Moving to Cuenca: a practical guide

Cuenca is the capital of Azuay province. If you are thinking of moving there, from another Ecuadorian city or from abroad, this guide gathers the practical side: where to live, what services there are, which procedures await you and how to make the move without rushing into a purchase. For the paperwork of buying in the canton, see our guide to buying in Cuenca.

Where to live

INEC's geographic classification divides the canton into urban parishes — El Sagrario, San Sebastián, El Batán, Yanuncay, Totoracocha, Monay and Machángara, among others — and rural parishes such as Baños, Ricaurte, Sayausí, Turi, Sinincay or Valle. Each has its own pace, and the rural ones usually mean longer journeys into the centre: get to know them before deciding.

• Walk the neighbourhood at different times and on a weekday: traffic, noise, transport and shops change a lot.
• Time the real journey to your work, school or health centre before signing.
• In the Historic Centre, the Municipality runs a Management Plan for the Cultural Heritage and the Historic Centre: if you plan to renovate a heritage property, ask the Municipality what is allowed before you buy.
• Compare prices with data: the Cuenca market page shows the price per m² and median rents when there are enough listings.

Climate

Cuenca is in the Sierra, in the southern Andes. Before you move, check the forecasts and alerts of the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (INAMHI) and, if you can, visit at different times of the year: the mountain climate affects which kind of home suits you (orientation, damp, heating).

Healthcare and services

The Hospital Vicente Corral Moscoso, run by the Ministry of Public Health, is a reference hospital for the provinces of Azuay, Cañar and Morona Santiago, and even nationally, according to the Ministry itself. Besides the public network the city has private clinics and practices; if you are coming from abroad, check what your health insurance covers in Ecuador.

Many municipal procedures are done online at enlinea.cuenca.gob.ec: paying taxes, fees and contributions, and certificates such as the appraisal certificate or the rent certificate. For utilities (water, electricity, internet), ask the landlord or seller to show you the latest paid bills before signing.

If you are coming from abroad

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility publishes the visa types and their requirements in the Official Procedures Guide (gob.ec). For example, the retiree temporary residence visa requires, among other things, proof of a pension from abroad and health insurance with cover in Ecuador; the application is made online on the Ministry's e-VISAS platform. Requirements and fees change: read the official procedure page before applying and talk to a lawyer if your case is not standard. Our guide to buying as a foreigner explains what changes in a purchase.

Rent first

Renting for a few months before buying lets you get to know the neighbourhoods, the climate and the journeys without tying up your capital. Bear in mind that under the Tenancy Law the tenant is entitled to a minimum duration of two years, with some exceptions (art. 28), and that if the rent exceeds one unified basic wage the lease must be written and registered before a notary by the landlord (art. 29). In Cuenca, a property's rent certificate can be obtained online from the Dirección General de Avalúos y Catastros.

When you decide to buy

1. 1

   Choose the area with data

   Compare the price per m² of the canton and the parish on the market page, and the active listings for sale.

2. 2

   Check the property

   Ask the Cuenca canton Property Registry for the certificate of encumbrances and the Municipality for the appraisal certificate; make sure the plot is up to date.

3. 3

   Finance it and work out the taxes

   Compare BIESS with private banks and work out the alcabala and property tax with the Municipality of Cuenca's figures.

Search in Cuenca

• Properties for rent in Cuenca
• Properties for sale in Cuenca
• Cuenca property market: price per m² and listings
• Buying a property in Cuenca: the paperwork
• Rental contracts: what to sign