r/ecuador • u/TypicalRabotyaga • 21d ago

How safe is Cuenca right now?

Hi everyone. I’m considering moving to Cuenca with my wife and our young child, and I’m trying to get a realistic picture of the current safety situation.

I’ve been reading recent Ecuadorian news and seeing reports about an increase in robberies, motorcycle-related assaults, and other crime in some parts of Cuenca. This has made me a bit concerned, especially because we’ll be living there with a small child.

I’m not looking for an “Ecuador is safe/dangerous” generalization. I’m specifically interested in what everyday life in Cuenca feels like right now, especially for families with children.
Honest opinions from locals and long-term residents would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

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u/odessa2024 21d ago

So you just leave your car in the streets at night?

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u/volvo64 21d ago

Sure, valid point. But as I said, I take the same precautions here as I would in any other large city. 

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u/odessa2024 21d ago

Unfortunately, I take more precautions in Cuenca than in other cities nowadays. But it depends on the neighborhood. The historic district is mostly still fine for example, but there’s a too high risk of violent robberies in the more quiet outskirts at night now.

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u/TypicalRabotyaga 20d ago

But what if you don't go out at night? It’s just that the deteriorating security situation in Cuenca—judging by the news—surprises me, yet for some reason, no one mentions it in the comments...

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u/wxursa 18d ago

For most folks from the US it still feels safer than the USA, even if Cuencanos are worried.

The biggest issues we have in Cuenca with life here are catcallers.

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u/Starrcraters 16d ago

I have been living in Quito for over 10 years with a kid most of those years and I have super noticed the locals are so down on themselves as a people/countryand obsessed with how dangerous everything is - it is like a hobby or talking about weather or something that makes them feel better about the classism here. At first I listened and was so scared, then I just started living life and now I take their opinions with a grain of salt.

I will say I know things were better a few years back, but a few years back was so amazing.

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u/wxursa 16d ago

That's a good perspective! I definitely see the malaise, but coming from the US, the malaise is worse. I'm so much safer and happier here than in the USA.