About
My name is Kris and I live in Cuenca, Ecuador with my wife, Andrea, her son, David, and my mom, Annie.
I thought this section would best be served as an FAQ for the moment. In the future, this space may evolve. If you happen to have a question I don’t cover here or in my posts, contact me!
Q: How did you end up in Ecuador?
A: In October of 2019 I went on a trip to visit a friend that traveled frequently. At that time, he happened to be in Ecuador and, during our visit to the city of Cuenca, I met my future wife, Andrea. I spent the next 3 years traveling to visit Andrea as often as I could. In March of 2022 we got married and in July I moved permanently to Cuenca.
Q: And your mom?
A: Once I had moved to Ecuador, my mom was living in North Carolina alone. For many reasons, including affordability and health, I thought Cuenca would be a wonderful city for her to continue her retirement. After a few discussions, she agreed, and sold her home to join my wife and I in January of 2023.
Q: What made Cuenca, Ecuador a good place for a retiree?
A: Cuenca offers several benefits that makes it a popular retirement destination. Cost of living, relative to the United States, is very low. Modern amenities are available in most areas of the city. Transportation is readily available and affordable, making it easy to explore the historic city center and surrounding cultural sites. Climate is uniform year round. And, with standard precautions, it is a very safe place to visit and live. This has helped grow Cuenca’s expat community to around 10,000 people.
Q: What is the cost of living?
A: As an expat, it really depends. Cuenca has become a popular retirement destination for retirees. As such, services and businesses have developed to support this population, which, may come at a cost higher than what locals pay. Thankfully, with my wife being native, we are able to avoid most of this cost discrepancy. I will list some of our common expenses as a family of four:
House rental – 3 Bedroom, 3½ bath homes have ranged from $400-700 monthly depending on location and other home amenities.
Utilities – Our electric bill is usually about $35, water is $30, cell phones are $10 a person, and we spend about $12 in propane monthly.
Health Insurance – Ecuador has a universal health care system. We pay about $85 a month per person for coverage, and all healthcare is free after that.
Food – Markets are plentiful and offer an abundant selection of meat, fruits, and vegetables. I pay $2 to $4 a pound for standard cuts of meat and, up to $7 a pound for more premium cuts. Vegetables like tomatoes, onion, cucumbers, etc. are usually $1 for 2.5 pounds. Fruits can vary a bit more at $1 to $3 a pound.
Restaurants – Cuenca offers a wide variety of dining experiences. Some of my favorite restaurants offer traditional lunches starting at $2.50. Authentic cuisine of just about any type can be found for $8 to $12 a plate. And, elegant dining is available in any range above that.
Q: What was the most difficult transition in day-to-day living from the US?
A: The biggest hurdle I have experienced in living in Ecuador is learning how to effectively shop for my goods. Amazon is not as effortless to use here and one-stop shopping is new and still developing. That means, most of my shopping is done by going to specific, small stores that offer a single product or selection of product types I am looking for. With time, I found my preferred baker, grocer, butcher, and hardware store. I have a specific store for pet food, another for cleaning supplies, and even another just for tupperware.
Q: What do you miss the most?
A: This has changed over time. During the first year, I would have said ordering from Amazon. Now that I have adapted to shopping here, I really enjoy the relationships that develop from buying locally.
Really good hoagie sandwiches, that is the only thing I am missing in life right now.