back home.
 

10. Potatoes – Why would a vegetable that grows in Ecuador cost more than in the U.S? This one is going to blow your socks off. 

$1.79 for a 10 pound bag in the U.S.A

In Cuenca Ecuador potatoes cost .40cents to .50cents a pound, twice as much.
 

11. Peanut butter – Very, very high. They have a few local brands but some of them have added wheat and preservatives. We make our own now and it is really simple! See how to make homemade PB.
 

12. Pringles - $3.85 for the regular size Pringles. They have locally produced potato chips in Ecuador. Be careful though, some brands can give you stomach issues because they are deep fried in rancid oil.  Pringles are baked and imported from U.S.
 

13. Herbs and Spices - Unless they are the loose dried leaf in bags, expect to pay two times more than in the U.S for herbs and spices. The cinnamon is a different story altogether, even the bagged cinnamon is expensive in Ecuador. It’s cheaper to buy the cinnamon sticks and grind it yourself, which tastes better anyway.
 

14. Canned Tomato paste/sauce – Amazingly, the canned tomato sauce for the 29 ounce cans (Great Value Brand) is still only $1.24! That's what it was when it wasn't on sale almost five years ago! In Ecuador a 29 ounce can of tomato paste or sauce cost over $4 last time I checked and it has sugar in it!  

All natural tomato sauce - $1.24 for 29 oz

When we lived in the U.S we found the Great Value brand to be the best value because it was always the most natural product on the shelf without added preservatives, coloring and sugars. 
 

15. Ice Cream – The ice cream in the grocery stores freezer department is not very good and it is expensive with a lot of unhealthy ingredients. A little tiny tub for the good stuff (24oz) is like $3.90. In the U.S you can get twice as much ice cream for the same price and it's one of the best brands too.

Bryers Ice Cream $3.94 for 48oz

16.  Anything canned – anything in a can is much more expensive in Ecuador than the U.S…doesn’t really matter what it is or what brand either. We don’t use canned goods so it doesn’t affect us and our grocery bill.
 

17.  Whole Turkey – It’s the same as the chicken, it tastes good but it's expensive.

Whole Turkey $1.19 LB for a 22 Pound Turkey = cost is $26 in the U.S

In Cuenca Ecuador a 22lb turkey would cost $40 to $60! 

18. Cranberries – In the states a can of cranberries for a popular brand cost $.99 cents and the off brand cost $79 cents. For the same size can it costs almost $3.50 a can in Cuenca. Someone’s getting rich off the gringo’s holidays because they don’t celebrate Thanksgiving in South America, at least not normally. 
 

19. Frozen entrées and other frozen prepared foods - They treat frozen meals such as pizza and TV dinners like they were made of gold here. We stay away from the prepared foods.
 

19. Pizza – It’s just a little bread with cheese and sauce and some veggies, well that’s what the old timey Italians thought.  Here it’s an international gourmet food with corresponding non Ecuadorian price tag.  A days’ wages for a pizza anyone?
 

20. Apples – The local ones do not cost more but do you want to eat them? Unfortunately, the local apples are just not that good here. We pay a bit more and buy the ones from Chile.

And that is our list of 20 popular foods that cost more in Ecuador than in the U.S.



Even though some foods cost more in Ecuador, our grocery bill is still lower here than it was when we lived in the U.S and that's because produce is reasonably priced in Ecuador and we do not buy imported items and we prepare all of our meals from scratch using the whole foods which are better priced than the already prepared foods like TV dinners.
 

Until we write again…

We think you might like these articles too.

• How Our Family of Five Adults Eats for $400 Per Month

• How Our Family Lives on $1000 Per Month in Cuenca Ecuador

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!