Ecuador, and specifically Cuenca, has been on my wishlist for a decade. Neither of us have ever been to South America, and we don’t speak much Spanish. So what’s the draw?
Latin America
I love the food, the culture, and the people. I always have. And we want to learn more Spanish.
Cool Weather
Plenty of people dislike heat and humidity, but I have an especially strong aversion to it. Like, I can’t overstate this.
Sweet Spot of Modern Development
We want our kids to get a little perspective, but not too much; drink bottled water, but shower in clean running water. Have really slow and spotty internet, but still have internet. Keep an eye out for pickpockets and stray dogs, but not drug cartels and man-eating animals. Ecuador uses the $USD, has a relatively stable government (as of late), universities, good roads, and good healthcare.
Low Cost
Relative to its level of modern development, Ecuador has a really low cost of living. One of the AirBnB places we spent a week in was $14/night. At the market once I spotted 30 lemons for $1. Fresh croissants are $0.15. The 2 hour bus ride from Otavalo to Quito was $2.50, and a 30 minute Uber ride across Quito was less than $6.