What makes Cuenca Ecuador’s most popular city?
In a quality-of-life poll taken in March, respondents overwhelmingly voted Cuenca the “most desirable” city in Ecuador with a population above 100,000.
Why is Cuenca so popular? The television network Ecuavisa identified four reasons.
Safety and security
While many areas of Ecuador are experiencing an unprecedented epidemic of murders and violence, Cuenca is the safest city not only in Ecuador but in all of Latin America. Such statistical services as InSight Crime and Numbeo report that Cuenca had the lowest murder rate in the region in 2024 and in the first half of 2025.
Through the end of October 2025, National Police report 11 murders in Cuenca. This compares with 2,123 in Guayaquil, 357 in Manta and 241 in Quito.
For crimes not involving violence, such as home robberies, vehicle thefts and robberies or persons, Cuenca averages less than 50% of the national rate.
Cultural heritage and cultural activities
Cuenca is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The 1999 recognition was based on the architecture and preservation of the city’s historic district. In addition to residences of Spanish and French design, the district features more than a dozen historic churches, many of them decorated with colonial art.
The city is also recognized for its strong ties to the arts, including painting, sculpture, literature, music, dance and theater. According to Ecuavisa, Cuenca has more theaters and art galleries than any other city in Ecuador on a per capita basis.
The Cuenca Symphony Orchestra is recognized as one of the top three in the country and the Cuenca Art Bienal, currently underway, is one of only three art bienals in South America.
Quality of life
According to the national office of statistics and census, 91% of Cuencanos have access to clean drinking water, 99.2% have electric service, and 96.5% have garbage collection, all leading numbers in the country.
The city also rates highest in the country for the quality of its public transportation, including public bus service, the new tranvia and taxis.
Economically, Cuenca residents have the highest per capita income and highest rate of savings in the country, according to the Bank of Ecuador.
Galo Salamea, president of the Cuenca Chamber of Commerce, reports that the employment rate in the city is the highest in the country, with seven out of ten residents holding full-time jobs. He adds that the business sector invests most of its profits in the city and in Azuay Province.
A large expat population
Because of the city’s many advantages, Cuenca has attracted the largest community of foreign residents in Ecuador. The international residents come from all over the world, adding diversity and new styles and tastes to the community.
According to the Cuenca Office of Foreign Affairs, there are about 11,500 foreign residents in the city, 10,000 from the U.S. and Canada, and the balance from Europe, China, the UK and other countries.
Most expats live in the central city, either in the historic district or in neighborhoods adjacent to it. Many foreigners have renovated old buildings or made other investments, upgrading the quality of life in the city.
A recent study by the University of Guayaquil found that Cuenca’s foreign resident population continues to grow while expat communities in other areas, especially the coast, have declined.
