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Quito retirement information

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postertex
  4/23/2019 12:01 EST

I have gotten good information on this forum re various cities in Ecuador but for some reason the feedback concerning Quito has been lacking. Is Quito not much of a retirement destination? If known I would be curious to learn the names of residential areas popular with expats, medical facilities and/or English-speaking doctors, and contact info for a real estate agent who caters to expats. Thanks in advance!

Kimac
  4/23/2019 12:56 EST

Quito is far less of a RETIREMENT destination than the many other alternatives Ecuador has to offer.

The are plenty of older retirees here, but I'd characterize them more are career expats. These people are dominated by Brits, followed at a distance (at least in my experience) by Dutch and the rest of the world. I overhear career multinational Americans in restaurants or in certain neighborhoods (Guapulo, Gotzales Suarez, La Floresta, La Carolina), but they really are a different breed of cat. Everyone I've met here speaks reasonably good Spanish and often as not have native spouses.

Over time these people seem to settle down outside the city, living as far away as Mindo, or in the outskirts of Quito, such as Cumbaya or its sister pueblos out by the airport.

All that said, Cotacachi, near Otavalo, north of Quito, is probably the sort of community you have in mind. Most of the folks there seem to have a bit of money, buying land and building outside of town, traveling back to the US not infrequently. There are walk-up offices for doctors and dentists, and the local economy has adapting tastefully to their presence. Still, it's hardly Cuenca.

For the higher-end services Quito is nearby. Metropolitan Hospital is the dominant option, but there are any number of more specialized clinics there.

In sum, Quito is where Ecuadoreans with money (and expectations gained abroad), along with expats still on the make find themselves. I've known any number of expats here who later got transferred or found greener pastures in Guayaquil.

It sounds like you, along with most people here, are not at that point in your life, but there it is.

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GringoinQuito
  4/24/2019 08:40 EST

KMAC is right about many things in Quito. I have lived here, on Gonzalez Suarez for 8 years. I find Quito to be an exciting, beautiful city. Cultural events abound, teriffic restaurants, history, great medical care (the Metropolitan Hospital) is thought to be the best in SA and is the only hospital in SA rated by the AHA). There is no"gringolandia" as the expats are spread around. It is true that most expats have a pretty good knowledgeof Spanish. I think this is because of the lack of a "gringolandia" and that the expats are spread out causing you to learn Spanish to make Ecuadorian friends.

postertex
  4/24/2019 11:53 EST

An excellent analysis and I appreciate you taking the time to provide such a thoughtful local's perspective. Quito, which I have stayed in several times, is a bit hard for a casual visitor to get a handle on. The tip on Metropolitan Hospital is key. I agree with you that Cotacachi and Cuenca may be more appealing options for most retirees but as I am proposing a service for people interested in retiring in South America (not just Ecuador) I want to cover all the bases. Since Quito would be the point of entry in Ecuador it would seem to make sense to explore the possibilities there. I still would be curious to know the name of a real estate agent and/or physician who might be amenable to such interests.

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