Moving to Ecuador from Italy

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Italy to Ecuador — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Italy to Ecuador, you would find that Ecuador is 51.4% cheaper than Italy overall. A €67,000 salary in Italy would need to be roughly $36,500 in Ecuador to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

Is Ecuador cheaper than Italy?

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 66.7% less

Groceries

pay 48.4% less

Transportation

pay 52.2% less

Housing

pay 56.7% less

Childcare

pay 46.6% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 32.9% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (October 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

What salary do you need in Ecuador?

What does your salary buy?

€67,000 → $36,500

To maintain the same standard of living in Ecuador

Calculate with your salary →

Get free moving quotes to Ecuador

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Italy to Ecuador, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
4,020 ↑ 5% vs 2015

people born in Italy live in Ecuador · UN DESA

Who's moving to Ecuador?

Top countries of origin for Ecuador's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Italy and Ecuador stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

IT
0.6
EC
45.7
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

IT
5.0
EC
23.4

Italy performs better than Ecuador across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2024

annual government + private spending per person

IT
$4,993
EC
$1,238
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

IT
41.9
EC
23.1

Italy generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ecuador leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

IT
15.0
EC
23.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

IT
5.1t
EC
2.6t

Italy generally does better on environment, though Ecuador leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

IT
31.8
EC
17.2
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

IT
29.8%
EC
6.8%

Italy generally does better on infrastructure, though Ecuador leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

IT
6.4%
EC
3.3%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

IT
$43,309
EC
$7,125

Italy generally does better on employment & economy, though Ecuador leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

IT
84.0 yrs
EC
77.6 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

IT
2.3
EC
10.9

Italy performs better than Ecuador across all family life metrics.

Sources: World Bank (2019–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Italian Revenue Agency (2016), Servicio de Rentas Internas del Ecuador (2016). How we calculate this

Weather in Ecuador vs Italy

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Rome Rain: 31.7 in/yr (804 mm)
69° / 50°F

Avg. annual high / low

Quito Rain: 43.2 in/yr (1098 mm)
71° / 50°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Rome Quito
Jan–Mar 56°/39°F (13°/4°C) 70°/50°F (21°/10°C)
Apr–Jun 72°/53°F (22°/11°C) 70°/50°F (21°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/63°F (29°/17°C) 72°/49°F (22°/9°C)
Oct–Dec 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) 70°/49°F (21°/10°C)
View all months
Month Rome Quito
Jan 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.1°C) 70°/50°F (21.2°/9.8°C)
Feb 55°/38°F (13.0°/3.5°C) 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.1°C)
Mar 59°/41°F (15.2°/5.2°C) 69°/50°F (20.8°/10.1°C)
Apr 64°/46°F (17.7°/7.5°C) 70°/50°F (20.9°/10.2°C)
May 73°/53°F (22.8°/11.6°C) 70°/50°F (21.0°/10.1°C)
Jun 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.3°C) 70°/50°F (21.1°/9.8°C)
Jul 87°/64°F (30.3°/18.0°C) 71°/49°F (21.5°/9.4°C)
Aug 87°/65°F (30.6°/18.3°C) 72°/49°F (22.2°/9.6°C)
Sep 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.2°C) 72°/49°F (22.3°/9.4°C)
Oct 71°/52°F (21.4°/11.3°C) 71°/49°F (21.8°/9.5°C)
Nov 61°/44°F (15.9°/6.9°C) 70°/49°F (21.3°/9.6°C)
Dec 55°/40°F (12.6°/4.2°C) 70°/49°F (21.3°/9.7°C)

Data: Italian Air Force- Department of Meteorology Italian Air Force- Department of Meteorology, Instituto Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología - INAMHI Instituto Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología - INAMHI

Can you move from Italy to Ecuador?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Italy and Ecuador. To live, work, or study long-term in Ecuador, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Ecuador's immigration authority.

Italy passport

Italy passport holder visiting Ecuador

Visa Free
Italy passport holders can enter Ecuador without a visa.
Ecuador passport

Ecuador passport holder visiting Italy

Visa Required
Ecuador passport holders need a visa to enter Italy.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Ecuador than Italy?

Generally yes: Ecuador runs about 51% cheaper than Italy on average, though it depends heavily on the city.

How much money do I need to move to Ecuador?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a €67,000 comparable salary, that's around $9,125 in Ecuador for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Ecuador?

With 17.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Ecuador can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Italy and Ecuador.

Is Ecuador safe for expats?

Italy performs better than Ecuador across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Ecuador is 45.7 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.6 in Italy.

How is healthcare in Ecuador compared to Italy?

Italy generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Ecuador leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 23.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Ecuador, compared to 41.9 in Italy. Ecuador scores 77 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Italy: 84).

What's the weather like in Ecuador compared to Italy?

The average high temperature in Quito is 71°F, compared to 69°F in Rome. Quito receives around 43.2 in of rainfall per year, while Rome gets 31.7 in.

What language do they speak in Ecuador?

The official language in Ecuador is Spanish. In Italy, the official languages are Catalan and Italian.

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At a Glance

IT EC
Population 58,915,656 18,289,896
Currency Euro (€) United States Dollar ($)
Languages Catalan, Italian Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +39 +593
Time zones 1 2
Emergency number 112 911