Cuenca - How Much Does It Cost to Live Here?

(Warning: This may be a yawner for those not curious about how much it might cost to live in Cuenca. Do not read while driving). On the other hand...

We have this compulsion to look at almost every interesting place we go with the question: "Could we live here?" Sometimes that question is answered at first glance, as in yuk, argh, no way. Other times — like with Vilcabamba or Cotacachi or Cuenca — it takes more thought and delving into.

One of the considerations, of course, is always the cost of living, as in "can we afford to live here?" Our overwhelming consensus about the price of living in Cuenca is that, like the rest of Ecuador, it's amazingly affordable — in most respects.

Caveat: This is not a scientific study — just our general impressions after being here two-and-a-half weeks.

1. GROCERY STORE AND MARKET FOOD:

In general, if it's imported from the States, it's prohibitively expensive. For instance, Del Monte ketchup that would sell for $1.50 in the U.S., can cost up to $5.00 in Ecuador. Recently, the Ecuadorian government put a 30-35 percent tax on most imported goods. The message: buy Ecuadorian!

•MEAT & FISH - The only place we've bought meat and fish is at SuperMaxi, Ecuador's sparkling chain of grocery stores. The meat there is nicely refrigerated and packaged. Although there are some respectable meat and fish markets scattered throughout town, we haven't been brave enough to try the meats "hanging around" the big open markets, with no refrigeration, hours on end. That's sooooo counter to everything I've been programmed to understand is conducive to keeping your life form intact. Amazingly, Ecuadorians survive!

Hamburger seems like it costs less here than in North America. Steaks, pork chops, roasts, are closer to being on par. Whole chickens, however, are surprisingly expensive, especially when you consider how many of them there are roaming around. Typically, whole chickens cost $10 here. We've bought them in the States (on sale) for as little as $3-4.

• MILK - Milk is less than $1 a quart box and often comes in plastic bags as well. On the bus the other day, we saw boys drinking milk with straws stuck in "baggies." Juices on the street are sold this way as well.

• OTHER BEVERAGES: The entry price for a litre "box" of wine seems to be around $5.00. You can buy a small bottle of water for 25-cents. A friend bought a bottle of tequila for $20. Again, anything that's imported is very expensive. A box of fruit juice (they seem to add sugar to all of them) costs about $1.50-$1.90.

BUT... freshly-blended fruit drinks are the beverage of choice for restaurants and even street-side vendors. They cost $1-2.

• FRUITS and VEGETABLES - Ah, vegetarians live the best of all down here! Buy your wonderful veggies and fruits and grains at the local markets. Live long — and cheap — and prosper. Great selections of all.

2. RESTAURANTS - Restaurants in Cuenca are so inexpensive that you can hardly afford to eat at home. The lunch special, the "menu al dia" costs from $1.75-$2.75 and consists of fresh juice, soup, rice, a meat or fish, veggie, and dessert! Sandwiches start at about $1.60. Average dinners cost $3.50-$5.00 at basic restaurants.


3. HOUSING COSTS - Cuenca is a great place to rent or buy. Because of recent appreciation, the cost of new structures has gone from $50.00/ft. to about $65.00. That means you can buy a brand new 2000sf condo with views and all the contemporary finishing like granite countertops and floating floors for about $130,000. Annual property taxes - as in Mexico - are like nothing.

RENTING: Check out the photo of what you can get for $450 a month, unfurnished. It's a never-been-lived in beautiful new condo that friends are moving into. As a rule, you can double the price for furnished. You can find rentals as low as $200 a month, but, of course "you get what you pay for." We were the first tenants in a brand new 2-bedroom, 2-bath sixth floor condo with city views and fully furnished, that rents for $600 a month.

A note... when they say "unfurnished" here, they mean UNfurnished! Renters must provide refrigerators, stoves, washers, dryers—and sometimes even lighting fixtures!

BUYING: We looked at a lovely, brand new 2-bedroom, 2-bath condo, with lots of windows and views, for $67,000, and another for $98,000. Regular homes seem to be all over the place, but you can get a lovely home, with perhaps a little land, for $130-200,000 "mas o menos."

BUT.... we have a friend who scored 19-acres, with a hacienda-style home, trout ponds, chicken set-up, and so much more for only $70,000 recently. Of course, she had a local friend in Cuenca who knew somebody, who knew somebody... That's the ideal way to do it here. Her new property is an hour out-of-town and a perfect situation for her.

ONE RESIDENT'S COSTS: We visited a Penthouse dweller who is selling his 2000sf condo and who has three children who regularly visit. He was kind enough to share his expenses with us.

Price of Property - $95,000.00 (Original price AND selling price)
Sales Tax of 1% - 950.00
Annual Property Tax of 1/4% 72.89

Monthly Expenses:
- Water $ 7.00
- Gas $ 1.00
- Electricity $38.00
- Phone $11.00
- Internet $45.00
- TV Cable $42.00
- Taxes $ 6.00
- Condo Fee $50.00
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Total: $200 mo.


4. TRANSPORTATION: Buses are terrific here! I don't think we've ever had to wait more than a couple of minutes for one that was going our way. Twenty-five cents will take you anywhere and everywhere around Cuenca. If you want to go long-distance in Ecuador, the general rule seems to be $1 for each hour you travel.

Taxi rides in Cuenca have gone up in the past year or so. Now it seems the minimum cost is $1.50, no matter the distance. Last night, coming home from the Symphony at 10p.m., cost $2.50. Which brings us to entertainment...


5. ENTERTAINMENT & CULTURAL EVENTS: The Cuenca Symphony, with an impressive 58-piece orchestra, was free. We understand that plays and other cultural events in Cuenca are also free. Amazing!

- There's lots of night life with live music and pop concerts. There are at least two different movie theaters with a total of maybe 10-screens. Many are English movies with Spanish sub-titles. The cost for tickets is around $3.50.


6. BOOKS! Don't worry... if you're a reader and need a fix, Cuenca has a North American-style bookstore that has a wide range of new and used books. It's run by two amiable expats and, besides a great place to find books, it's a great place to meet other transplants. Check out Carolina's at Calle Larga and Hermano Miguel Streets downtown.

7. AUTOMOBILES and DRIVING: We rode in a new Kia Soul, sport model, imported from Korea. We also rode in a new two wheel drive Chevrolet four door mid-size pick up assembled in Ecuador. Both cost $22,000 and change. The Kia would cost about $16,000 in the States. (The Kia Soul—correct spelling, it's Soul, not Seoul)—was a very pleasant surprise). We didn't check out the cost to rent a car. Lead free gasoline is nationally price fixed at $1.48/gallon. Stateside-style service centers are all over town.

NOTE: Although imported cars are heavily taxed, there are a few exceptions. HYBRID cars are now being allowed into Ecuador, tax-free.


8. SHOES & CLOTHING: From what we've seen, clothing is on par with what you find in North America. Womens' styles are contemporary and fairly expensive. It's likely a case of "knowing where to shop" though, which I don't. They have a beautiful selection of shoes... especially if you like pointed toes and 4-inch heels.


9. MOTHER NATURE, a GREAT CITY, CLEAN AIR, DRINKABLE WATER, FRIENDLY PEOPLE: Priceless!

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