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Ecuador remains 50-70% cheaper than the United States in 2026, but inflation and the Colombia trade war are nudging some prices higher. Here are the latest monthly budgets, healthcare costs, and price benchmarks for expats in Cuenca, Quito, and the coast.
The United States and Ecuador formally signed their Agreement on Reciprocal Trade on March 13, 2026, cutting tariffs on 53% of non-oil exports worth $2.8 billion. Key sectors including bananas, shrimp, cocoa, coffee, and flowers get preferential access, while Ecuador eliminates its price band system on U.S. agricultural imports.
President Noboa's executive decree MDT.2026-059 allows employers to schedule 10-hour workdays within the existing 40-hour weekly cap. Unions were not consulted, and mass protests erupted on March 13 in Quito and Guayaquil. Noboa's approval rating has dropped to 38%.
Relations between Ecuador and Colombia have deteriorated sharply in March 2026. Ecuador raised tariffs to 50% on Colombian goods on March 1, Colombia retaliated with tariffs on 280 products, and President Petro has accused Ecuador of bombing Colombian territory. $2.8 billion in annual bilateral trade hangs in the balance.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has established its first permanent office in Ecuador, housed at the U.S. Embassy in Quito. The office will support joint investigations with Ecuador's National Police targeting drug trafficking, money laundering, and terrorism financing.
U.S. Special Operations forces launched joint military operations in Ecuador on March 3, 2026, alongside 75,000 Ecuadorian troops. A curfew from 11 PM to 5 AM is in effect through March 31 in Guayas, El Oro, Los Rios, and Santo Domingo provinces — not in the highlands or Cuenca. Over 253 people have been arrested for curfew violations.
Angel Esteban Aguilar, known as "Lobo Menor," was captured at Mexico City's airport with a fake Colombian passport. He's the alleged mastermind behind the 2023 assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio — and the leader of one of Ecuador's most dangerous criminal organizations.
American troops launched joint operations with Ecuadorian forces on March 3, targeting cartel infrastructure across multiple provinces. Today, France24 reports that US-backed airstrikes are leaving border communities in fear. Here's the full picture.
Ecuador's tax agency eliminated the 2.75% withholding rate and introduced new rates including a 5% tariff and 2% withholding on credit cards, insurance, and leasing. Plus: individual income tax declarations are due this month.
Latin America's largest mobile carrier will spend $600 million over three years to modernize its Ecuador network, expand coverage, and roll out 5G. Service is already live in Guayaquil, Quito, Puerto Ayora, and Coca.
Holy Week starts next weekend. Good Friday (April 3) is the only mandatory national holiday — Thursday is NOT a holiday this year. Expect massive domestic travel to the coast, packed buses, and Quito's world-famous processions.
A new Human Rights Watch report reveals that Ecuador continues extracting 1.24 million barrels per month from Block 43 in Yasuní National Park — two and a half years after voters said stop, and one year after a court ordered it. The Tagaeri and Taromenane indigenous peoples remain unprotected.
