'Q&A: Cost of Living. Standard of Living?'

Q&A: Cost of Living. Standard of Living?

By Blog Answers at 02/26/09 03:19

On 02/02/09 09:15, jim asked the following question:

IS THERE ANYONE OUT THERE THAT CAN TELL ME THE REAL TRUTH ABOUT THE LIVING CONDITIONS IN ECUADOR....COST OF LIVING, ..HOUSING ... MEDICAL CARE E...ETC.. WITHOUT TRYING TO SELL SOMETHING... JIM

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Answer #1 On 02/25/09 15:06, milton from quito answered:

hello there, ive been down here for 2 months, and I have family down here.  It all depends on where you´re going to live exactly, in Quito, from what I´ve been told, rent (1-2 bedrooms) can cost you from 150-200$  a month or possibly cheaper depending on location.  3 bedrooms in a nice area may range from 300$ to more...months bills are extremely cheap compare to the U.S.A.

I´d say a max of 100$ including water, gas, electricity, and phone (not cell phone). as far as paying bills, there are plenty of places you can get access to the internet, but if you are going to bring your own laptop, do so, dont buy them here it´s really expensive, ALL-well most electronics are highly expensive. I know the message was posted almost a month ago, but I figured why not.  I just signed into this, I´m in Ecuador trying to look for a job in Quito or anywhere really,

I´m a graduate from Georgita State University (Intl. Business), just in case you know anyone. Good Luck!

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I've been in Ecuador 20 years. When I arrived, the cost of living was cheap -- but I no longer think it is. Unless you want to live in a slum, Milton's rent figures for northern Quito are much too low. A more realistic figure for a decent, small apartment would be $500/month. Meals at moderately priced restaurants run $10-15/person. Milton's figures for utilities are about right.

Hi Randy, I have never done this before, but need some info.

My husband and I were led to believe (from a certain 'website'that deals with giving out information about living abroad)that rent was truly about 150.00/mo.if one wishes to live among the locals, (more of course if one wishes an appartment with expats). We had no idea they were refering to living in a slum!YIKES...how shocking! We are considering eventually buying in Ecuador or Uraguay because they seem to be the most affordable countries & we DO have a very limited budget.We have also heard good reports on the safety issues in these two places as well, that one can travel (via road system) in safety ??

Also,we would like to link up with an HONEST realtor, do YOU know of any? We want to follow the market for a while and see what is available at what prices. Thanks for ANY and ALL info. you have on living in S. America. We need some honest insight from someone who has no vested interest in the information they give out.Someone who has lived in a country for 20 years is pretty much in the know! Thanks for helping! Meesh :o)

Are you reading the same organizations claims about Uruguay being cheap too? If you are thinking about normal expat accommodations in the $150 range in Uruguay you'll be in for a big shock.

I've lived in Uruguay for almost 4 years and can give you lots of reasons I like it here. However, I would not encourage someone to move here if they are searching for a "cheap" place to live.

Here is a blog post I wrote in response to an advertisement about "living like a king for pennies a day in Uruguay": Cost of Living in Uruguay

Hi Meesh. I would recommend Lacoruna, one of the largest and most reputable real estate companies in Quito. I used them to find my house in Quito and was very satisfied with their services. Their e-mail is www.lacoruna.com.ec Just click on the "contactenos" button and tell them what you are looking for -- e.g. type of property, price range and area.

Regarding safety, although crime in the big cities is on the rise, in general I would say you can travel on the highways in relative safety.

Bests, Randy

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