“Is it as cheap to live in Ecuador as they say?” The question came from an English friend but it’s one I’m asked fairly often. What he's referring to are the claims made by a number of publishers and web services, particularly International Living, Gary Scott and ... [More]

Since I moved to Ecuador a dozen years ago, I’ve made a point of visiting my friends in Vilcabamba at least once a year. I was enchanted with this peaceful, isolated valley the first time I saw it in 1998 and even considered settling there until business considerations – I need to be c... [More]

How do Cuenca and Quito compare? It's a question in the minds of many foreigners considering relocating to Ecuador.  The short –and probably the best-- response is, ‘come down and see for yourself.’ There are, however, similarities and differences that the prospective ex... [More]

U.S.-based developers have announced plans for what they are calling “a first of its kind residential community in Cuenca.” Daryl Lassiter, project spokeman for Cuenca Casas, said that the community will be designed to appeal to both foreigners and local residents. &ldq... [More]

Hit hard by higher commodity and fuel prices and the drop of the U.S. dollar, constructions prices in Ecuador and Latin America generally, have shown a sharp escalation in recent months. Most of the increase comes in the area of materials, particularly steel, concrete, electrical, plumbing and oth... [More]

Cost of living  The cost of living in Ecuador is one of the lowest in the world. The 2007 – 2008 Mercer Human Resources Cost of Living Survey, which provides data on cities, ranked Quito the third cheapest in the world, just behind Asuncion, Paraguay and Karachi, Pakistan, and jus... [More]