Articles

GDP growing at 2%, inflation at just 1.5%, a new US trade deal boosting exports, and the basic salary up to $482/month. Here's what Ecuador's 2026 economy actually looks like — and why it matters if you live here.

Hospital Vicente Corral Moscoso's budget has been slashed from $49 million to potentially under $31 million. Emergency rooms have less than 50% of essential medications. Doctors are sounding alarms. Here's the situation and what it means for expats.

Everyone tells you to buy. The prices are so cheap! But cheap doesn't mean smart. Here's why renting might be the better financial move for most expats — and when buying actually makes sense.

Opening a bank account in Ecuador isn't hard — but the requirements vary wildly between banks. Here's what Banco Pichincha, Banco del Austro, JEP, and other institutions actually ask for, and which ones are easiest for expats.

The CREA cooperative collapse rattled confidence in Ecuador's savings institutions. But regulators say most large cooperatives entered 2026 with healthy balance sheets. Here's how to verify your cooperative is solid and protect your deposits.

Seven months after the CREA cooperative shut down, 281 members — including retirees and migrant workers — still can't recover their deposits. The government says 99% of people got paid. The remaining 1% says that's not good enough when $31 million is still missing.

No more connecting through Quito or Guayaquil. LATAM Airlines launches direct flights from Cuenca's Mariscal Lamar Airport to the Galápagos Islands starting March 31, flying Tuesdays and Saturdays. The airport just invested $200K in preparations.

Over 700,000 people in Ecuador need to file income tax returns by March. If you earned more than $12,081 last year — including rental income or freelance work — you're probably one of them. Here are the dates, thresholds, and what you need to know.

Ecuador's public health system has a bizarre problem: too many general practitioners and not enough surgeons, anesthesiologists, and specialists. Cuenca's José Carrasco Arteaga Hospital is short on oncologists while 13,000+ patients wait for operations nationwide.