An Expat Talks about Moving to Bahia and San Vicente, Ecuador

What is the name of the city or town that you are reporting on?

Bahia and San Vicente

Name three things that you wish you had brought and three you wish you had left at home.

Wish list would include:

Food processor/juice maker

More Tennis/Walking shoes

Good CD player

Things not needed:

Too many shoes and purses

Too many clothes

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What advice would you give someone preparing to move to your area about the actual move, choosing a neighborhood and finding a home?

Choose an area of interest since Ecuador is so bio-diverse. Come for a visit, then if that works out, come for an extended stay to look around further. If you find something you love whenever you are here..go for it, if not then just rent until you do. This does not have to be a one size fits all option.

What type of housing do you live in? Is this typical for most expats in your area?

Condo and most expats seem to live in Condos in this area, although there are a few in homes but mostly those were built by them for their own living.

How did you choose your neighborhood and find your home or apartment?

Drove around to explore area in Bahia and San Vicente, knowing that we wanted the coastal region and something close enough to our property further north above Jama. Found a low rise (one of only a couple) since we knew we did not wish to be in a high rise for temporary quarters. Saw signs and made the calls to places that seemed interesting.

Are your housing costs higher or lower than they were in your home country? What is the average cost of housing there?

Depending on the quality and area we find costs to be lower to about the same for housing cost to purchase...however the cost of real estate taxes, and maintenance is much lower here.