Cuenca has everything you need for comfortable, all-year living at a low cost
Cuenca, one of the nicest cities in Ecuador, enjoys beautiful weather, great culture, and incredible lifestyle…but don’t forget to factor in the cost of living in Cuenca as well.
Cuenca topped the 2009 International Living Retirement Index, and Ecuador is the top country on International Living’s 2010 Retirement index, so Cuenca packs a double dose of retiree-friendly features. A city of almost half a million people—the third largest in Ecuador—Cuenca has everything you need for comfortable, all-year living.
The expat community in Cuenca is thriving and content. And Cuenca is one of most beautiful and best-preserved colonial cities you’ll find…and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The cobblestoned streets and architecture are much as they’ve been for hundreds of years.
But it’s the cost of living in Cuenca that makes this lovely city one of the best bets for retirement on the planet.
You can rent a beautiful condo here for $300 a month or buy a large apartment for $43,000. A couple can live well here on less than $1,500 a month.
Cuenca Cost of Living – Sample Monthly Budget:
Housing (rental of a luxury two-bedroom apartment): $500
Utilities (including, phone, Internet, and cable television): $150
Maid (twice a week): $60
Groceries: $275
Maintenance and fuel for one car: $140
Clothing: $70
Entertainment (two people dining out eight times a month at top restaurants or other entertainment): $200
Health care (four $30 visits to a doctor per year for two people, divided by 12 months): $20
Total per month: $1,415; Total per year: $16,980.
This is just a sample budget, and your result may vary depending on what kind residence you want, how much you like to travel, what you like to do for entertainment, etc.
But with a wealth of colonial history, modern infrastructure, and great weather and scenery, Cuenca has so much going for it that the cost of living in Cuenca might just be icing on the cake!
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