Quito, Ecuador Report of what it's like to live there - 07/09/23
Personal Experiences from Quito, Ecuador
Background:
1. Was this post your first expatriate experience? If not, what other cities have you lived in as an expat?
Third overseas post.
2. What is your home city/country? How long is the trip to post from there, with what connections? How easy/difficult is it to travel to this city/country?
Usually fly from Quito to either Atlanta or Miami and connect there.
3. How long have you lived here?
Two years
4. What years did you live here?
2021-2023
5. What brought you to this city (e.g. diplomatic mission, business, NGO, military, teaching, retirement, etc.)?
Diplomatic Mission
Housing, Groceries & Food:
1. What is your housing like? What are typical housing sizes, locations, and commute times for expatriates?
Housing varies. Most single people live in apartments in the downtown area close to the cool restaurants and night life. Most families are in houses and apartments across three neighborhoods. Two of them are close to each other and one is further out in a different area. The family apartments are large and have fewer problems because they are newer. Many of the houses are getting older and have problems with mold. GSO is quick at resolving issues. The neighborhoods have parks, tennis courts, and a variety of activities like Zumba classes and neighborhood events. The neighborhood across town has fewer families and can feel a little isolated, but the houses on that side are much nicer.
Commute to embassy is about 10-15 minutes. Commute to school depends on where the kids are attending. Ranges from 5 to 25 minutes.
2. How would you describe the availability and cost of groceries and household supplies relative to your home country?
Groceries are a little more expensive than in the US. Produce is cheap if purchased at the small stands. There are several large American style grocery stores and also markets where you can get mostly everything you need. All the cleaning supplies are heavily perfumed. Any kind of clothing or electronic was very expensive and low quality.
3. What household or grocery items do you wish you had shipped to post?
I shipped unscented cleaning products and soaps.
4. What typical restaurants, food delivery services, and/or takeout options are popular among expatriates?
There are lots of options of good restaurants. Quito has some good local food. It isn't excellent at preparing foods from other countries.
5. Are there any unusual problems with insects or other infestations in housing?
Very few. We found a few frogs in our house though. The kids loved them.
Daily Life:
1. How do you send and receive your letters and package mail? Are local postal facilities adequate?
DPO and Pouch are both available. The only problem was during the December holidays there was a big backup.
2. What is the availability and cost of household help, and what types of help are typically employed by expatriates?
Many people have helpers and nannies.
3. What kinds of gyms or other sports/workout facilities are available? Are they expensive?
The embassy has a small gym. There are also some other gyms close by, including a couple that do Cross-Fit. They had similar prices to what you would pay for in the US.
4. Are credit cards widely accepted and safe to use locally? Are ATMs common and do you recommend using them? Are they safe to use?
Credit cards are used at bigger establishments like grocery stores and some restaurants but by and large this is a cash post. We usually just got cash from the bank in the Embassy.
5. What English-language religious services are available locally?
I don't know of any but there are Spanish speaking services for all denominations.
6. How much of the local language do you need for daily living? Are local language classes/tutors available and affordable?
It definitely helps to speak some Spanish but you can get around okay without it.
7. Would someone with physical disabilities have difficulties living in this city?
I think they would be okay. It seemed like Ecuadorians are very sensitive to helping people with disabilities. In the less developed areas it would be hard, but in Quito itself they have tried to provide accommodations.
Transportation:
1. Are local buses, trams, trains or taxis safe and affordable?
We were advised to avoid buses but it was easy to navigate the city using taxis or Ubers.
2. What kind of vehicle(s) including electric ones do you recommend bringing to post, given the terrain, infrastructure, availability of parts, burglary/carjacking risks, etc.? What kind of car or vehicles do you advise not to bring?
If you plan on traveling around the country (and you should!) I would advise having some kind of high clearance SUV. The city is built into the mountains and there are a lot of steep climbs and dirt roads. Within the city parking spaces are small and roads are pretty tight but people still drive large vehicles. My advice would be for sure to ship a car in. Car theft didn't seem to be a problem.
Phone & Internet:
1. Is high-speed home Internet access available? How long does it typically take to install it after arrival?
Internet is available. It can get a little spotty sometimes but overall is good. They have a program here where the social sponsor tries to have the internet ready to go before you get here.
2. Do you have any recommendations regarding mobile phones? Did you keep your home-country plan or use a local provider?
We used Google-Fi and it worked great.
Pets:
1. Are qualified veterinarians and/or good kennel services available? Do animals need to be quarantined upon entry to the country? Are there other considerations regarding pets that are particular to this country?
There are a lot of veterinarians and good kennel services. Quito is a particularly pet friendly place. You can have all your pet care done by people who come to your home.
Employment & Volunteer Opportunities:
1. What types of jobs do most expatriate spouses/partners have? Locally based or telecommuting? Full-time or part-time? Can you comment on local salary scales?
Lots of spouses work at the embassy. There aren't many great jobs but there are some.
2. What volunteer opportunities are available locally?
There are plenty foundations that are always happy for volunteers.
3. What is the typical dress code at work and in public places? Is formal dress ever required?
Work is regular work attire. Few formal events. Overall the dress in the city is quite casual.
Health & Safety:
1. Are there personal security concerns to be aware of at this post? Please describe.
There are volcanoes around that we were warned could spew ash but we didn't have any big issues. Lately there has been a lot of robberies in and around the neighborhoods. It could be compared to many big cities. People need to be on the lookout for pickpocketing and suspicious situations.
Overall Quito is a very safe place. You can travel and explore without any problems.
2. Are there any particular health concerns? What is the quality of available medical care? What medical conditions typically require medical evacuation?
The biggest concern is that the city is extremely high altitude. Most people were able to adjust but some people can get really sick. The medical care is very good at the private hospitals.
3. What is the air quality like at post (good/moderate/bad)? Are there seasonal air quality issues? Does the air quality have an impact on health?
Good air quality with gorgeous, clear skies. The biggest issue is the altitude.
4. What do people who suffer from environmental or food allergies need to know?
Most people who had seasonal allergies in other places did not suffer from them in Ecuador. Food allergies would be handled in the same way as in the US.
5. Are there any particular mental health issues that tend to crop up at post, such as Seasonal Affective Disorder (winter blues)?
There are long periods of gray days that seemed to sort of get people down. Then when the sun popped out again we all felt better. One big thing is that people get cold. None of the housing has heating but the temperatures can get low. That led to some grumpy feelings.
6. What is the overall climate: is it extremely hot or cold, wet or dry, at any time of year, for example?
It is jacket weather all year round. When the sun shines it can get pretty hot but you learn quickly that no matter where you go you should take a jacket because the weather can change on a dime. There are two rainy seasons where it rains basically every afternoon. Nights can get really cold. I'd pack some portable heaters.
Schools & Children:
1. What is the availability of international schools? What has been your general experience with them, if any?
There are several options for schools:
Most of the kids go to Academia Cotopaxi which is just outside the two neighborhoods where many families live.
It is a good school but definitely not very academic. Emphasis is on social inclusion. All my kids loved going there but they are all behind academically. The school has good teachers but poor leadership which caused a lot of grief for many of the parents.
Some kids go to SEK which is right next to the embassy. It has a truly bilingual curriculum. The families there seemed to be happy with it.
Some kids go to the British school. I've only heard good things.
Some kids go to the French School which seems to be a really great school but has a short school day. They finish class around 12:30 but then have the option of many after-school activities.
2. What accommodations do schools make for special-needs kids?
I can only speak for Academia Cotopaxi on this one. They were excellent with special-needs. That is one place where it really shines.
3. Are preschools available? Day care? Are these expensive? What has been your experience with them, if any? Do the schools provide before- and/or after-school care?
There are preschools around. I don't know any daycare options but most people who had that need hired a nanny. The schools provide after-school activities.
4. Are local sports classes and/or activities available for kids?
Yes, there are a lot of sports and activities both at the school and in the neighborhoods.
Expat Life:
1. What is the relative size of the expatriate community? How would you describe overall morale among expatriates?
Medium size expat community. The morale kind of ebbs and flows. When the weather is nice the morale is great.
2. What are some typical ways to socialize, either with local people or with other expatriates? Are there groups or clubs that you can recommend?
The embassy has a bunch of clubs that you can join and they have been pretty active. People have been able to connect with the local community through churches and charitable organizations. Some have joined social clubs which are expensive but people seem to love.
3. Is this a good city for single people? For couples? For families? Why or why not?
I think it is a good city for all of these groups. Especially if you like doing outdoor things. The city itself is small. It doesn't have the type of world class restaurants or entertainment that you might find in bigger cities.
4. Is it easy to make friends with locals here? Are there any prejudices or any ethnic groups who might feel uncomfortable here?
The people in Quito are Andean and often pretty quiet. At first they seemed standoffish but after a while I realized that it is just a reserved society. They are kind and open and welcoming, just not chatty.
5. Are there problems with ethnic, race/racial minorities or religious prejudices? Gender equality?
There were some people who said bad things about the Venezuelan refugees that have flooded the city in the past few years.
I didn't observe any religious prejudice or gender inequality.
6. What have been the highlights of your time in this country? Best trips or experiences?
I cannot emphasize enough how amazing the outdoor adventures are in Quito. It is a nature lovers paradise. Within a few hours you can travel from the mountains, to coast, to jungle. We went to the Galapagos Islands, to the Amazon Jungle, and to beautiful beaches and the cloud forest. We saw amazing birds, iguanas, monkeys, tortoises, hundreds of waterfalls, and gorgeous views everywhere you look. Great hiking, mountain biking, river rafting, and exploring. We also saw ruins of ancient civilizations and hot springs.
If you love the outdoors this place will blow your mind.
7. What are some interesting/fun things to do in the area? Can you recommend any “hidden gems"?
Quito was the first UNESCO Human Heritage Site. Old Town Quito is a treasure. It is super fun to visit the equator. And within a few hours you can visit Quilatoa which is a crater lake, Mindo - cloud forest, Banos or Papallacta which have beautiful hot springs. You can even drive to the beach.
8. Is this a "shopping post"? Are there interesting handicrafts, artwork, antiques, or other items that people typically buy there?
Yes. There are a lot of neat handicrafts.
9. What are the particular advantages of living in this city?
Outdoor activities.
Words of Wisdom:
1. What do you wish you had known about this particular city/country before moving there?
I had no idea how ecologically and ethnically diverse it is. With so many different ecosystems and climates Ecuador has all kinds of biodiversity. You can drive an hour or so and feel like you are in a completely different world. Because of the broad range of climates there are also small groups of ethnically diverse people with unique cultures, foods and lifestyles. We learned so much about different animals. We also learned a lot about different kinds of people. I just had no idea how fascinating it would be.
2. Knowing what you know now, would you still move to this city?
Absolutely. I am smitten with Ecuador. I'd go back tomorrow.
3. If you move here, you can leave behind your:
Preconceived ideas about South America. It's not cheap. It's not casual.
4. But don't forget your:
Bring your jackets, sunscreen, bug spray and sense of adventure.
5. Do you recommend any books or movies about this city/country for those who are interested in learning more?
Anything about the Galapagos Islands
6. Do you have any other comments?
If you aren't into the outdoors this might not be the post for you.
