Living inCuencaFree guide
Free guide · 2026 edition

Thinking about moving to Cuenca, Ecuador? Start here.

The costs, the visas, the healthcare, and a step-by-step plan for your first ninety days, gathered into one printable guide. No brochure hype, just what you need to know before you go.

  • A pre-move checklist and a first-90-days plan
  • 2026 costs, sample budgets and visa income figures
  • Five printable pages, yours instantly

Free and instant. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

The blue domes of Cuenca's New Cathedral against the Andes
The Cuenca Newcomer's Guide cover
Cuenca by the numbers
$900/moAbout what a frugal single retiree spends
$300–500Rent for a modest apartment
$3–5Almuerzo, the set lunch
$0.35City bus fare, about

Typical 2026 figures from the guide. Your costs depend on how you live, so verify before you plan.

What's inside

Five pages. Everything in the right order.

The practical core of moving to Cuenca, pulled into a guide you can print and check off.

  1. 01

    A pre-move checklist

    What to handle at home before you leave, in the order that matters, starting with the document that takes longest.

  2. 02

    Your first ninety days

    A week-by-week plan for once you land, so the visa, the cédula and the bank account happen in the right sequence.

  3. 03

    Real cost-of-living figures

    2026 prices and sample monthly budgets for singles and couples, from frugal to comfortable.

  4. 04

    The visa options at a glance

    The 2026 residency categories and income requirements in one clear table.

  5. 05

    An essential Spanish card

    The courtesy, transaction and getting-by phrases you'll use from your first day.

  6. 06

    Sources worth trusting

    Where to find current, reliable information once you're on the ground.

Get the free guide
Why people fall for it

A colonial city high in the Andes

Cobblestone streets, morning markets and a river running through town. The guide helps you get from daydream to day one.

A cobblestone street lined with colonial balconies
Colonial streets
Oranges, peppers and limes piled at a produce market
Market mornings
The Tomebamba River below colonial houses
The Tomebamba River
A flower market in front of a cathedral
The flower market
Honest, not a sales pitch

The appeal, and the hard parts

Most of what's written about Cuenca is a brochure. This guide is the version I wish I'd had: practical, and straight about the downsides as well as the appeal.

The appeal

  • A low cost of living. The guide's comfortable budget for a couple is about $2,450 a month.
  • A near-perfect climate. Mild, spring-like weather most of the year.
  • Affordable healthcare. Public insurance through IESS runs about $85 to $100 a month.
  • A helpful expat community. Recommendations for doctors, rentals and services circulate daily.

The hard parts

  • The altitude. Your body needs time to adjust, so the plan starts with a soft landing.
  • The bureaucracy. An FBI background check and its apostille set the pace for your whole visa timeline.
  • The language. Start Spanish lessons right away. It makes everything else easier.
  • The culture-shock dip. It tends to arrive in the first few months. Knowing it's coming helps.

If you're weighing a move, the guide will save you time, money, and a few expensive mistakes. Get it free.

Living in Cuenca, Ecuador book cover
The full book

Living in Cuenca, Ecuador: The Expat's Complete Guide

by Nick Carrington

The free guide gives you the essentials. The book goes all the way in: thirteen chapters covering every stage of a real move to Cuenca, from visa categories and healthcare enrollment to finding a neighborhood, managing money across borders, and building a daily life.

Written for people who want the honest picture, not a travel brochure. Available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback.

Read on Amazon
Questions

Before you sign up

Is the guide really free?

Yes. Enter your email and the download page opens right away. You'll also join my email list, and you can unsubscribe anytime.

What's in it, exactly?

Five printable pages: a pre-move checklist, a first-ninety-days plan, 2026 costs and sample budgets, the visa options with their income requirements, an essential Spanish card, and the sources worth trusting once you're on the ground.

Are the figures current?

They're typical 2026 figures. Visa thresholds are set by law and change every year, and everyday costs depend on how you live, so the guide points you to where to check before you act.

Is this legal or immigration advice?

No. It's general information. For visas, property and anything binding, use official sources or a qualified local professional.

How is the guide different from the book?

The guide is the quick reference you can print. The book has thirteen chapters and goes deep on visas, taxes, healthcare, neighborhoods, safety and daily life.

The Cuenca Newcomer's Guide cover

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