Saturday, June 22, 2013

Moving to Cuenca, Ecuador: What You're Not Being Told!

 Posted: 06/21/2013 5:18 pm


2013-06-18-Cuenca.jpg
Photo Courtesy of Hole in The Donut Cultural Travel
In the past few years, more and more people seem to have gone crazy about Ecuador and, particularly, about the charming and lively city of Cuenca. Cuenca is rich in history and architecture; it's walking friendly and it's surrounded by breathtaking scenic mountain sights. After all, who doesn't dream of yearlong perfect weather that would only be the background of incredible genuine friendliness, exotic and tasty food, deep culture and uncontaminated nature? Surely, Cuenca represents a heartwarming destination with plenty of hidden treasures to discover, however, if by any chance you're thinking about making more than just a trip out of this city and if you're thinking about building a new life there, like many did before you, you might want to consider a few peculiar aspects that aren't often discussed.......
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ombretta-di-dio/moving-to-cuenca-ecuador-_b_3461993.html

3 comments:

  1. I find the fantasy of good weather in Cuenca on par with the one about cheap living in Quito.

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  2. Hi William,
    here is a snip from todays gringo tree: Weather man says to expect more cool days

    The weatherman says that the cool weather will continue.

    The National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (INAMHI) says that a westerly airflow from the Amazon has created cloud cover that has lowered temperatures in southern Ecuador in the last 10 days.

    INAMHI Meteorogist Fabian Salas says the airflow will remain in place for several more days. “It is not much cooler than normal but the damp air and wind makes it feel cooler,” he said. He pointed out that July is historically the coolest month of the year in Cuenca. August is the second coolest.
    Best,
    Jack,
    In Quito

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  3. Hi again William,
    here is a snippet / comment from the original article, Lady that lives in Quito for some time:

    {costanza is the manza}-

    "Thank you, Ombretta, for being the voice of reason! This is the 1st article I've ever seen that's been realistic on this topic! As someone who has actually LIVED for years in Ecuador (Quito), let me say this. To keep up my typical Gringo lifestyle, it costs me MORE in Ecuador than it does in the U.S. If you want to live EXACTLY as a local, it CAN be done for $600. Local typical salary is $400 a month. BUT... to live with ALL the comforts of home, it can cost $2K+ minimum. We think nothing of buying a $7 fast food meal, but that's like a whole daily wage there. This isn't an insult. It's economic reality. To truly live like a local on a local's budget, you'd have to kiss commonplace U.S. "luxuries" like fast food goodbye, and say hello to a LIFETIME (if you are retiring to Ecuador) of rice-n-beans and a 2oz. piece of mystery meat for every meal! Other articles leave out the part about how besides food, almost everything costs double, triple or more in Ecuador. Since there's no local industry, almost everything is imported, and thus exotic. Example, a $120 TV in the U.S. will cost $420 in Ecuador. If you need $1000 worth of stuff, it's LITERALLY cheaper to fly to Miami just to go shopping, because the same stuff in Ecuador will add up to $4000. Then they'll tax you 25% upon arrival, $250 to bring in that $1000 of shopping!"

    Thanks for stopping by Will~ I was noticing some $7.50 milk shakes at the UIO Quito Airport last night, Yikes! In my past 5 yrs in EC based out of Quito, but staying in the road a good bit to Cuenca - Coast - Cotacachi etc...I have seen prices steadily climbing in all sectors.
    Best,
    Jack In Quito

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