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Happy Wednesday,

For this edition of the Roammies Chats, we spoke with Brandon and Lauren, an American couple who recently traded life in the U.S. for the slower rhythms of Cuenca, Ecuador.

Both professional librarians, the two spent years moving around the United States for work — living in several states and even spending time overseas when Brandon worked as a librarian for the U.S. Air Force in Korea. Eventually, after another move that didn’t quite feel right, they began wondering if their next chapter might be somewhere entirely different.

Now living in Cuenca. Ecuador with their young daughter Eleanor, they’ve built a walkable daily life surrounded by rivers, mountain air, and a surprisingly affordable cost of living.

Max — whose family comes from Ambato — took the time to talk to Brandon about life in Cuenca — their decision to move, what everyday life looks like with a toddler in the Andes, and what families should know if they’re considering Cuenca.

You lived in several different places abroad and in the U.S. before making the move. What ultimately led you to choose Cuenca as your family’s new base?

We had lived in several different states, including Oklahoma for about four and a half years and then Missouri for a year. The situation in Missouri just wasn’t a good one for us, so we started looking for something different.

There’s also a bit of distance from American politics here, which was something my wife especially appreciated.

We’re the type of family that moves when we find an interesting place to live or when an opportunity comes up somewhere new.

We had also been curious about living abroad, and Cuenca stood out because of the cost of living, the Andes mountains, and the rivers running through the city.

We’ve only been here about six months, but we’re really happy with the move. We’re able to afford a really nice lifestyle here, and the availability of affordable help around the house makes life with a young child a lot easier.

Before choosing Cuenca, did you consider other places in Latin America?

We were actually interested in Boquete, Panama for a while. The challenge there is that a lot of the residency options require a significant investment — around $200,000 in some cases.

One thing that made Ecuador attractive was how straightforward the residency process is. We were able to get a professional visa, and it was actually very affordable compared to some other countries we looked at.

In the end we didn’t do a scouting trip anywhere. We just decided to go for it with Cuenca, and honestly I’m really glad it worked out the way it did.

Did you always plan to live in the city of Cuenca itself?

Not necessarily. At one point we were actually looking at a town called Tarqui, just outside of Cuenca. We met another family online who lived there and were considering a house in the area. But the house ended up falling through. In the end, living in the city has worked out really well for us.

We walk around quite a bit here. At one point I was averaging around three miles a day just walking around town. We don’t have a car and don’t really see ourselves getting one anytime soon.

What does your work setup look like now, and how did you make the financial side work?

We’re actually part of the FIRE movement. Our investments basically fund our lifestyle here.

We were both technically retired for a while, but Lauren missed working and recently went back to a remote part-time position as a librarian. I’m also looking for a remote part-time librarian role.

We also own a rental house in the U.S., and I’d be interested in buying a few more eventually.

Because the cost of living in Cuenca is so low, our investments are paying for our life here in Cuenca.

What does day-to-day life look like for your family in Cuenca?

We live in a two-bedroom furnished house for about $450 a month. It’s on what they call “the island,” which is the land between the rivers. It’s really quiet and doesn’t have much traffic.

We purposely set up our life so we wouldn’t need a car. Our daughter’s daycare actually overlooks our house, which is incredibly convenient, and her school is about a ten-minute walk away.

I do a lot of walking here. The rivers are really nice places to walk, and the city has a ciclovía where they close roads to cars so people can walk and bike.

There are also a lot of great coffee shops and bakeries near us around El Vergel, and we usually just walk 10–15 minutes to get there.

How did you find childcare and community as a family?

Our daughter has actually attended two preschools since we arrived, and both were within walking distance of our house. That’s basically how we found them — just exploring the neighborhood.

In terms of community, there is a big expat population here. A lot of them are older retirees living comfortably on Social Security.

But we’ve met a few younger parents through our daughter’s preschool, and there’s also a pretty active “gringo” community online. I’m in a Facebook group that organizes things like Halloween events in local parks.

Affordability is one of the big reasons families look at Cuenca. What does your monthly budget actually look like?

Our monthly spending is probably around $2,500 to $3,000, not counting larger one-time purchases like furniture, like a nice computer chair.

And we live really well on that.

Here are a few examples:

Housing:
Our two-bedroom furnished house costs about $450 per month. We furnished most of it ourselves for about $4,000 total.

Groceries:
We spend around $8 to $12 for a big amount of fresh fruits and vegetables — strawberries, oranges, cherries, apples. Everything is really fresh.

Dining Out:
A “menu of the day” lunch is about $3.50. A nice dinner might be $20–$30, and a good steakhouse meal for two without alcohol was about $40. You can also grab a large beer for just a few bucks.

Transportation:
Cabs start at $1.50, and going across the entire city might cost $4.The bus system costs about $0.30.

Household Help:
We have someone come clean once a week for about three or four hours, which costs around $30 per visit.

Insurance:
We have catastrophic health coverage through Confiamed for about $100 per month for the whole family.

Was the language barrier a concern when you moved?

Lauren and I both studied Spanish in high school and college, so we came here with an intermediate level. Lauren understands more, but we can both communicate pretty well.

Our Spanish has definitely improved since living here, but I would recommend knowing some Spanish before moving.

There are also some bureaucratic challenges. Banking here was actually really difficult because it’s heavily regulated and requires a lot of documentation. And sometimes things like talking with the water company or dealing with school administration can be a little challenging in Spanish.

What does travel look like now that you’re based in Ecuador?

Cuenca doesn’t have a huge international airport, so we usually travel through Guayaquil.

We either take a flight or drive there with a driver and then leave the country from that airport.

I’m actually answering these questions from a hotel in Guayaquil right now — we’re on our way back from a trip to the Galápagos.

Do you have a favorite place in Cuenca?

I really like Parque Calderón, which is the central plaza next to the New Cathedral.

There are some really beautiful restaurants nearby, and even though it’s a prime location, the prices are still very reasonable.

Is there anything you miss from the U.S.?

Certain foods. The other day I really wanted a Bloomin’ Onion. I even posted about it in an expat group. The consensus was that if I wanted one, I’d probably have to make it myself.

(We’re right there with ya, Brandon).

Looking ahead, what are your plans?

Right now our plan is to stay here long-term, especially once our daughter starts attending the German school.

If everything goes according to plan, we could easily stay here until she finishes school.

But we’ve also never stayed anywhere longer than four or five years, so who knows. Something interesting might come up that changes our plans.

That said, I would absolutely recommend Cuenca to families with young kids.

The people here are incredibly kind, it’s very affordable, and it allows you to live a lifestyle that might be out of reach in the United States.

Want to learn more about Brandon and Lauren?

Check out Brandon’s blog, millionairelibrarian.com. His most recent post has a more detailed breakdown about the COL in Cuenca, Ecuador.

And, Lauren’s blog, www.wanderinglibrarian.com, does a deep dive into their life in Ecuador, her work, and being a mom to a little one abroad.

And, if you have questions about moving to Ecuador, let us know and we’ll put you in touch with Brandon. Or, you can ask in the Roammies Facebook Community.

Roammies is a tight-knit community for traveling families with little ones.

Want your story featured on Roammies? Send us an email at [email protected]. We look forward to chatting with you.