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Ecuadorist

Retire & Move

The practical life, written without the brochure.

Aerial view of Cuenca’s El Vado neighborhood and blue cathedral domes
Photograph by Pablo Zuñiga, CC BY 4.0.
The green valley of Vilcabamba in southern Ecuador

Money

The cost of living in Ecuador

Cheaper than a large American city is not the same as cheap. Here is the distinction.
Stone apostles on the facade of Cuenca’s New Cathedral

Cities

Where to live in Ecuador

Cuenca is the famous answer. It is not the only climate.
The Gothic towers of the Basílica del Voto Nacional in Quito

Paperwork

Visas for a longer stay

The categories that matter, and the official pages that outrank this one.
Aerial view of Cuenca’s El Vado neighborhood and blue cathedral domes

Health

Healthcare in Ecuador

Strong private hospitals in two cities. A thinner map everywhere else.
Plaza de San Francisco in Quito’s old town, with El Panecillo beyond

Banking

Banking and dollars

The currency is already yours. The account is not.
Cuicocha crater lake with the Imbabura volcano behind it

A lease

Renting a home

See the apartment. Read the contract. Then talk about a year.