69 Year Expat Shares his Cost of Living in Cuenca Ecuador

cuencatechlife.wordpress.comFor us living in Cuenca in a middle class life style in a unfurnished house with a garden, laundry and cleaning service our monthly budget is $2000. Can you do it for less. Of course. But I just can’t agree with budgets of $1300 per month that don’t include trips back to North America each year and an emergency contingency allotment.
Feel free to disagree and comment.

What Does It Really Cost To Live in Cuenca, EC.

The short answer is- “It depends”. After living in Cuenca for 3+ years I think I have a realistic idea of the monthly costs. I presently live in a 2200 sq. ft 3 bedroom 3.5 bath unfurnished house.

Let’s first find data we can all agree about:

Electricity is subsidized by the government. My monthly bill(which includes refuse pickup and a Firefighter tax) has never been over $30
Propane Gas is also subsidized by the government. A 15 gallon tank delivered to the house is $2.50. I have never used over $10 a month which includes a propane room heater.
Water – We have over 60 plants and the monthly water bill has nver been over $6
House Phone My house phone bill has never been over $4 per month.
Gasoline is $1.49 per gallon all over the country. Diesel is $1.04 a gallon
Taxis are plentiful and cheap. A two mile trip to El Centro from my house is $1.70
City Buses – 25 cents and 12 cents if you’re over 65. More about buses later in the post
If you are over 65 have a cedula and a bank account you can get *all* your IVA (12%) taxes back
General Labor is cheap. The minimum wage in Ecaudor is about $2.40 an hour.
Dental and Medical Care is a fraction of North American costs
IESS Medical Insurance with a Cedula is $70 per month + $11 per dependent. Read Article

THINKING OF MOVING TO ECUADOR? READ THIS BOOK