½ûÂþÌìÌÃ

Thanks everyone. One of the reasons that we are looking for a change is that Lima has gotten so over priced and Ecuador (where we have been visiting for the last two weeks), is way cheaper for the same quality of life. Thanks as well for the serious advice. Have been in South America long enough to know to ignore the "expats"  on these types of forums that contribuite to be rude, not to add value.

Great advice everyone. Well noted.

Feliz Año.

Happy to see that smmr's post got moderated. Hi Charlie. How are things going in WA?You must be busy.  Can't figure out how to start a new topic yet but want to wish all a Happy New Year filed with good times, love and good health

Sue,
Look at the bottom of the post, and you will see "  New Topic". Click on it and you are good to go!
Happy New Year.
Good Health to you and Yours.
Neil

Geo_mcg wrote:

Thanks everyone. One of the reasons that we are looking for a change is that Lima has gotten so over priced and Ecuador (where we have been visiting for the last two weeks), is way cheaper for the same quality of life. Thanks as well for the serious advice. Have been in South America long enough to know to ignore the "expats"  on these types of forums that contribuite to be rude, not to add value.

Great advice everyone. Well noted.

Feliz Año.

Good to know Ecuador is cheaper than Lima for the same quality of life.

The people who live across the street from us and works in Lima just told me that housing is very expensive in Lima.  On the other hand the cuisine is a lot more varied - but also more expensive than restaurants like Tiestos in Cuenca.  All in all, it sounds a lot more like US prices plus horrendous traffic.

He also mentioned that the availability of fruits and vegetables  is better in Cuenca.  All in all he gives Cuenca a big nod over Lima for cost and quality of life. 

Mike

Geo_mcg wrote:

One of the reasons that we are looking for a change is that Lima has gotten so over priced

Glad you confirmed that for me. I was giving Lima serious consideration at one point, but the ads I read for apartments looked a lot higher than comparable apartments/locations in Quito.

Geo_mcg wrote:

Happy New Years Everyone!! Also curious about where to live in Ecuador, and more importantly, where in Quito. Live in an area called Miraflores, which is a district inside of Lima. Looking for the same. Any insight, on best places to live? Budget is about $3,000 a month, including private (International School) for our young one.

As another poster said, in Quito the neighborhoods of La Mariscal and La Carolina are the ones that most closely resemble Miraflores. La Mariscal is known more for its tourism, restaurants, bars and clubs. La Carolina, more for its upscale condos and nice buildings. I'd recommend La Carolina as a place to live if you want an upscale location in the heart of the city.

Otherwise I would pick the suburb of Cumbaya (if you want nice shopping and amenities) or Los Chillos or Tumbaco for an also upscale but calmer location.

As for international schools, there's one for every taste: La Condamine (French), Colegio Alemán/Deutsche Schule (Germany), Colegio Británico (British), Academia Cotopaxi (American) and Colegio Menor San Francisco de Quito (affiliated with USFQ, Ecuador's most exclusive university). Tuition at any of these schools will set you back around $1,000 monthly.

Mike:

To give you an idea: In 2009, we paid $60k for a three bedroom, 130 square meter apartment in a good area in Miraflores. Apartment is now, based on market estimation, valued at $205,000. Rents in same building have gone from $400 a month to $1000-$1200.

Bubblish to say the least. Expensive in the meantime.

Thanks Neil. It was hiding in plain sight I guess. Happy, healthy New Year !...Sue

International Living is STILL claiming you can retire in Ecuador for $600 a month.

The article is dated 4/17/2012

Luna2 wrote:

Why doesnt anyone talk about the North coast of Ecuador?  It has the best beaches and the most affordable prices. Not many gringos but to me thats a good thing. Really safe and beautiful.  Here is a blog about that part of the country.

I'm on the north coast. I talk about it in the Las Peñas thread. I'm about halfway between Esmareldas and Columbia. I'm the only gringo in town. It's a popular tourist area for Columbians and people from Ibarra. The beach is great, warm even when the southern beaches are coldish, and the currents are not too strong. On the downside, there's a lot of low bank waterfront that probably won't be around in a few years. I'm lucky in that my place is back a couple hundred meters. Yesterday's super high tide reached the walls of the waterfront hotels and washed away a meter of land. You had to wade through water to get to the restaurants and bars on the beach side of the malecón.

Mela1 wrote:

The article is dated 4/17/2012

It was on Huffpo this morning.

Ok. Just going by the date on the link you posted

I love and appreciate the dialog here. I just joined. I live right outside of Philadlephia, PA and we are researching which area to visit and narrow down in Ecuador. A few days ago I got excited about Cuenca because of some alternative health practitioners who were doing some of the same things we do, but when I read that the costs have gone up due to greed, I am not so sure I want to jump back into that boat. My family is very low key and we try to live a natural lifestyle, we homeschool our son, we stay away from materialism, grow whatever food we can, etc. We want to live like locals and enjoy the culture and still have some activities like tennis, museums, hiking, not too far away. A good transporation system will do. But I do not care to duplicate too much of a big city life. I left New York City and we are only here by accident, just moving here from Tucson, AZ where we lived for five years and loved the pace, the mountains, the cost of living. We just want to leave the US for various other reasons. Would living somewhere outside Quito or Cuenca be okay? I loved San Francisco weather so Cuenca did not bother me so much although my husband likes a little more sunshine than I do. My son prefers the outdoors over any toy or video game. The only other thing I wonder about is the risks of earthquakes? I am not fearful, just curious about the natural disasters.

Thanks for any replies.
Michelle

Michelle,
I can't speak to all things Ecuador, but from the query you put forth, I would have to suggest you investigate Cuenca. A family of three can find very affordable housing, in the $ 400.00 a month range. I live approximately 15 minutes walking distance from the El Centro district. Right in front of my condo is a multi use facility that has tennis courts. Right next door that that is a facility that has an Olympic sized pool, with a diving platform pool. Travel down the river a couple of miles to the University, and for a very reasonable fee ,you can swim, sauna or get a steam bath.
At half a million people, you get a real sense of small town Americana, yet there are many social events you can attend, many free. The public transport system is un matched. For 25 cents you can travel the entire city. The new light rail system will be in place shortly, which will really be cool. In 15 minutes you can be in the mountains.
The climate is very moderate. Not too hot, not cold. Lots of sun! We are experiencing mid 70's right now.
I wish you, your husband, and son good luck in your transition, wherever it might be. But I think you would all love Cuenca.
Regards,
Neil

And the earthquake risk is very minimal, nothing like living in California.  Unless you choose to live on the mountainside of a volcano you should find little in the way of threats of nature.

Good Catch,
I miss half the crap I'm responding to.

mugtech wrote:

And the earthquake risk is very minimal, nothing like living in California.  Unless you choose to live on the mountainside of a volcano you should find little in the way of threats of nature.

The Ecuador coast is actually quite earthquake prone.

"Ecuador lies on the eastern rim of the seismically active area known as the Pacific Ring of Fire, according the EcuadorÂ’s Geophysical Institute. There have been at least 37 earthquakes of magnitude 7 or higher since 1541, when written records by the Spanish were first maintained, the institute says. The government estimates that more than 80,000 died as a result of those earthquakes.

It is important, officials say, to know the level of risk of the area you live in. For example, Manta is at a relatively high risk for a catastrophic earthquake whereas Cuenca is at relatively low risk. Countrywide, the area of greatest risk, says the institute, is the coast, particularly the area from Manta to the Colombia border, followed by the northern Andes including the cities of Ambato, Riobamba, Quito and Ibarra.

....Institute officials say that Cuenca has seen a number of earthquakes over the years in the 4.0 to 4.5 magnitude range, the most recent in 2008. "Since the Spanish arrived almost 500 years ago, Cuenca has probably not had an earthquake above 4.6 or 4.7 magnitude," says Yepes. "This is why so much of its historic buildings remain intact."



And this:

If you like smaller cities, and if your husband prefers a bit more warmth, you might also consider some other cities, such as Loja. Loja is about 1500 ft lower than Cuenca, so I assume it's a little warmer. Population 185,000 according to Wikipedia.

There probably are a few other possibilities, as well.

Quito is where I'm going, but it's a big city and a bit cooler, so it might not suit you.

That is correct gardener1: the northern coast of Ecuador is at high risk of eartquakes. In fact there was one in 1998 that cause severe damage to Bahia de Caraquez. North of Manta it is risky, especially around Esmeraldas.

The problem with Cuenca (and most cities worldwide) is that air pollution from traffic tends to be high. In Quito, the air pollution is usually low because mountain winds sweep any pollution away each night. Another problem with Cuenca is that it is so far away from the two main cities of Ecuador, so things like international air connections, renewing a visa, specialized health care, and certain kinds of shopping can be problematic. In the outer 'suburbs' of Quito, such as Cumbaya, Tumbaco, Los Chillos you can live in a warmer climate (than Quito) at lower altitude, and yet still be accesable for Quito at not more than a 20 minute drive. The climate in Quito proper never gets cold or even frosty; it's like a mild summer all year round. Another big plus for Quito (apart from the amenities that you get from a Capital city) is its parks. Quito has lots of green areas and several big real parks (not just squares prentending to be parks, as you get in Cuenca). For example the Parques Alameda, Carolina and Bicentenial are just three big parks of the many where you can go to play, walk, cycle, and do just about any sport. and Quito has two huge wild parks (the Parques Metropolitano and Metropolitano Sur) which are big natrual reserv forests which are kept unspoilt. These parks are ideal for trekking and communing with nature. There is nothing like this in Cuenca.  Hope this info is helpful. Russell

Thank you Russell. I guess we need to choose wisely after visiting a few times. Quito and Cuenca seem to be 6 hours apart? All the posts I read are quite helpful.

Thanks for the earthquake info too everyone.

russelleaton wrote:

In the outer 'suburbs' of Quito, such as Cumbaya, Tumbaco, Los Chillos you can live in a warmer climate (than Quito) at lower altitude, and yet still be accesable for Quito at not more than a 20 minute drive...

Really? There were days it took me 20 minutes to drive 3 or 4 blocks in Quito. Crossing town often takes an hour and a half. I can't even remember how many times I ended up getting out of a taxi and walking because it was faster.

Traffi in central Quito can at peak times be congested (as in any city), but driving from an outer 'suburb' such as Cumbaya or Guapulo is usually about 20 minutes. The roads and motorways (expressways) in Ecuador are quite good. Russell

Hello.  I'm from Vancouver.   I have decided to move to Cuenca.    I'm very excited.    I have lived in Thailand, Japan, the Philippines and the U.S. for 2 years each and have learned that I definitely like to live in a modern style condo in a very nice neighbourhood , rent a scooter to explore, and be close by a gym (and shopping centre...?)
I definitely don't need or want to live in a western style country but the condo and a "nice" neighbourhood is essential.
The problem is that I don't know which neighbourhood this may be in Cuenca.  I know that I would love to get to know my Ecuadorian neighbours but all day roosters and dogs barking is not doable for me.   
I will probably stay in a hotel in El Centro for the 1st 2 weeks while I look around and gauge whether the weather is too cool or rainy for me. 
I may end up near Salinas/Libertad if it affordable for me???  I know it would be great to live on the ocean and the infrastructure is also very good and the weather is perfect.
Any tips would be great so as to give me a head-start before I get there.


Thanks and Happy New Years!


Matt

Hi Mc Butter. Salinas will always be more expensive than La Libertad in this part of the coast. Even though they are a 10 min drive from each other, Salinas is considered a resort town, with local and international tourists paying elevated prices to enjoy their vacation by the ocean, in a warm climate and a sunny dry weather. There is also an array of restaurants, shops and meeting points by the boardwalk in Salinas, more than in Libertad.
La Libertad is more of a commercial beach town, its boardwalk actually looks better but it is a lot smaller, and the condo market is very limited as Libertad's housing market consist mostly of residential homes and retail shops.
The level of infraestructure is higher in La Libertad compared to Salinas, and rentals are more affordable because they are not affected by the seasonal tourism, though both beachtown enjoy the same best weather.
This particular area of the coast features a sunny dry warm weather, therefore tropical sticky humidity and flooding problems are almost nonexistent. In 2013 we experienced more overcast days than usual, yet we dont get hammered by constant rain like the highland cities. We are also far south from geographic fault lines (no earthquakes recorded) and we are at sea level so no problems for those with coronary problems or COPD, as it is an open landscaping.
Re barking dogs and all day singing roosters, let me be honest. You are hard pressed to do without those completely no matter where in Ecuador you may go! That is without mentioning car alarms, loud party music and even all day turkeys. It pretty much comes along in the package with your move to Ecuador.
Feel free to ask more questions about this area by PM. Take care.

So even the gated communities are noisy?

well, not as bad as most Pennsylvania neighbohoods where the noises are shotguns and gang activities, but we do have some barking dogs, some happy people celebrating parties, yes. People love it when they can adjust to a different culture...but if they want to recreate their own in Ecuador, they set themselves up for failure.
Actually c'mon now you have been circlying this forum for a couple of years now, you know well the answers to that question.. Please PM me when you finally make the move so we can meet up in person!

Actually, in the area of Cuenca where we live there are very few parties that go into the early morning hours.  It may be for a variety of reasons, but in the past neighbors have called the police after 02h00.  Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve are obviously exceptions, but even then not much happening after 01h00.  Maybe they are raising hell in another neighborhood...

Mike

Loving Ecuador wrote:

well, not as bad as most Pennsylvania neighbohoods where the noises are shotguns and gang activities,

Your knowledge of most PA neighborhoods is erroneous. Where do you get your info?

Where I stay in Quito (Jipijapa barrio) has a lot of traffic, car alarm, dog noise, but not much party or loud music noise. There used to be a bit of street drinking, but the cops cracked down on it. My beach house is nice and quiet, just the sound of the waves, faint music from a hotel about 1 km away, and the occasional moto-taxi. Up around my mountain property, all I hear is the wind, birds, and sometimes a distant "moooooo."

Oh it is an interesting story, Mug... I will tell you all when and if you ever come to Ecuador to live!

jessekimmerling wrote:

Where I stay in Quito (Jipijapa barrio) has a lot of traffic, car alarm, dog noise, but not much party or loud music noise. There used to be a bit of street drinking, but the cops cracked down on it. My beach house is nice and quiet, just the sound of the waves, faint music from a hotel about 1 km away, and the occasional moto-taxi. Up around my mountain property, all I hear is the wind, birds, and sometimes a distant "moooooo."

and sometimes a distant "moooooo.  Maybe the Chick o Fil commercial is true...they are party animals

Glad you mention that. Things have been changing in Ecuador re international standards of courtesy and respect to other neighbours. It has to do with the arrival and spreading of foreigners and also returning Ecuadorians with different backgrounds.
For the most part (except very selective neighbohoods) Ecuadorians grew up with an unspoken mass understanding that when someone have a reason to celebrate, the whole area would go along as well. For the most part no one complained, but even if they did, when the police was in pad shape here before this admin took over, no one did anything anyways.
In small towns this still happen though, but not anymore because no one calls the police....it is their intepretation of community life. They get that not everything revolves around themselves, so they accept other people's barking dogs, parties and car alarm sounds as part of life in community with others. After all, those noises are not something that last forever anyways.
With the arrival of new crowds (foreigners and returning Ecuadorians) and the need to welcome tourism and investment, plus the changes implemented in the Police to fight corruption, currently the complaints are heard and taken care of.

Sounds like it works for most

Seems like there is a lot of personal opinions.

I have noticed that the parties or the noise is a cultural thing.

For example:

In Guayaquil:

Guasmo (maybe you guys can find it in google maps) is a low income area (wich means lower level on education) is noisy, all kind of noise.
Puerto Azul (high income area) no noise. At all!
Bastion Popular: Noisy.
La Puntilla: Quiet
Isla Mocolí: Quiet

Cuenca:
Tennis & Gold Club: Quiet (I mean rigth across the club)
Oro Verde Hotel (the back side area: Buses, but gated comunities are quiet)
Calle Larga: Noisy

Quito:

Quito Tennis: Quiet
El Valle; Quiet (comunity gated)
Carapungo: Some little areas quiet, some other noisy.

I was told that the area where I used to live in Guayaquil was "depresing" Everybody quiet, in home, no music on the streets, the dogs inside the houses. (You see what i mean?)

I really enjoy just the moooo, the horses, birds, river, that is "music" to me.

I dont think is really difficult to figure out if the area is quiet or noisy. Just look around: Rich people? Poverty?

Loving Ecuador wrote:

Oh it is an interesting story, Mug... I will tell you all when and if you ever come to Ecuador to live!

Part of my contingency plan for now.

I think you can find noise at various levels everywhere.  I live in Salinas, supposedly one of the noisiest cities on the south coast.  I come from Valley Forge, one of the quietest communities on the east coast.  Buses and motorcycles, ambulances and Bombaderos, police and dogs, parties and discos, cars with speakers mounted and blaring, sound of the surf, parrots flying to roost, kids playing on the beach.  Some of the noise annoys and some soothes.  Some keeps you awake and some you ignore.  No worse than any big city.  Parts of Salinas are ultra quiet.  If you want peace and quiet, Vilcabamba.  Wherever you go, from Bethlehem, USA to Bethlehem, Israel, you will find noise and you will find quiet.  Gotta check it out for yourself.  Come and see.

docputter wrote:

Wherever you go, from Bethlehem, USA to Bethlehem, Israel, you will find noise and you will find quiet.

For me the idea is to have a quiet neighborhood in which to live but be close enough to where the fun (noise) is."The sound of gunfire,off in the distance, I'm getting used to it now".  Cannot say that Life During Wartime makes it for me, Israel not quite like PA.