Expat Life: What's So Great About Cuenca, Ecuador?

Edd:  In our last post we talked about why we love our expat life. During that conversation we mentioned the year-round, springlike weather and inexpensive public transportation here in Cuenca. I’m not sure we’ve shared with our readers the many other reasons we, and thousands of other expats, think this Ecuadorian city is so great.

Cynthia:  Don’t want to dwell on the climate since we have covered that topic before, but as most of the United States is welcoming spring after the coldest winter in years, it sure is nice to wake up to blooming flowers and warm temps every day.

E:  Another constant that is a big plus is the country’s use of the U.S. dollar as its official currency. When visiting Argentina a couple of years ago we were living large, because we could exchange one hundred dollar bills on the informal Blue Dollar market for twice the official rate. Today that rate is only twenty percent more, which means American expats there have seen their purchasing power shrink significantly.

C:  That’s a huge difference! People thinking about moving abroad may not take into consideration how those kinds of fluctuations in exchange rates can wreck your budget. For the most part, knowing what the things you purchase each month are going to cost and that you can easily afford them eliminates a lot of financial stress.

E:  The fact that our money goes a long way in Cuenca allows us to enjoy so many affordable luxuries like fresh flowers every week, massages and mani-pedis, monthly memberships to a gym and yoga studio, a maid…

C:  And beautiful, delicious food at the newly-opened Plaza 33 right next door and Plaza Soleil a few minutes walk away.

E:  Speaking of beautiful, Cuenca and the surrounding countryside are absolutely stunning, aren’t they?

C:  As are the four rivers running through Cuenca and the nearby Cajas National Park.

E:  Although our home is in the city’s most modern neighborhood, it’s great that the many festivals taking place each year remind us of Ecuador’s wonderful culture and traditions.

C:  It’s hard to believe that Cuenca’s expat population has grown from only a few hundred when we arrived to around 8,000 according to the latest estimates. To keep us informed of everything going on we have two daily online publications, CuencaHighLife and Gringo Post, plus the monthly Cuenca Expats magazine.

E:  And there is always a lot happening — concerts, special events, community theater, tango lessons. Readers can find real estate listings, items for sale, recommendations for restaurants, and all kinds of services available from satisfied customers.

C:  That’s a far cry from the early days when we had only one Gringo Night per week in a downtown bar. You know, we could go on and on. Let me wrap this up by saying that after spending more than two years looking for our “next place,” we decided that Cuenca, Ecuador, was still the place we wanted to call home.

E:  Yep. And the great news is, it just keeps getting better and better. 👍😀

Note ~ If you’re living in Cuenca or have visited, we would love to hear your positive comments about our hometown!