Daily Life
Business & Taxes (Negocios y Impuestos)
Hours of Operation for Ecuadorian Business
The majority of businesses are open from 9:00AM until 8:00PM, but this can vary depending on the size of the store and the city. Restaurants, bars and clubs are generally open until around midnight or 3:00AM. Once again, this varies per city and locale.
Banks and Credit Cards
Banks open Monday-Friday from 9:00AM until 4:00PM, and on weekends from 10:00AM to 1:00PM. All cards can be used in Ecuador (ie: Diners Club, Master Card, Visa, American Express) however, locals tend to pay with cash more often than with credit or debit cards. In many cases there is a surcharge for credit card transactions.
You can report lost or stolen credit cards by using the following numbers within Ecuador:
Diner's Club (Quito) 02 2981 300 / 02 2981 400
Master Card (Quito) 02 2260 280 (Guayaquil) 04 2522 533
American Express (Guayaquil) 04 2560 488 / 04 2960494 / 04 2561 100
Visa (Quito) 02 2981 300 / 03 2981 400
***We highly recommend writing the telephone number from the back of your debit and credit cards and storing it in a safe place in case you misplace your card or have it stolen.
Tax Rates
Merchandise tax rates in Ecuador are 12%. There is a tax rate of and 10% on service items, such as restaurants. Taxes are figured into listed prices unless otherwise noted.
Airport Taxes
All Ecuadorian airports have a required departure tax you must pay at the airport prior to going through customs. This fee can only be paid in cash. The departure tax rates as of February 2008 are:
Quito (international departures) - $40.80
Quito (domestic departures) - $2.00
Guayaquil (international departures) - $26.00
Guayaquil (domestic departures) - $2.00
Grocery Price List (Precios de las Combustibles)
Milk in Plastic Bag 1Ltr $0.55
Milk Carton 1Ltr $0.80 - $1.00
Local Cheese 500g $2.80
Eggs each $0.09 - $0.10
Bread Roll each $0.12 - $0.15
Sugar 1lb. $0.75
Salt 1lb. $0.80
Oatmeal 1lb. $0.70
Rice 1lb. $0.35 - $0.38
Onion each $0.25
Potato each $0.25 - 0.30
Tomato each $0.30 - $0.35
Oil 1Ltr. $1.00 - $1.50
Beef 1lb. $1.35
Pork 1lb. $1.00
Chicken 1lb. $1.00
Chicken Legs 6 pcs. $3.80
Sausage (chicken) each $1.80
Chicken Breast each $1.90
Pork chop each $2.80
Canned beans 1 can $1.36
Leg Ham 1lb. $3.25
Marmalade jar $1.20 - $1.80
Pineapple each $1.00
Papaya each $0.50 - $1.50
Mango each $0.18 - 0.25
Granadilla each $0.25
Banana each $0.10 - $0.18
Prices for ‘Eating Out’ (Precios de Comida de la Calle)
Street Breakfast Coffee, toast, juice $1.00
Street Lunch Soup, rice, meat, salad, juice $1.50 - $1.80
Street Dinner Rice, meat, salad, juice $1.50
(These specific meals are typical "lunch special" meals of local workers, they are not normal, sit-down menu items you find when dining 'a-la-carte' at a restaurant)
'A-la-carte' Menu Items from $4.00 - $50.00 (depending on the status of the restaurant and type of food they serve)
Common Vocabulary & Slang Terms From Ecuador (Frases Comunes)
Word
English Definition
Achachay
Quichua expression used when something is cold.
Acolitar
To help, stand by someone.
Alhaja
Nice, pretty.
Aquisito nomás
A non-specific expression meaning a close or near.
Arrarray
Quichua expression used when something is very hot or burning.
Atatay
Quichua expression used when something is disgusting or gross.
Ayayay
Quichua expression used when you are hurt or you feel pain.
Bacán
Cool.
Bacilar
1) Kissing someone with no further compromise. 2) Bother, bug around. 3) To have a good time.
Balde
The back of a pick-up truck.
Biela
Beer.
Bola, la
A lot, too much.
Bola, parar
To pay attention.
Bolón de verde
Typical food from the Costa provinces (near the Pacific Coast), made of verde (green banana), cheese and fried pork.
Cacho
Joke.
Caleta
Home.
Canguil
Popcorn.
Ceviche
Typical plate. Cold soup mixed with shrimp or shell-fish, ketchup, orange juice, onion and popcorn.
Chagra
1) Cowboy from the Andean region, usually from the town of Machachi. 2) Insult.
Chapa
Disrespectful way to call a police officer.
Chapa Acostado
Bump placed in some streets and roads to decrease speed.
Chaquiñán
Path.
Chévere
Fun, cool, interesting.
Chiva
Bus (usually an old one) with no doors and windows used in places with hot weather.
Cholo
1) A person with mixed race (indigenous and spanish) 2) Insult.
Choro
Thief.
Chupar
To drink alcoholic beverages.
Chuchaqui
Hang-over.
Chugchucara
Typical food from the city of Latacunga. It's made of fried pork, popcorn, fried potatoes, fried banana, mote (a kind of corn) and sweet empanada. (a kind o meat pie).
Chuta!
Surprise expression.
Cuy
Guinea pig. Rodent used as typical food in the Andean region.
Dele nomás
Expression equivalent to "go ahead".
Fritada
Typical plate made of fried pork.
Gato
Blue or green-eyed person.
Gringo
An american or european person. Usually used to refer to tourists.
Guagua
Quichua word for baby, small child.
Guambra
Quichua word for kid.
Guatita
1)Diminutive of guata which means belly. 2) Typical food made of cow's stomach.
Guindar
To hang.
Huasipichai
First party on a house or department.
Jamar
To eat.
Jeva
Woman.
Llapingacho
Typical food. A fried.-smashed potato mixed with cheese, sausage and fried eggs.
Locro
Typical soup from the Andean region, made with potato, cheese, milk and avocado.
Mama cuchara
Dead end street.
Man
From the english word "man". Means guy, person. It is used in both genders
.
Mande
A humble way to say "What? Do you need something?. Literally the word means "order me".
Menestra
Typical dish with rice and lentils or beans.
Mono
In a despective way, person from the Costa region (near the Pacific Coast) or Guayaquil.
Morder
To understand.
Mucha
Kiss in quichua
Mushpa
Dumb in quichua.
No sea malito
Expression used as a supplication. It's used when a favor is needed.
Norio
Nerd.
Norro
In a disrespectful way, person from the Sierra (Andean region) or Quito.
Ñaño/a
Brother-sister. It is also used for "great friend".
Ñeque
Strength, tenacity.
Pacheco
Coldness.
Pana
Friend.
Patacón
Typical food made of verde (green banana). In some towns replaces bread.
Pelado/a
Boyfriend or girlfriend. It also means "kid".
Picado
A person that desires revenge.
Sapo
Corrupt, someone that takes advantage of the situation in detriment of the others
Seco
Local way of cooking meat, specially goat's and poultry.
Simón
Yes.
Sobrado
Arrogant, overproud.
Soroche
Sickness from the altitude. Dizziness and nauseousness.
Suco
Blonde.
Taita
Quichua word for father.
Trole
Abreviation for trolebús (trolley). Transport system used in Quito.
Tuco
Strong.
Yahuarlocro
A variation of Locro (potato soup). Includes lamb's meat and blood.
Yoni, la
United States.
Yuca
Yuca is a root, commonly used instead of potatoes.
