Buying an apartment in Ecuador in 2026

A flat worth $48,200 or more gives residence for 2 years on its own, and deals are settled in US dollars. A foreigner buys a home on the same terms as an Ecuadorian citizen.

In detail

Ecuador is one of the few countries where a flat worth $48,200 or more gives residence for 2 years on its own. Deals here are settled in US dollars, so the local currency will never let you down: there isn't one. A foreigner buys a home on the same terms as a citizen. The full market review is on the page investment property in Ecuador; here is the short answer.

How much a flat in Ecuador costs in 2026

In September 2026 listed flats nationwide averaged about $1,300 per square metre.

• The most expensive are new builds in Cumbayá near Quito, about $2,100 per square metre.
• Samborondón in Guayaquil: about $1,300.
• Cuenca, popular with retirees, is cheaper: about $760 per square metre across all listings.
• A 60 m² flat at the average price costs about $74,000.

These are asking prices: sellers usually give way in the deal.

What a foreigner can buy

• Flats, houses and plots, directly and without permits.
• In border security zones, only with state permission.
• Banks lend to foreigners with an Ecuadorian identity card and a large down payment, so most buyers pay with their own money.

Taxes and costs of buying a flat in Ecuador

• Municipal property transfer tax: 1% of the value, paid by the buyer. On a $74,000 flat that is about $740.
• Notary, property register and provincial council registration: by tariff, usually also paid by the buyer.
• Tax on the gain from the sale: 10%, paid by the seller.

Bringing money in for the purchase is not taxed. But when you take money abroad after a sale, the bank withholds a 5% tax. It is worth building this into the numbers in advance. More on the page taxes in Ecuador.

How to buy a flat in Ecuador: step by step

1. Check the canton property register: owner, mortgages, seizures.
2. Municipal certificates: no property tax debts, cadastral value.
3. Preliminary contract and deposit, usually 10%.
4. Purchase deed at a notary and payment of taxes.
5. Registration in the property register. The whole deal takes 1-2 months.

Does a flat give residence in Ecuador

Yes. Temporary investor residence is granted to the owner of property worth at least 100 basic wages, $48,200 in 2026.

• The purchase deed must be registered in the property register.
• The application is filed through the foreign ministry portal.
• Fees: $50 for the application and $270 for the visa, $320 in total.
• Residence is issued for 2 years; after 21 months you can apply for permanent residence.

Russian citizens need no visa to travel for viewings: they can stay in Ecuador for up to 90 days without one. More about life in the country on the page retiring in Ecuador.

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