Comparing Argentina to Ecuador

[El Perro]

To all memebers, can you please let me know if it is very complicted to live in BA for an American. I have been there numerous times on business and loved the lifestyle but am interested in knowing what is it like to be living there from a first hand perspective.

I have beeen living in Quito Ecuador for 4 years but because of the current economical and political situation here I have decided to move to another country, BA is my 1st choice.

Any suggestions as to possibility of getting a decent job there?

How much should I consider enough to be able to live decently, luxury not necessary?

I have read the postings regarding getting visas and need to know, can I decide to proceed with the processing of the visa if I spend the 1st 3 months getting to know the lay of the land before deciding.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you allGT-if you don't mind, I'll let others respond to your questions about living in BA, though I have a question for you. I know that Ecuador might be moving a bit towards the model being established by Morales and Chavez. How does that effect you negatively on a daily basis? Or, at least enough to get out of the country? By the way, Kirchner, and one would assume his wife, while not exactly in the mold of Chavez or Morales, are left leaning populists as well.

[Globetrotter69]

I opened a equip company here several years ago, since the beginning I have been treated differently becuase I am a foreigner. The public sector has no money available despite promises of "Emergency Funds" being available. Just BS.

Banks have stopped lending money because Correa forced them to drop their lending rates from an insane 28% (some even higher) to 14 % maximum. You can't get 1 penny from any of them. All the credit card companies impose severere penalties if you don't pay on time despite the fact that most monthly invoices arrive 3-8 days after you need to pay the bill thanks to the wonderful Post office which sucks.

I need to carry a licensed firearm everytime I leave home thanks to 3 assaults in 1 year.

Other than that, you can live here cheaply for about $750/ mth and have a very nice apartment (even less if you want a studio or 1 bedroom and watch your pennies)

I really did not expect it to be like this since first coming here but like everything else you need to roll with the punches.

The influence of Chavez and Morales and even Azerbinajad has been dramatic with the newly approved Congress and Constitution to be almost a carbon copy of Venzuela. All though I doubt Ecuador will ever be like Venezuela because of it's Democratic history, it is non-the-less prime pickings for leftist influence because the rich here keep the poor down by not raising the minimum wage above $175 PER MONTH. Correa followed Chavez's plan to the letter by preaching to the poor which make up roughly 70% of the population to win the election by a landslide. But remember. Ecuador has had 8 Presidents in 10 years (Correa could be #9! For a reason so who knows anything can happen and probably will.)

Hope this was informative

[El Perro]

Thanks Globetrotter. Right, that is the kind of info I was looking for. If you don't hear from others on the board regarding your questions, do some digging in the "Living in Argentina" category. Based on your concerns in Ecuador, you would find BA much safer, more expensive in general (though still relatively cheap) and as regards business, most of what I hear is negative regarding making a go of it here. Others will weigh in.