Shipping Your Belongings to Ecuador — Costs, Customs, and What's Actually Worth It

One of the biggest decisions when moving to Ecuador is what to bring with you. Ship everything? Sell it all and start fresh? The answer depends on your budget, your attachment to your stuff, and whether you have done the math. Most expats who have been through it say the same thing: they shipped too much.

Here is a complete breakdown of how international shipping to Ecuador works, what it costs, and what is genuinely worth putting in a container.

The Duty-Free Exemption for New Residents

This is the single most important thing to know: Ecuador grants new residents a one-time duty-free exemption for importing household goods. This exemption covers used personal and household items — furniture, appliances, clothing, books, kitchenware — as long as they are for personal use and not for resale.

Requirements to qualify:

• You must have an Ecuadorian visa (any residency visa — investor, professional, retirement, dependent)
• You must have your cedula (Ecuadorian ID card)
• The shipment must arrive within 6 months of your visa approval date
• Items must be used, not new — new items get assessed import duties
• You need a detailed inventory list (inventario) in Spanish
• The inventory must be notarized or consularized

If you miss the 6-month window, you lose the exemption and pay standard import duties, which can run 25-45% of the declared value. This deadline is firm. Plan accordingly.

Important timing note: Many people arrive on a tourist visa and apply for residency after arriving. Your 6-month clock does not start until your visa is approved and cedula is issued. So you can arrive, rent an apartment, get your visa sorted, and then ship your things. You do not need to arrive with the container.

Shipping Methods and Costs

Full Container Load (FCL) — 20-foot container

Cost from US to Ecuador: $3,000-5,000 (ocean freight only, does not include customs clearance)

A 20-foot container holds roughly 1,100 cubic feet — enough for a small apartment's worth of furniture, or the contents of a 1-2 bedroom house if you pack efficiently. A 40-foot container runs $5,000-8,000 and holds about 2,200 cubic feet.

Pickup is typically from your door (or a warehouse near you). Transit time from US East Coast ports to Guayaquil is approximately 2-3 weeks. From West Coast ports, 2-4 weeks. Add 1-2 weeks for customs clearance on the Ecuador end.

Best for: People shipping an entire household — furniture, appliances, everything. The per-item cost is lowest with a full container.

Less-than-Container Load (LCL) / Shared Container

Cost from US to Ecuador: $1,500-3,000 depending on volume

Your goods share container space with other shipments. You pay per cubic foot or cubic meter. This makes sense if you are shipping 10-30 boxes plus a few pieces of furniture but do not need an entire container.

Transit time is longer — 4-8 weeks — because the consolidator waits until the container is full before shipping, then your goods are separated at the destination port.

Best for: Medium-sized shipments. Shipping 20-40 boxes of books, kitchen items, personal belongings, plus a few sentimental furniture pieces.

Air Freight

Cost from US to Ecuador: $4-8 per pound (yes, per pound)

Fast (1-2 weeks including customs), but extremely expensive. A 500-pound shipment would cost $2,000-4,000. Only makes sense for small, high-value, time-sensitive items.

Best for: Electronics, important documents, irreplaceable items you need immediately.

USPS / FedEx / DHL Boxes

Cost: $80-200 per box depending on weight and service

You can ship individual boxes via international mail or courier. USPS Priority Mail International flat-rate large box to Ecuador costs about $100-120. FedEx and DHL are faster but pricier.

Limits: Boxes over $400 declared value trigger customs inspection and potential duties even without the formal import process. Keep declared values per box under $400 to minimize hassle.

Best for: Shipping a few boxes of personal items, clothes, books, and small electronics ahead of your move.

Companies That Specialize in Ecuador Moves

Several international moving companies have experience with Ecuador specifically:

• KIWI Moving — Ecuador-focused, handles door-to-door including customs clearance. Popular with expats. Based in the US with an Ecuador office.
• International Van Lines (IVL) — Large company, competitive pricing, handles Ecuador moves regularly.
• JetMovers — Smaller company, good reviews from Ecuador-bound expats.
• Schumacher Cargo Logistics — Long track record, offers shared container options.
• EcuaAssist — Ecuador-based relocation service that can coordinate the receiving end and customs clearance.

Get at least three quotes. Prices vary wildly. Make sure every quote specifies:

• Door-to-door or port-to-port
• Whether customs clearance (despacho de aduana) is included
• Whether delivery from Guayaquil port to your city (Cuenca, Quito, etc.) is included
• Insurance coverage and cost
• Whether fumigation is included (Ecuador requires wood packing materials to be treated)

The Customs Clearance Process

Your shipment arrives at the port of Guayaquil (Puerto Maritimo de Guayaquil). Even if you live in Cuenca or Quito, everything comes through Guayaquil.

What happens at customs:

1. Your shipping company notifies you that the container has arrived.
2. You need a customs broker (agente de aduana). Some shipping companies include this. If not, you hire one independently. A customs broker handles the paperwork with SENAE (Servicio Nacional de Aduana del Ecuador), Ecuador's customs authority.
3. Document submission to SENAE: Your broker submits your visa, cedula, inventory list, bill of lading, and the duty-free exemption application.
4. Physical inspection: Customs may physically inspect your shipment. They open boxes, compare contents to your inventory list, and look for items that do not qualify (new items, commercial quantities, prohibited goods).
5. Release: Once cleared, your goods are released from the port. Your shipping company or a local transport company delivers to your address.

Customs broker costs

A customs broker typically charges $300-800 for the complete clearance process. This includes their fee plus government taxes and port handling charges. Get the total cost upfront — some brokers quote a low fee and then add charges later.

What can go wrong at customs

• Inventory discrepancies: If your inventory list says 20 boxes and there are 22, expect delays and questions. Be meticulous with your inventory.
• New items flagged as used: Customs inspectors are not stupid. A sealed-in-box Kitchen-Aid mixer is obviously new and will be assessed duties. Remove packaging from anything you want to claim as used.
• Prohibited items: Firearms, certain medications without prescriptions, large quantities of alcohol, and some food products are restricted or prohibited. Do not ship them.
• Delays: The entire clearance process can take 1-3 weeks. Budget for it. Your stuff will sit at the port during this time, and port storage fees accumulate after a grace period (usually 15 days free).

Total timeline: door to door

• Ocean freight: 3-5 weeks (depending on origin port and routing)
• Customs clearance: 1-3 weeks
• Delivery from Guayaquil to Cuenca: 1-2 days by truck
• Total: 5-10 weeks is realistic. Plan for 8.

What TO Ship

Ship things you cannot easily replace or that cost significantly more in Ecuador:

• Quality electronics — Your laptop, monitors, external drives, camera gear. Electronics in Ecuador are 30-50% more expensive than in the US due to import taxes.
• Kitchen tools you love — A good chef's knife, stand mixer, food processor, Instant Pot. Available in Ecuador but expensive and limited selection.
• Bedding and linens — Quality sheets, towels, and pillows. Ecuadorian options exist but tend to be lower quality for the price.
• Books — English-language books are hard to find and expensive in Ecuador. Ship your library.
• Sentimental items — Family photos, art, heirlooms. These are irreplaceable.
• Tools — If you are handy, bring your tools. Good tools are expensive here.
• Specialty clothing — Quality shoes, hiking boots, technical outdoor gear. Selection in Ecuador is limited and pricey.
• Medications — A 6-month supply of any prescription medications (with prescriptions). Some US medications are not available in Ecuador.
• Pet supplies — Specialty pet food, medications, a favorite bed.

What NOT to Ship

Do not pay to ship things that are cheap or better to buy in Ecuador:

• Cheap furniture — IKEA-level furniture is not worth the shipping cost. You can buy basic furniture in Cuenca at Colineal, Muebles El Bosque, or local carpenters for the same price or less. Custom-made furniture from a local carpenter is surprisingly affordable ($200-600 for a bookshelf, dining table, or bed frame).
• Heavy appliances — Refrigerators, washing machines, stoves. Ecuador uses 110V (same as the US), so your appliances would technically work, but shipping a refrigerator costs more than buying a new one at Comandato or Marcimex. Exception: a high-end appliance you love that is not available in Ecuador.
• Winter clothing — You will not need heavy coats, snow boots, or thermal gear. Cuenca's weather is 55-75F year-round. Bring a light jacket and a rain shell.
• Large quantities of cleaning supplies or toiletries — Available everywhere in Ecuador. Supermaxi stocks most international brands.
• Cheap kitchen items — Pots, pans, dishes, glasses. Buy locally for a few dollars each.
• Cars — Importing a vehicle to Ecuador involves 40-80% duties plus homologation requirements. Almost never worth it. Buy a car locally.

The Alternative: Ship a Few Boxes and Buy the Rest

Many experienced expats recommend this approach, and the math supports it:

Shipping 10-15 boxes via USPS (each ~30 lbs):

• Cost: $1,000-1,800 total
• Contents: electronics, books, sentimental items, kitchen tools, good clothes, medications
• Timeline: 2-6 weeks

Buying furniture and appliances in Ecuador:

• Basic furnished apartment eliminates most of this
• If unfurnished: $1,500-3,000 at Comandato, Marcimex, or local furniture shops gets you beds, a sofa, dining set, refrigerator, stove, and washing machine

Total: $2,500-4,800 — and you avoid the container shipping, customs broker, and weeks of waiting.

Compare that to a 20-foot container ($3,000-5,000 shipping + $300-800 customs broker + insurance + delivery = $4,000-7,000 total), and the box-by-box approach often comes out cheaper and faster — unless you have high-value furniture, a large art collection, or truly cannot replace what you own.

Horror Stories and How to Avoid Them

Mold damage

Ocean containers are not climate-controlled. Your belongings will spend weeks in a hot, humid metal box transiting through tropical waters. Leather goods, wooden furniture, photographs, and clothing are vulnerable to mold.

Prevention: Use silica gel desiccant packets generously. Wrap leather items in breathable cloth, not plastic (plastic traps moisture). Use vacuum-seal bags for clothing and textiles.

Breakage

Standard international moving — your items are handled by multiple crews across two countries and a ship.

Prevention: Pack fragile items yourself or watch the packers do it. Use double-walled boxes for glassware. Wrap every piece of furniture in moving blankets. Take photos of everything before packing — you need them for insurance claims.

Customs delays and surprise charges

Some expats report their shipments being held for weeks while customs demanded additional paperwork or reclassified items.

Prevention: Use a reputable customs broker. Have every document ready before the container arrives. Bring copies in Spanish. Respond immediately to any customs requests — delays at the port cost money.

Theft

It is uncommon but not unheard of — items disappearing between packing and delivery.

Prevention: Create a photographic inventory. Number every box and keep a master list. Purchase full-value insurance (replacement cost, not depreciated value). Some people put Apple AirTags or GPS trackers inside boxes.

Final Checklist Before Shipping

• Visa and cedula obtained (or timeline to get them within 6 months of shipment arrival)
• Detailed inventory list in Spanish, notarized
• Three quotes from international moving companies
• Insurance purchased (full replacement value)
• Customs broker identified and contracted
• Items packed with mold prevention (silica gel, breathable wrapping)
• Photos of all items and boxes taken
• Documents organized: bill of lading, inventory, visa copy, cedula copy, passport copy
• Prohibited items removed from shipment
• New items removed from original packaging (to qualify as "used")

Bottom Line

The decision to ship your belongings to Ecuador comes down to this: is the replacement cost of your items higher than the cost of shipping them? For most people, the answer is no for 80% of what they own and yes for 20%.

Ship the 20% — your electronics, sentimental items, quality tools, and specialty goods. Sell or donate the rest. Use the savings to furnish your new apartment in Ecuador, support a local carpenter, and start fresh without waiting two months for a container.

The expats who are happiest with their move are the ones who treated it as a fresh start, not a relocation of their entire American household.