workingwithcoffee
American expat in Ecuador
Forum posts
31
About me
American
Registration: 30 July 2023
Ecuador vs. Colombia 2023-24 by cccmedia
Quito, Ecuador, versus Medellin, Colombia --what are some of the differences?On an obscure Colombia forum thread, memberAdaptive Migrant asked yours truly what arethe differences one finds in living in Ecuadorversus Colombia.--That's a tough ...
@dawnburwell I did Google it, and I did not find anywhere that referred to Columbia as being correct. In fact, there were several articles in Spanish as to explain why some (read Americans) misspell the country's name by inserting a 'U' in it. Read More
Who combines the best quality/price for HEALTHCARE INSURANCE? by topper4499
I am retired, 73, live on the Ecuador coast for the past 14 years. For the past several years I have contracted with BMI, but their price for the same yearly coverage is constantly rising. Current contract year price is $1,400 (only me), with a ...
@workingwithcoffee Hi, and thanks for responding.聽 Re: Confiamed coverage, handled through Blue Box, can you tell me about your experience with it, such as How did you come about to selecting Confiamed?When I initially started looking for a ... Read More
Cost of living in Ecuador in 2024 by Cheryl
Hello everyone, As every year, we invite you to share your experience regarding the cost of living in Ecuador, and if possible, in the specific region or city where you live. This will help members who are planning to relocate in Ecuador. Here ...
@cccmedia Unfortunately, unlike the U.S., pricing on rent houses/apartments is wildly disorganized. And, the variety in quality varies just as much. Throw in 'gringo pricing' a very real issue, it's almost impossible to say quantitively what the ... Read More
Who combines the best quality/price for HEALTHCARE INSURANCE? by topper4499
I am retired, 73, live on the Ecuador coast for the past 14 years. For the past several years I have contracted with BMI, but their price for the same yearly coverage is constantly rising. Current contract year price is $1,400 (only me), with a ...
My hubby, who is 61, recently switched over to IESS because he has no ongoing chronic medical conditions. I also signed on with IESS with him, but due to some ongoing chronic issues still maintain my Confiamed coverage, handled through Blue Box. ... Read More
What will happen after the first 3 months visa visa-free entrance? by Behnoodkalani
Hello everyone, my wife and I are Iranians who are interested in moving to Ecuador. As far as I know, we can enter the country for 3mounths visa-free, but I don't have any idea how we can extend our permission to stay longer or get a visa without ...
Also wanted to chime in, as Ecuador has some 'quirky' residency laws.You've already been looking into Temporary Resident Visas, which are 2 years in duration, and can be obtained on a number of ways ( investor, retirement, etc.) Each has their own ... Read More
Trouble On the Coast and Mafia Carnage by cccmedia
Off-shore and airstrip drug activity along the Ecuador Coast is so bad in Manab铆 Province that radar may be installed shortly on private property.By presidential decree, property owners in parts of the province will be subject to the ...
@rkg695 Same here in Cuenca. I think I 'talked my friends down' from their anxieties about the situation mostly stemming from the "reputable" news media. Had to do a video call with a friend who was convinced I should be indoors hiding out. I ... Read More
Trouble On the Coast and Mafia Carnage by cccmedia
Off-shore and airstrip drug activity along the Ecuador Coast is so bad in Manab铆 Province that radar may be installed shortly on private property.By presidential decree, property owners in parts of the province will be subject to the ...
It will be interesting to see how this plays out.Prison rioting has become a common occurance, and drug gangs,already strong and violent, are becoming more of a presence in Ecuador (albeit mostly on the coast). Corruption combined with lack of ... Read More
Online Shopping & Delivery by rkg695
Has anyone used an online product ordering service in Ecuador? What were your experiences鈥ood or bad? Any recommendations?I鈥檝e looked at sites like TiendaMia and UBuy, seem legit but not sure鈥� most products are imported from the ...
Tiendamia is totally legit, in fact one of the safest placest to order from. This is because they will not process an order if Ecuador Customs prohibits the item for whatever reason. The item may be too heavy, etc etc. Better to just not allow it ... Read More
Double Taxation Inquiry by artist99
I was born in Ecuador but grew up in the USA for most of my life and have both an Ecuadorian and USA Passport. From what I know the USA taxes its citizens no matter where in the world they live. So I am curious to know if I retire to Ecuador will I ...
One of the "benefits" of U.S. citizenship is that you become tax indebted to the U.S. no matter where you live.This article may help you, it's geared to dual citizenship folks like ... Read More
Living abroad and in need of my medicine by dixieman55
I am currently living in Colombia and am going to be taking a month long class to get certified as a teaching English as a forigen language. The medicine that I have been taking since the 1980s is banned in Colombia and I need to leave the country ...
@Bhavna Good point. For those of us like myself that rely on daily prescribed medications, it's important to check these matters out BEFORE one moves to another country. Simple factual information, ie what is my med in Ecuador, will my body ... Read More
Living abroad and in need of my medicine by dixieman55
I am currently living in Colombia and am going to be taking a month long class to get certified as a teaching English as a forigen language. The medicine that I have been taking since the 1980s is banned in Colombia and I need to leave the country ...
Well it's certainly true that a healthy diet and regular exercise can promote better health, and in some cases even eliminate the need for 'certain' meds.That said, there are many of us, myself included, that need particular medications. It could ... Read More
Living abroad and in need of my medicine by dixieman55
I am currently living in Colombia and am going to be taking a month long class to get certified as a teaching English as a forigen language. The medicine that I have been taking since the 1980s is banned in Colombia and I need to leave the country ...
@dracorune999You will "hopefully" find the Spanish equivalent of those drugs.聽 In the U.S. there is a lot of trash talk about non-US meds.聽 It is simply that.聽 Case in point:聽 I take 2 meds twice a day every day, one of them ... Read More
A Question About Those We Do Not Speak Of: Roaches At Elevation by AmericanoNorte
So, my first topic of great importance!I have searched the web long and hard on this topic. Google spits out results, repeated everywhere, that roaches do not live above 2000m (6,500 ft). I searched a lot of English speaking sites and this info is ...
聽 聽 @workingwithcoffee 馃槄 thanks for planting the image of my mind: cockroach kicking back in a beach chair... having a margarita. 馃コ馃馃嵐 vive la buena vida!! ... Read More
A Question About Those We Do Not Speak Of: Roaches At Elevation by AmericanoNorte
So, my first topic of great importance!I have searched the web long and hard on this topic. Google spits out results, repeated everywhere, that roaches do not live above 2000m (6,500 ft). I searched a lot of English speaking sites and this info is ...
Just on doing some web browsing, it "appears' that in general they don't do well at altitudes over 2000m (6,500 ft). Of course, there are different varieties, perhaps some have adapted to overcome this. As a resident of Cuenca for over 3 years, I ... Read More
Online shopping in Ecuador by Priscilla
Hello everyone, Shopping online can be far more convenient and offer greater choice than going into shops, be it grocery shopping or retail. Are there options for online shopping in Ecuador? Which sites or apps do you use most frequently and ...
@Krista Misko You can use one of the local courier services, Servientrega is the biggest I believe. You can bring it to one of their offices, and have it shipped to the U.S. I "think" you have to bring it to them opened (so they can view the ... Read More
Blackouts in Cuenca by wlabarge
Can someone familiar w the blackouts in Cuenca please describe their frequency and length, and whether security issues such as looting or break-ins have occurred during them?
The schedule changes by day, unfortunately.聽 This is because they closely monitor the situation and try not to do a blackout if possible.聽 Currently, they are lengths of 2 hours, 8-10, 10-12, 12-2, 2-4, and 4-6.聽 No night time or ... Read More
Legal Weed in Uruguay by wlabarge
What does this post have to do with legal weed in Uruguay? The politics of grievance movement in the US has become so tedious, and the whiners will use just about any forum to spew. So looking forward to not being drenched in this bile in ...
Just an FYI, this thread was created TEN YEARS ago. Read More
Secure your financial assets as an expat in Ecuador by Cheryl
Hello everyone, As we navigate the exciting world of living and working in Ecuador, it's essential to make informed decisions about our financial future. We鈥檇 love to hear about the different investment options available for expats: how ...
@rkg695 From what I'm seeing, "COOPERATIVA DE AHORRO Y CR脡DITO LOS ANDES LATINOS LTDA" is segment THREE with a maximum insurable amount of $5,000.They've been in business since 2001, and I can't find them on the risk rating report (they may ... Read More
Secure your financial assets as an expat in Ecuador by Cheryl
Hello everyone, As we navigate the exciting world of living and working in Ecuador, it's essential to make informed decisions about our financial future. We鈥檇 love to hear about the different investment options available for expats: how ...
@rkg695 Also another point to note is they are now offering 10.35% as of today I think. Read More
Where to find COSEDE Coverage Amount and Risk Ratings
For those not aware, banks/coops offer a maximum guaranteed insurable amount of $32,000.Depending on financial institution, they may not even offer that much. To find out what segment your Bank/Cooperativa is, you can use this ... Read More
Secure your financial assets as an expat in Ecuador by Cheryl
Hello everyone, As we navigate the exciting world of living and working in Ecuador, it's essential to make informed decisions about our financial future. We鈥檇 love to hear about the different investment options available for expats: how ...
We've done business with 23 de Julio, specifically with their rep Marco Leon. He's a professional, and his English is good too.23 de Julio is COSEDE Segment 1 rated, meaning they offer the maximum value of 32,000.They have a very favorable risk ... Read More
Legal questions by neumanns1999
I have been doing a lot of research and I some questions that I can鈥檛 find answers for. Is there someone on here that is knowledgeable and willing to communicate with me and hopefully answer my questions? It would be very much appreciated. ...
The expat community has a lot of combined knowledge; unfortunately, some of that may be out of date, or based solely on personal experience. As others have said, post your questions, but don't accept your answers as gospel. The best sources for ... Read More
Cuenca province by neumanns1999
In what province is cuenca?
@neumanns1999It's a geographic/administrative division. In the U.S. there are states, counties, so on.I "think" a canton is roughly equivalent to a county in the U.S. Read More
Cuenca province by neumanns1999
In what province is cuenca?
AzuayAnd to add info:Province: AzuayCanton: CuencaCity: Cuenca (formal name; Santa Ana de los Cuatro R铆os de Cuenca)Then Cuenca has many parrishes Read More
Evolution of banking services in Ecuador by Cheryl
Hello everyone, With rapid technological advancements, banking services are digitizing at lightning speed. Expats are thus propelled into a new era of options and payment methods, disrupting the traditional banking services of local ...
@CherylWhen it comes to technology, banking, etc., Ecuador is a strange blend of old and new.While larger business often have payment options that include bank debit, or credit card (haven't seen tap to pay at businesses tho), by and large it's a ... Read More
Evolution of banking services in Ecuador by Cheryl
Hello everyone, With rapid technological advancements, banking services are digitizing at lightning speed. Expats are thus propelled into a new era of options and payment methods, disrupting the traditional banking services of local ...
@topper4499 Perhaps that would be a question for a new topic, since it doesn't relate to the original post. Read More
Adapting to the pace of life in Ecuador by Cheryl
Hello everyone, When you move to Ecuador, you may find that the pace of life is different from what you're used to. Shop opening times, working hours, sleep cycles and variations in sunlight can all have an effect on your life in Ecuador as an ...
@Cheryl How have you managed to harmonize your own pace of life with the pace of life in Ecuador?I've become a 'get everything done before dark' kinda person. Makes evenings/nights a lot more relaxing.Have you felt a change in your biological ... Read More
Cab ride from Cuenca Airport to residence by antoniodistefano9
I am arriving at Cuenca Airport from Quito on Sept 1st, 2023. Will need transport for me and luggage to residence. Any recommended safe was to get a cab?
@antoniodistefano9 If you are able, make use of the Azutaxi app. I'm not sure if visitors can use it, but if you live in Ecuador, you can. Last time I returned home to Cuenca I used it when we arrived. Cuenca's a small, safe airport, and once ... Read More
Partial change from Private Insurance to IESS.. questions
I've currently been on a combo plan of Vida Buena/Confiamed for about 3 years.聽The Vida Buena is for the doctor visit type stuff, and I'm not really making use of it.聽Confiamed is Major Medical.I'm in my 50's , relatively good health, but ... Read More
New members of the Ecuador forum, introduce yourselves here - 2023 by Julien
Hi all, Newbie on the Ecuador forum? Don't know how to start? This thread is for you ;) We invite you to introduce yourself on this topic, to share with us your expat story if you are already living in the country, or to tell us more on your ...
Hola hola! I'm Cindy, and have lived in Cuenca for about 3 years so far. Got my perm residency, and enjoying life as a retired expat from Georgia. How to learn and share! Read More
What to do when your U.S. bank tosses you to the curb. by Mr. Barley
I received the following letter from **** bank in my mailbox in Houston, Texas last month.聽I have been a client for around 7-8 years and have used the same address during all that time. The letter was slightly edited to protect the privacy of ...
When I lived in the states I banked with Wells Fargo (and still do). Before leaving the states, I did a change of address with the U.S.P.S., using a trusted friend's address (after getting their ok). Once done, I changed my banking accounts, ... Read More