Ulvia and I spend part of every year in our condo in Salinas, Ecuador. Everyday money here is simpler than many first-time visitors expect, because the country already uses the U.S. dollar. Utilities and a local phone line take a little more local knowledge.
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This page is practical background, not tax or financial advice, and not a recommendation to open any particular account. Rules and fees change, so confirm them with your bank and the utility company.
If you are still getting your bearings, start with Arriving in Salinas, Ecuador and Your first 30 days in Salinas, Ecuador. The condo fee known as the alícuota is covered in more detail in Renting a condo in Salinas, Ecuador: buildings, fees, and what to check.
The money is already dollars
Ecuador adopted the U.S. dollar as its official currency on January 9, 2000, according to the Central Bank of Ecuador. If you are arriving from the United States, you do not change money at the airport. You spend the same dollars you already know, in coins and bills.
That convenience still comes with a cash habit: carry small bills. The U.S. International Trade Administration’s commercial guide for Ecuador says merchants generally will not accept bills larger than $20. I have found the same pattern in daily life here. A $50 or $100 bill can be hard to break at a taxi, a market stall, or a small shop. I keep $1, $5, $10, and $20 bills for ordinary purchases.
Cash, cards, and ATMs
Larger hotels, supermarkets, and many restaurants take major cards. The same trade.gov guide notes that Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover are widely accepted at larger retailers, while many smaller retailers are cash only. That matches what I see in Salinas and La Libertad: Supermaxi and similar stores are usually fine with a card; taxis, markets, and corner shops often want cash.
ATMs in Salinas and La Libertad dispense dollars and generally work with U.S. networks. Banco del Pacífico ATMs have worked well for me. The bank says its machines are associated with the Banred, Cirrus, and Plus networks. I use a machine inside a bank or a shopping center when I can, and I tell my home bank I will be in Ecuador so the card is not frozen.
I am not quoting an ATM withdrawal limit or a fee here. Limits and charges on a card from home vary by your bank and by the machine, and a local bank’s published caps for its own debit cards are not automatically the same as the cap on a visitor’s card. Ask your bank before you travel, and read the on-screen notice at the machine.
Day to day, I use a mix of cash and card.
If you need to move money between the United States and Ecuador, or you want a travel card alongside your regular debit card, a service such as Wise can be useful to compare. [AFFILIATE: Wise or travel card] If you use that link and later buy a product or fund a transfer, a commission may be earned. It does not cost you extra. This is not financial advice.
Opening a local bank account
Some longer-term residents open a local account so they can pay bills or keep a cash cushion in Ecuador. I am describing the general process, not walking you through my own paperwork.
At Banco del Pacífico, the bank’s savings-account page says a foreigner is asked for a color copy of a cédula or a passport that shows visa information, plus a recent utilities or internet bill. The same page has advertised that a savings account can be opened with no initial deposit. Those requirements can change, and a U.S. person may be asked for additional tax forms. Go to a branch, ask for a current list, and take originals and copies. This is not tax or financial advice.
The condo alícuota
If you rent or buy in a building, you will hear the word alícuota. It is the regular fee for the common parts of the building — security, elevators, cleaning, and similar shared costs. I walk through what to ask in Renting a condo in Salinas, Ecuador: buildings, fees, and what to check.
In many buildings, some utility bills are paid through the administration or folded into the monthly fee. In others, you pay the electric or water company yourself. Ask the administrator, in writing, which bills are included and which are yours.
Electricity: CNEL EP Santa Elena
Electricity on the peninsula is provided by CNEL EP, through its Unidad de Negocio Santa Elena. That is the public electric utility, not a private landlord service.
CNEL’s collections page lists several ways to pay: cash at bank windows if you have a previous bill or the supply number (the cuenta contrato) and the amount; monthly debit arranged with your bank; some credit-card options; online payments through a bank website, entering the cuenta contrato and choosing the business unit; and authorized points such as pharmacies and shops identified as official collection spots. The company’s site also lists a contact number, 1800-263537.
We have our condo utilities set up on automatic bank draft, so the bills pay themselves each month.
Water: Aguapen EP
Potable water and sewer service in the province of Santa Elena, including Salinas, are provided by Aguapen EP (also written Aguapen-EP), the public water company for the peninsula. The Consejo de Participación Ciudadana y Control Social describes it as the public company that supplies drinking water and sanitary and storm sewer service in the province, and the Gobernación de Santa Elena refers to it as the mancomunada, or joint, water company.
You pay with the client code or contract number on the Aguapen bill. Servipagos, a national bill-payment network, says you can pay current or past-due Aguapen water and sewer bills at its agencies by presenting that number and the amount, and that the payment posts immediately. As with electricity, confirm whether your building pays the account or you do.
For drinking water at our condo, Ulvia and I use bidones, the large refill jugs. That is a household habit, not a comment on the utility itself.
Internet and mobile phones
I use my U.S. plan with roaming, and that is enough for our trips. If you are staying longer, a local prepaid SIM is a practical option. The three mobile carriers in Ecuador are Claro, Movistar, and CNT, according to the same U.S. trade guide. Ecuador requires you to register a SIM with identification. Claro publishes a process for activating a prepaid chip with a passport, so have your passport with you at the store. I am not quoting plan prices, because they change.
For a home or condo internet line, coverage varies by street and building. CNT, the public telecommunications company, provides fixed-line service on the coast as well as in the highlands, per that trade.gov guide. Other private fiber or cable providers may already be wired into a given building. Ask the administrator what works at that address before you sign a contract.
At our condo we use Netlife for internet.
A small travel kit helps on the money and phone side of a trip: a document organizer for the passport and a backup card, a lockable day-bag, and a refillable bottle. [AFFILIATE: Amazon travel gear] If you buy through that link, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. It does not cost you extra.
FAQ
Does Ecuador use the U.S. dollar?
Yes. The Central Bank of Ecuador dates official dollarization to January 9, 2000. You spend U.S. dollars in Salinas.
Should I bring cash, a card, or both?
Both. Larger stores and many restaurants take cards; taxis, markets, and small shops often want cash. Bring small bills. Bills larger than $20 can be hard to break.
Which ATMs have worked for you?
Banco del Pacífico ATMs have worked well for me in Salinas. Use a machine inside a bank when you can, and ask your home bank about fees and limits. I am not quoting a number here.
Do I need a local bank account?
Not necessarily for a short stay. A local account can be useful for a longer stay or for paying bills. Requirements vary by bank and by your visa status. This is not financial advice.
Who provides electricity and water in Salinas, Ecuador?
Electricity is from CNEL EP’s Santa Elena business unit. Water and sewer are from Aguapen EP. In a condo, ask how those bills are handled. The alícuota is covered in Renting a condo in Salinas, Ecuador: buildings, fees, and what to check.
Can I get a local SIM?
Yes. Claro, Movistar, and CNT are the mobile carriers. Bring your passport to register the SIM. I use my U.S. plan with roaming; a local SIM is a good option for a longer stay.
Sources
Central Bank of Ecuador, institutional history (dollarization, January 9, 2000): https://www.bce.fin.ec/en/central-bank-of-ecuador/history/
U.S. International Trade Administration, Ecuador Country Commercial Guide, Business Travel (bills larger than $20 generally not accepted; card acceptance at larger retailers; cash at many smaller retailers; ATMs and bank fees; Claro, Movistar, and CNT as mobile carriers; CNT fixed-line service on the coast and in the highlands): https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/ecuador-business-travel
Banco del Pacífico, automated teller machines (Banred, Cirrus, and Plus networks): https://www.bancodelpacifico.com/Personas/Canales-de-atencion/Presencial/cajeros-automaticos
Banco del Pacífico, savings account requirements for foreigners (color copy of cédula or passport showing visa data; recent utilities or internet bill; advertised opening with no initial deposit): https://www.bancodelpacifico.com/personas/cuentas-y-tarjetas/cuentas-de-ahorro/cuenta-de-ahorro
CNEL EP, Gestión de Recaudación (payment channels, cuenta contrato, Unidad de Negocio Santa Elena, contact number 1800-263537): https://www.cnelep.gob.ec/gestion-de-recaudacion/
CNEL EP, clients of the Unidad de Negocio Santa Elena: https://www.cnelep.gob.ec/los-clientes-de-la-unidad-de-negocio-santa-elena-se-integran-a-un-nuevo-sistema-comercial-de-cnel-ep/
gob.ec, CNEL EP, payment of public electricity bills: https://www.gob.ec/cnel/tramites/pago-facturas-servicio-publico-energia-electrica
Consejo de Participación Ciudadana y Control Social, May 20, 2024, bulletin on the user committee for Empresa Pública Aguapen-EP (drinking water and sanitary and storm sewer service in the province of Santa Elena): https://www.cpccs.gob.ec/2024/05/convocatoria-para-conformar-comite-de-usuarios-a-los-servicios-de-la-empresa-publica-aguapen-ep-de-santa-elena/
Gobernación de la Provincia de Santa Elena, visit to the Atahualpa potabilization plant of Aguapen EP (joint water company serving the province): https://www.gobernacionsantaelena.gob.ec/gobernador-realizo-un-recorrido-por-la-planta-potabilizadora-atahualpa-de-aguapen-ep/
Servipagos, Agua de la Península (AGUAPEN) bill payment (client or contract number; water and sewer bills): https://www.servipagos.com/servicios/agua-de-la-pensinsula-aguapen/
Claro Ecuador, prepaid chip activation with a passport: https://www.claro.com.ec/personas/servicios/servicios-moviles/prepago/claro-chip/activacion-con-pasaporte/