Thank you so much. Comments like this make it all worth it.

why did you leave?

sammie smith hope you manage to make it. I got back to Ecuador in March just before the airports shut down.

Thanks. This video is a little old now. I’m still in Ecuador but in the campo, 90 from Quito. Absolutely loving the Ruta Escondida area.

@@FallofftheMap Thanks for replying! I just found your channel yesterday! I am myself from Ecuador born and raised but lived most of my life abroad in 5 different countries. You have a lot of good information for expats and "online nomads". I can relate with both! BTW, we can perhaps collaborate with my new Spanish course, I assume your Spanish is good already since long ago, but many people who follow you might be looking for ways to improve it. If that's an option you wanna look into, let me know!

I agree. Although I've never been to Afghanistan, I'd say it's much safer than most parts of Quito and Guayaquil!

Agustin Enzoa I feel pretty safe in Quito. Never been robbed or had any trouble in Quito. Guayaquil is another story.

@@FallofftheMap Well, all the times I have been in Quito I almost got robbed.

Did you ever actually get robbed? what was the context of the “almost” robbery? Where were you? I am aware that I may have experienced a greater sense of safety and security than others because I tend to have way about me that intimidates would be thieves.

Fall off the Map No I didn’t. I have lived here for a year and a half. I am 6’6”, so people tend to stare at me and keep walking!

mike anderson Thanks, yes my family and I are still safe and healthy. I’m glad you liked Quito. You may also want to look at some of the smaller towns and valleys around Quito. Since recording this video we’ve moved a few times, first to Tumbaco and now to a tiny town about 1 hour NW of Quito. It all depends on your priorities, and for me Quito was fine at first, but getting out into the countryside while still being close to the city was a win/win for me. Lower cost of living out here, friendlier people, and a very traditional way of life, but I can still get to big city shopping or the airport in an hour. It almost feels like time traveling.

Thanks for the feedback, K Smith. Any excuse to travel and check out new cities ;)

Thanks. I’ve been in Ecuador 8 years now. It really is a good place.

Thanks. I do my best to keep it real.

True and true. I love Cuenca. It’s a place I’ve talked about moving to with my wife. Maybe it’ll be my next home base.

Ecuador is awesome. My wife is from Guayaquil and I have toured the entire country on 3 different occasions. Personally, I liked Quito but the pollution was bad and the traffic was horrendous. I visited Cuenca in June. I liked it but it definitely felt cold at night. Overall, there are a lot of good places to live.

Nice. I lived in Canoa for awhile. I was very lucky and left right before the big earthquake.

@@FallofftheMap, you were very lucky.

Thank you. In all my travels, Ecuador is by far my favorite place.

+Tania Wilcox I will be moving to your beautiful country in 6 weeks and cant wait to meet Pachamama ! Saludos desde USA

Ha..

Thanks. I’m not planning on any more Afghanistan vids this year. Maybe next summer if I decide to go back

There’s a huge range on housing costs. First, when looking for a rental it’s best to look the way Ecuadorians look. If you try using Craigslist you’ll only see overpriced rentals, so look on m.olx.com.ec or just walk around the neighborhoods and look for rental signs. You can find studios as cheap as 100, or you can pay as much as $7000 a month for a furnished high end house. I pay $350 for a 3bd 3bath top floor apartment in a nice neighborhood. Generally, there is a huge difference between furnished and unfinished prices.

Last time I arrived in Ecuador it was March 3, right before the lockdowns and quarantines. I think the quarantine requirement has been dropped but I’m not 100% sure because things keep changing from week to week. Same power as in the US and same style receptacles.

Ecuador is pretty awesome but it’s also not for everyone. If I were to do it all over again there’s maybe a 50/50 chance I’d choose Colombia instead. Ecuador is the easiest place to get a permanent visa and it’s very cheap, but Colombia is a little more developed both economically and socially.

@@FallofftheMap @@FallofftheMap ok cool. Thanks for that information dude. I will give colombia some detailed looking into. I will put it on my list of countries im researching. Gotta stretch the funds to their limit for my personal happiness.

There are live-aboard boats in Bahia de Caraquez, Manta, Salinas, and Guayaquil. I don’t know the exact cost, but I believe it’s pretty high relative to the overall cost of living, though the moorage in the river at Bahia is likely to be reasonable since that one isn’t so much a marina a place to anchor in the river with water taxis that come and go. It’s where I would choose if I still had a boat. Be aware that importing a foreign boat is prohibitively expensive and most live-aboard boats sold here are also higher cost that other places. You can bring a boat for I believe 90 days, but after that it must leave Ecuador or face high fines and impound.

I love Manizales, though some people find it a bit too cold and rainy. I don’t know Rio Negro. If I were to do things over I think I’d probably choose Colombia over Ecuador, but it’s still a close call. When I first visited both countries 7 years ago Colombia was in worse shape and Ecuador was a better place. They’ve changed places since then.

I love the small towns, but for a family with kids it doesn’t work well unless you homeschool. San Miguel de los Bancos is a little on the warm mosquitoy side for my taste. I like a little higher and dryer.

Hola amigo. ¿Cómo es Bagram?

Good idea. I’ll see if I can create some sort of color coded map or the good/ bad neighborhoods, upload it to Imgur, and ad a link to the map in the description. Don’t hold your breath though. I’m traveling in Colombia at the moment no it might take a couple weeks till I get on that project.

Go to Bronx NY and you'll see danger there

Eduardo Bedoya I understand.

@@eduarditobedoya3560 not as dangerous as the slums in Ecuador just don't go there

@@RickFidelisReed in Quito the worst areas are San Roque, La Ferroviaria, Calderon, cotocollao, comite del pueblo, solanda,Carcelen Bajo and recently La carolina park has become a 'red zone' especially at night; as someone that came out of these places don't even go near if you're a tourist, do not film in places where people are selling drugs or have a sketchy look, also 'safe neighborhoods' are not safe at night like Ponciano alto a (safe neighborhood). Don't go too much to the north or too much to the south. Just any place that looks like a slum don't go near.

There’s many different opinions on this because there are so many different towns with nice weather. I like the valleys and moderate elevation towns around Quito. I also like Cotacachi. For mild to warm but more humid I like Mindo, Pacto, Gualea. The Intag Valley is super nice if you don’t mind remote. Baeza is nice if you want mild to cool and wet. Most of the central and south coast is dry and warm but not hot, though areas near large river deltas can be excessively muggy. Many people swear by Vilcabamba but from the temperature descriptions I’ve heard it may be a bit on the warm side. I haven’t been there yet. The lowlands between the coast and the mountains, the north coast, and the Amazon region are all pretty brutality hot. Quito and Cuenca can get a bit cold for most people. Lately my favorites are the towns on the Ruta Escondida, Puellaro, Perucho, Atahualpa, and San Jose de Minas are all beautiful towns with mild climates and also nice people and a slow pace of life while still being only about an hour to 90 minutes outside of Quito.

It’s safe as long as you avoid the bad parts of town and avoid busses at peak hours. To stay in and go out at night La Carolina and el Batan are good. La Mariscal is a party area. It’s become a little dangerous the last couple years especially around la Foch. I still go there but not late at night and be on your guard. The Centro Historico is interesting in the day and sketchy at night. South Quito is bad, even just a few blocks south of the centro. There are also some bad area is the far north. Cumbaya and Tumbaco are warm valley suburbs of Quito located about 1/2 way between Quito and the airport. I’ve recently moved to Tumbaco. These areas are a bit nicer than Quito itself and only 25 minutes to Quito by bus.

@@FallofftheMap I appreciate the advice. If we go out only during the daytime it's fairly safe though? I mean of course we wont be carrying valuables or the like I just mean like not much violent crime? We just want to see the sights/ relax and I enjoy running which I heard is good to do at the local parks? Thanks again for your help!

As long as you’re not in the south or very far north you should be fine going out in the day. Be advised that the city busses get super crowded at peak hours during the day, so crowded it’s hard to move, and pickpocketing has been common. I only take busses at off hours and walk or use Uber/taxis the rest of the time. The best areas if you want to be able to go running are el Batan due to it’s proximity to Parque Metropolitano (huge eucalyptus forest with trails and safe enough to go for walks with kids) or Cumbaya because of a long bike/hiking trail that runs for a few miles east of Quito and connects several smaller parks and neighborhoods. I think it’s called El Chaquiñán. I’ve just started exploring it and other than the nearby river being a polluted catastrophe it’s pretty great and very safe. It’s also going to be easier to run there unless you’re already acclimated to the altitude. Most of Quito is about 9000’ but Cumbaya is maybe 1000 feet lower. I’d also recommend a day drip up to Papallacta. There’s a wonderful (though developed) hot springs at the Papallacta resort 90 minutes east of Quito by bus. The day fee is $9 and the hotels outside the resort are pretty affordable (the resort itself is super expensive). There’s an awesome hiking trail above the resort for a quick day hike, and if you are looking to explore deeper into a high altitude national park you just continue on up (probably by taxi) into Cayambe Coca Ecological Reserve. Let me know if you want instructions for bussing there or alternatively it’s about a $45 Uber. Be sure you go to the actual resort and not the crappy hot springs at hotels below in the town. It’s best on a cloudy/rainy weekday day because the sun will burn your face off at that elevation soaking in the water and also less crowded.

Frank Dehkordy it’s proved to be a bit of a moving target as the crime seems to move around quite a bit. Areas will be dangerous. The police will put an effort in that area, and the crime will move to a new area. Sorry I forgot to create the map. I’ll see if I can get to it this week, but given the pace at which crime moves around some of the info will be inaccurate pretty quickly.

@@FallofftheMap Thank you for your reply. I was asking regarding to renting an apartment for a month or two , I wanted to see which neighborhoods are safer

Frank Dehkordy it’s such a weird time right now. While everyone is under curfew there has been almost no crime. Before this crisis started the way things were trending the areas that were popular tourist areas such as la Mariscal and Centro Historico had become dangerous. El Batan and la Carolina we’re still relatively safe. Cumbaya and Tumbaco were, in my opinion, the safest and nicest. South Quito, as always, was terrible and dangerous. Central and North Quito are very hard to pin down because of the trouble areas moving around so much. Definitely Calderon and the far north have a bad reputation. Myself, I’d rent in la Carolina or el Batan if I wanted to live in Quito proper. I’m currently in Tumbaco which is in the suburbs just outside the city. Cumbaya and Tumbaco are warmer and lower elevation. They’re about a 25 minute bus ride to the el Batan neighborhood. If I could afford to spend a little more on rent I would rent just up the hill from here in Cumbaya. It’s quite upscale by Ecuador standards.

@@FallofftheMap This will help me alot! Thanks you :)

Yatur Sharma I feel I would be doing a disservice to try to give advice on having a business here. It’s not something I’ve figured out, and I don’t want to talk out my ass and give advice on something I’m ignorant about. My wife and I have attempted a few business, but we haven’t been successful yet.

@@FallofftheMap Appreciate the prompt response 🙏

@@FallofftheMap can you suggest any innovative business ideas.

@@FallofftheMap I appreciate your honesty ! Great video !

If you’re buying it depends a lot on you’re budget. Rent is cheap but buying in the good neighborhoods is very expensive. I like the el Batan and la Carolina neighborhoods. The valleys are nice if you like a little warmer, such as Nayon, Cumbaya, and Tumbaco. Avoid the centro historico (it’s nice to visit but not to live, and avoid all of the south and the far north. I would strongly advise renting before buying. Even good neighborhoods can have areas with bad neighbors, so really get to know the area you like well before investing.

One other tip... cars are super expensive in Ecuador, but there is an incentive for Ecuadorians abroad to return that allows them to import a car duty free. If I were you I’d look into the details and have your husband take advantage of it. Even with the shipping it’s way better than paying 3 times the US price for a used car.

Hi I wanted to immigrate to ecaudor through investment any advice would be valuable . It states I need to be in the country for the two years when another three years to get a citizenship. So I wanted to verify?

Singapore is my favorite city in the whole world. But it is way busy and one of the most expensive places to live. I wish you well.

Yeah, though driving habits are quite different. It’s a bit of a contact sport here.

This year we’re in a suburb 25 minutes from Quito. Kid’s school is $300 per month each. Rent for an unfinished 2 bd apartment in a good neighborhood is also about $300 per month. Since there’s weird folks on the internet I hesitate to publish the name of my kids’ school.

@@FallofftheMap Thank you for your reply, I have a daughter 10 year old and she is at the moment here in Toronto school, are school in Quito in English and Spanish or just Spanish.

There are both bilingual schools and schools that maybe have one English class but are mostly in Spanish. Our school advertises itself as bilingual and their English teacher is very good, but mostly the classes are in Spanish. Our previous school also billed itself as bilingual, but it was not only expensive but also terrible. Our 12 year old’s English actually got worse while attending there. There is also an international school, but that’s really expensive.

Car alarms and barking dogs. My least favorite things.

Good question. It’s typically doesn’t work well to do that. The shipping cost is extraordinarily high, then customs holds your package until you pay import duties on it, the import duties are based not on what you spent but on what they believe it’s value is in Ecuador, and quite often your package just disappears. In short, it’s possible, but it’s a terrible idea.

taban sun Nice video. I just got back to Ecuador. I spent about 5 months a year and a half ago. I lost my cargo jacket on my second day in Quito. It had 34 pockets. It was great and cost me $135.00 on Amazon’s. I needed to replace it and picked one for $25, again on Amazon. The shipping and tariffs added another $72 and got here just fine but took about 3 or 4 weeks. Just to let you know Amazon is available here but don’t expect quick service or the prices you expect in the U.S.

phil huber yes, there are a few Amazon items here and there that will ship to Ecuador, but as you discovered by your $72 in shipping and tariffs for it $25 item, it’s not worth it. Or maybe it was worth it to you, who knows? It wouldn’t be the choice I would make. Out of curiosity, why do you need 34 pockets?

Fall off the Map If you do much in photography you have many needs for parts, filters, notes, etc. Your laptop fits easily in the back pocket. Where do you safely keep your passport which you must have with you at all times. What about your paper money, credit cards, coins, pens, 3 by 5 cards, other peoples cards, keys, etc. You’ll ditch your camera bag. You’ll see a weight increase in your jacket that gets tiresome. Don’t take it off and carry it in a tote. That’s how I lost mine. I set it down while examining and purchasing a 5 gallon bottle of water which weighs about 40 lbs. I felt it would be no problem for about 3 or so short blocks and it wasn’t. When back at the hostal I remembered I left my small tote with the jacket inside and immediately went back to no avail. Such is Quito. My loved jacket with about $250.00 was gone. The tourist police took me to the main local station and the Ecuadorian police were extremely helpful but after 2-3 hours there was nothing any more we could think about doing. One thing though, the jacket did save me $100 at Copa airlines. By the way, Copa is a gigantic rip. I was 3 liters over in my second bag and two years ago that was a $100 over weight fee. I just, right in front of them, opened my suit case, took about 6 lbs. out and put it directly in my spare pockets. Saved $100 and gave them a nice screw you grimace. Copa is a rip. Last year the over weight fee went to $150. This year it went to $175. NO REASON. They are rotten to the core. Call it the Copa core. Well, anyway, I loved my first jacket. And if your a fisherman, you’ll love yours too. But I think the second, much cheaper one, will suffice for now.

phil huber that was more of an answer than I was expecting. I’ve done that same trick, putting on a jacket and filling the pockets to avoid overweight bags, but in my case it was summertime in Dubai and the airline wouldn’t even let me pay for an overweight bag. They expected me to leave some of my stuff behind. Cops is bad, but there are far worse airlines out there.

@tjohnson: it is never hot in quito. sun is strong (wear sunscreen and hat) but it is rarely over 90F. Usually between 55-75F

There is an occasional hot day here or there where it feels like it’s in the 80s when you’re in the sun. More often, Quito is a bit on the cold side when it’s overcast and the wind kicks up. A lot of people prefer the warm valleys to the east and north of Quito. In my opinion they have a near perfect climate and it’s easier to breath. It’s surprising why a difference 400 meters elevation makes.

@@stephanvillavicencio5679 Okay!! I thought so

@@FallofftheMap Okay!! It makes sense since it'a on the tippy top of a mountain lol. I personally hate tropical weather and prefer cold climates but I love the tropical vegetation and was thinking Quito would have the perfect combination

Yeah, I don’t seem to mind looking like a fool. There is a bit more editing than is immediately apparent though. More than anything, this video style stems from sheer laziness. Are you still in Bahia, Itchy Feet? I just arrived in Canoa for a little vacation.

Crime rate is slightly higher that in the US, though it’s a bit more predictable and localized in specific bad neighborhoods. In my opinion, the safe neighborhoods are safer than the US. A comfortable budget depends a lot on you. For a single person, in my opinion, $1500 per month is enough to live very comfortably. If you’re frugal you can get by on about $600, but it’s a little difficult.

@@FallofftheMap Ok so I appreciate your feedback. Do you think that with like $1500 someone can live in a relatively safe studio, have enough for good, transportation, internet, cellphone, food etc or will that be a little tight and barely making it? meaning... someone that lives a modest lifestyle and only goes out partying once in a while for maybe a couple of beers and likes to visit new places around the city etc. Does that sound doable? I appreciate your feedback bud

There’s plenty of work here in Quito if I want to work for $25 per day.

Fall off the Map have you considered starting your own business? I mean if there’s plenty of work, why not? Pay someone else $25:day. Keep the profit for yourself.

Because it's my wife's turn to work while I watch the kids. She's stared a beauty salon with her sister. So for now, I'm doing the full time stay at home dad thing.

Good question. I know you can get insurance because it’s required to travel to Galapagos, but I don’t know if you can get a normal insurance policy like the $70 100% coverage single payer system provided by the government. I’m pretty sure you need a cedula (government issued ID card for residents and citizens) to get that type of policy.

@@FallofftheMap Thanks for replying. That's helpful. I will look into it further.

Yes, you need to be a resident or citizen

@@julieortiz1406 Thanks

Oh cool, a fellow Tacoman. It seems like people from Tacoma either never escape or they get out of the country and never look back. You’ll be fine in Afghanistan, there’s the usual sexism in that sort of place and profession, but the companies have been there long enough that it’s no longer a Wild West sort of environment.

@@FallofftheMap thanks!

I'm from Tacoma too, well Spanaway, a few miles southeast.. My advise if thinking about Ecuador, Cuenca is the best option. Is very nice and safer than Quito down there.

Awesome. Quito is growing and changing very quickly. I love it here. It’s a huge city of 2 million with a small town friendliness... except when people get into their cars... then it’s all honking and trying to run pedestrians over.

@@FallofftheMap Haha! I remember the pedestrian part! You better run or else! 🤣 People in Ecuador are THE BEST! ❤ I'm actually from California but I always refer myself to everyone as ecuadorian 🇪🇨🇪🇨 I can't wait to visit again. I'm glad you like it 😁

@@jaclynjt8410 I've been to Ecuador and by far my main concern is the bad driving habits...only one place I've been is worst..Paris, France...particularly motorbikes...

@@mikejunior211 You haven't been to Texas, LA or Italy then! Tons of bad drivers there... Ecuador (Quito, especially) isn't "that bad" 😉

mikejunior211 then yo have not been to Lima,Thailand , Vietnam. Most Asian countries are dangerous on the road.

IESS is the $70 per month government insurance. Pays 100% but the wait times and quality can be low.

Looking into going back to Ecuador after not living a happy life in the USA. I spent my childhood growing up in Quito. Best time of my life, might be going back.

It’s mixed. Quito has the highest infection rates and so most restrictions in the country. There are a few travelers, but not many in the younger crowd. For the most part the nightlife scene is dead.

@@FallofftheMap thanks for the precious info

In my opinion, yes. Cost of living in Ecuador is so low that I could easily have just retired at 40 if I didn’t have a wife and kids. As it is, I could support myself here either by working in the US 4 months out of the year, or by taking some minimum wage remote call center job.

@@FallofftheMap Thanks for the reply. That seems like a great life. Even if you make 6 figures in the states after expenses and taxes it doesn'y seem so great. I like the expat lifestyle. I heard a lot of guys marry people from the filipins. I'm 35 I know in usa thats kinda late to get married. Is it easier to find woman if you think globaly?

@@TIG2MAN0 yes, it’s easier. Though, it may be more difficult to find someone who wants to be with you for the right reasons. In Ecuador women tend to be a bit conservative and family oriented as a posed to some other places where there’s more of a hook-up culture. In other words, if you want to get married and settle down, Ecuador might be a good place to consider, if you just want to have a girlfriend for the time being, Colombia might be more your speed.

Good question. The short answer is yes and yes. The more nuanced answer is it depends on where you are both in Ecuador and in Quito, and it also depends on how well you blend in. My wife is Ecuadorian, but our kids both look like gringos, so we don't blend well. There are places where we are very alert because there is a small but real risk of kidnapping. In dangerous neighborhoods it is possible someone will see our kids as a ransom opportunity. In general, all things considered, I consider my life and my kids' lives here to be more safe than what I experienced growing up in Tacoma, WA. Hope that helps clarify.

@@FallofftheMap awesome explanation. Thank you so much.

I lived and was stationed in Tacoma, WA. It isnt dangerous..lol

@@sbostic08 except in the areas where you hear gun shots almost every night. lol

Rents are very inexpensive. I pay $350 per month for a house in an upscale area with secure parking 2 bedrooms 2 bathrooms a separate bodega we use as a guest bedroom, and space for a garden. A cheap one bedroom in a less expensive neighborhood can be had for $100 to $200. However, pay for English teachers is also very low. In my opinion, without a degree the pay would be too ow to survive unless you’re living with a large family and pooling your money to cover expenses the way most Ecuadorians do. Alternatively, you might be able to make things work if you’re good at hustling private tutoring gigs and only use a part time teaching job as a means to get a visa.

@@FallofftheMap That's good to know, thank you very much for the detailed information I have two options one as a substitute in Kaoshiung Taiwan and the other in Hurbin China which is a frozen city in the Winter, I was searching jobs in Ecuador and the salary i range from 500 to 900 a month, therefore I was curious about the living cost Thanks bro, I highly appreciate it BTW you have a great blog, keep the good job, cheers from Denver Colorado

I have not yet been to Loja, but his assessment of the levels of safety in Guayaquil, Quito, and Cuenca is spot on. I love Quito, but in the future I will probably move my family Cuenca or one of the villages nearby.

@@FallofftheMap I will be considering moving to Cuenca when I retire from the Army in 4 years...I've been there and I found it lovely, relatively safe while having abundant modern day commodities. Loja might be safer but is smaller and has less options regarding entertainment, malls, restaurants et cetera. Thanks for answering my comment.

I speak enough to get by. Before I arrived I knew just enough to ask where the bathrooms is and not much else.

No, not at all. I have a permanent residency visa in Ecuador, but I’m not an Ecuadorian citizen. I could apply for Ecuadorian citizenship, but I’m not sure that there’s really enough of an advantage for me to bother with it.

@@FallofftheMap Due to tax reasons, it's probably better that you remain having one citizenship. People with dual citizenship often run into confusing and conflicting tax laws from both of their respective countries.

My advice depends a little on where you are at in your life. For most people, visiting several times and different parts of the country is the first step. Then, return and rent a place but leave your savings outside Ecuador (because there is currently a 5% tax on money over $1000 leaving the country). Only after you’ve spent enough time here to be sure it’s right for you do you want to bring a significant portion of your savings into the country. Ecuador has been my home base for 7 years now, and I have several investments in real estate here, but I still keep most of my money in a US bank. Of course, this advice may be off the mark if you’re coming to Ecuador from a country in financial crisis with a collapsing currency, or coming as a refugee.

@@FallofftheMap i hear you..im from South Africa. My savings are not that much anyway. Its basically just to get a pensioners visa,be able to rent a place for a few months,feed myself,and look for an english teaching job. Thats my plan basically.

@@FallofftheMap basically just want to get my foot in the door. Ecuador is the country i chose for this bold move for it being the best in terms of low cost and English teaching opportunity..in only 24 years old anyway. No kids,no responsibility. This should count in my favour,coz i basically have $10000USD for myself as a starter pack in Ecuador

Don’t expect to make enough to live on teaching English unless you have a BA or above, and even then the pay is lower than most of the world. The problem is that people volunteer to teach English here. Typically expats here are either retired, digital nomads, or travel outside Ecuador for work.

@@FallofftheMap so which country do you think I should consider in making this move? I have a 3yr University Diploma.

One way to gain attention to your channel is to interact such as you're doing. I don't take offense to your snarky comment about quality and filming with an iPhone. I prioritize my own travel experiences by using something as convenient as my phone camera. Anyone watching is just along for the ride. It's not an attempt to be a professional filmmaker but it is an attempt to present it as I experience it.

Love his sarcasm... Oh wait

It all depends on your adaptability and openness to other cultures.

Medellín is hard to beat. Quito probably only beats Medellín for healthcare cost/access, safety, and for those that prefer a little quieter calmer lifestyle. Medellín is definitely more modern, has a better climate, better infrastructure, and is more fun. Quito is probably a little bit more safe than Medellín. Crime is a problem in both cities, but violent crimes and specifically murders are much less common in Ecuador than Colombia. If I were single I’d choose Medellín over Quito in a Heartbeat. As it is, I currently choose to live in a small town just outside of Quito because it’s a safe friendly place to raise my kids and the cost of living and lifestyles fit my needs.

@@FallofftheMap thanks for your well articulated response. I should plan to visit Medellin.

No...?

Of course, and dental work is extremely cheap. However, you get what you pay for. I had some decent dental work done, but I’ve also had some terrible work done including a filling that should have been a root canal that was done without novocaine. In general, Thailand or Mexico are better destinations for low cost dental tourism if you need to have major work done.

Fall off the Map thank you so much for information!!

You have to BRING your own dentist ok?

I would love to. Hopefully when travel to Europe becomes possible again. I’ve had Portugal on my radar but it keeps losing the coin toss when it comes time to visit the next place.

if you're by yourself you can have a very confortable, maybe even luxurious life here. With a family it's still not a bad income but no luxuries.

In my opinion, yes, you could live quite well, especially if you opted for a small or medium sized city where the cost of living is even lower than Quito. My expenses living with my wife and kids in a large apartment in one of Quito’s better neighborhoods, run about $2000 per month. That’s including eating out most lunches, sending the kids to mid range private schools, and the occasional night out. To me, it’s a pretty high standard of living, but I have a big advantage in that my wife is from here and helps me avoid paying gringo prices.

here in colombia is easily! we live with lesser but if u want to live with more luxuries i think u need a roomie :P

soxaw Yes, Colombia is pretty awesome too. I love Medellin, and plan on exploring more of the coffee triangle soon.

@@ecuadorexpat8558 Sneakers, cell phones, computers and other home electronics are silly unimportant? I already feel sorry for you!

@@ecuadorexpat8558 WOW! Ecuador is a country with a good life style so if they see you at night with a chinese cell phone you will get robbed and killed!)) Lol my ass!! Also Ecuador is very safe. Except robbers will invade your home to still your old computer and tv. Bull shet country!! By the way, my Grandpa was fighting in the World War II but it does not mean that I should live like he did at that time!

Buying in Quito has become a bit expensive, at least in the neighborhoods where expats want to live. Renting is still pretty reasonable, especially if you rent an unfinished place. I pay $350 (plus $70 condo fee) for a 3bd/3bath apartment on the top floor of a secure building in a nice neighborhood (el Batan). In about a month I’m moving to Tumbaco (warmer valley 20 minutes east of Quito. There I will pay $350 to rent a nice house 2 blocks from the Central Park in a super walkable neighborhood.

Ha ha, she wishes you were him.

@@SwampDweller67 Yep thats bad news boyo.

I’ve been there a few times. I like it, but it’s maybe not the best fit for me. Right now I’m in Tumbaco, just outside of Quito. So far it’s pretty great.

+Jimmy Rodriguez.. there are more than 50000 expats already living in Cuenca.. .. too many for my taste ! Gringo living is not what one should expect when going to Ecuador !

Pia Salvato that’s right, do you like it in Quito. Have you been to Guayaquil?

Giron is a great town. I loved the climate there.

@@FallofftheMap The whole of EC is a gem but the Azuay is just out of this world beautiful and feels to me like home in the Bavarian Alps in germany w all the cows etc.. but in a tropical setting.. LOL

The air quality improved significantly the moment the diesel busses stopped running.

Very Very Important--- at least start to tackle before going

Expat = expatriado. Sí, un tipo particular de inmigrante.

Me gusta cuenca He estado allí dos veces. Mi español es más o menos pero funciona.

Personally I’m support Bolivar for President. A few days ago I spoke with him at length about the need to kickstart the tourism economy by creating a “digital nomad” visa similar to what Barbados and Georgia did. I just hope that Bolivar’s alliance with Correa doesn’t bring too much leftist baggage. While far right tax haven policies might sound like the solution to many of us expats it isn’t electable in Ecuador where a significant portion of the population is politically far left. Within the framework of a population that will only vote in the range of leftist to center left the best option is to support candidates that are smart and effective, so that they can at least govern with some degree of competence, unlike this Moreno fiasco.

So they say.. it's a lie!

Interesting to hear that. Ecuador has been changing over the last couple years due to a huge influx in refugees from Venezuela and a struggling economy. Not sure how long ago you were here, but many of the things you mentioned about Thailand are also true in Ecuador, though perhaps to a lesser degree. In the 7 years since I’ve moved to Ecuador it’s definitely gotten more expensive and the pollution in Quito and Cuenca is pretty bad. That said, I do think the quality of life in Ecuador is generally better than in Thailand. I spent a few months in Thailand back in 2013 before I moved to Ecuador. I liked it, but not quite enough to call it home.

jesse.falloffthemap @ (the email address run by google) .com or you can message me at the fall off the map facebook group

@@FallofftheMap Thanks the question is not actaully private . I want to know is it possible to teach english in Ecuador as a native speaker ?

Lerato Taljaard it is possible, but the pay is very low unless you also have a masters degree in teaching. Typically, people with just a TEFL certification get less than $500 per month. I’ve heard of a few expats in Ecuador teaching English online to students in China because it pays better.

I have a lot of thoughts on the difference between an expat and an immigrant. Immigrants tend to identify with where they have immigrated to and express a sense of permanece about their new home. Expats tend to identify with where they came from and in general have less loyalty and sense of permanece. Immigrants tend to become citizens of their now home. Expats are much less likely to try to get citizenship and much more likely to move on to a new location. That’s my take. Yes, there is overlap, but there are also significant differences.

philippines doesn't take dollars I don't think.

Not army. I’m an electrician. I work overseas contracts sometimes for the army, sometimes for the US Arctic Program or other agencies. I guess we disagree on the pollution. Perhaps my threshold and tolerance for pollution is much lower than yours. I found it to be a major quality of life issue in Quito and one of the reasons I recently moved to the valley where it a little bit less choked with traffic and cleaner.

@@FallofftheMap good for you to have moved to the valley. Keep informing about Quito, we really appreciate you share your experiences in this beautiful city, which btw, December 6 is the celebration of the foundation of Quito, many activities to do. I will be in Quito those days, but first I will make a stop in Lima.

Thanks. Sadly I’ll be on the other side of the world on Dec 6. Heading off to work, but when I return I’ll definitely keep making videos about both Quito, and all the beautiful places in Ecuador that so few people know about.

The fog in Lima is mist from the ocean

@@etchalaco9971 lol...yeah right....

Can you explain what you mean? Who am I excluding? America was the shining city on top of the hill many years ago. Nothing lasts forever.

Bogota is nice. I’m actually checking out Manizales at the moment. Might be my next home.

@@FallofftheMap I lived in Plaza de Toros for one year and Banos for 3. Colombia, hands down, if you like people who actually smile in public.

Yeah, I’m definitely leaning towards Colombia.

Interesting. When I visited Cuenca I found it less polluted than Quito, but it may have been a fluke windy weekend.

@@FallofftheMap been there twice, and both times i had problems with my respiration. Only in the old center though, where there are a lot of cars. In Quito the roads are much bigger and the pavewalks wider, more space for the fume to go. Then again, i cuenca you can walk outside when it is dark, I Quito i hardly ever do that, Mostly because our house is far away from the center.

@@Anomander1 I think the plan is to replace smog-producing buses from "centro historico" with the electric light rail system to solve the pollution problem.

@@mikejunior211 would be nice, in Loja they are way ahead. I understand they want to do that there too.

Most of the times it is not the pollution,is the altitude and thin air......

It depends a lot on location. There are specific areas of Ecuador that are extremely violent. There are other areas that are far more safe than in the US. I based my analysis on both personal experiences and official statistics. If anything, the statistics for violent crime in Ecuador are underreported due to a lack of faith in the police and legal system.

I appreciate your feedback. Yes, sometimes a talk to much and don’t get to the point fast enough. I’m working on it, and with a bit of practice hopefully I can develop my ability to narrate a story in a more concise way.