Articles

The XVII Bienal de Cuenca, themed 'El Juego' (The Game), has transformed colonial plazas, museums, and heritage homes into immersive art spaces. Most of it is free, and it's happening right now.

Medicine shortages, payment failures, and overwhelmed hospitals plague Ecuador's public system. But for expats in Cuenca, private healthcare remains remarkably affordable — if you know how to navigate your options.

Cuenca remains one of the most affordable cities for expats in the Americas, but costs are rising faster than they used to. Here's an honest, line-by-line breakdown of what it actually costs to live here in 2026 — and how to stretch your dollars further.

Ecuador's social security system just changed how it calculates voluntary affiliate contributions, and the new numbers are giving expats sticker shock. Here's what you're actually looking at now, whether IESS is still worth it, and how it stacks up against private insurance.

Cuenca's real estate market is defying Ecuador's broader economic headwinds. Property values are up 8-12% annually, rents are surging in expat-popular neighborhoods, and the investor visa threshold just went up. Here's a practical breakdown of what's happening and how to navigate it.

After the devastating rolling blackouts of 2024, every expat in Ecuador has the same question: will it happen again? New plants are online, Turkish floating generators are humming, and the rain is helping — but one massive vulnerability remains. Here's the full picture.

Cuenca's 2026 rainy season is anything but ordinary. After years of drought, the skies have opened up with a vengeance — flooding streets, dusting the Cajas with snow, and refilling the reservoirs that kept the lights off in 2024. Here's what expats need to know to stay safe and dry.

Ecuador received a record $7.9 billion in remittances last year — more than bananas, shrimp, or cacao exports. Now a combination of ICE enforcement, deportation fears, and a new US tax on cash remittances is cutting those flows. In Cuenca, families report receiving half what they used to.

If Cuenca felt unusually packed this weekend, you weren't imagining it. Hotels hit 90% occupancy, 1.3 million Ecuadorians hit the road, and the government estimates the four-day feriado will generate up to $100 million in tourism spending. Here's what the Carnival boom actually looked like.