Ecuador: housing

How many new homes are being built in Ecuador?

Building permits issued in Ecuador in 2025 covered 41,764 new homes in 31,049 buildings, 3.7% fewer buildings than in 2024, according to the INEC's building statistics bulletin. 24,347 of the homes were in the Sierra, 13,941 on the Coast and 3,307 in the Amazon region.

The figures measure homes planned in approved municipal permits, not homes completed. Total construction area was about 7.7 million square metres, and new buildings, mostly residential, made up 84.4% of the permits. Owners' own resources financed 50.1% of the planned buildings. The median planned home was 114 square metres. Data come from municipal governments.

Official sources: building statistics bulletin

What are mortgage interest rates in Ecuador?

The maximum effective interest rate for real estate (mortgage) loans in Ecuador is 9.15% a year in October 2026, according to the Banco Central del Ecuador's interest rate tables. Loans for social-interest and public-interest housing are capped at 4.99%.

The caps are set by the financial regulation board for each loan segment, and lenders can charge less. The rules are cited in the central bank's October 2026 rates notice. No official house price index for Ecuador was found on the sites of the INEC or the central bank, checked on 15 October 2026.

Official sources: interest rate tables · October 2026 rates notice

How many people in Ecuador live in cities?

In 2025, the share of people living in urban areas in Ecuador was 63.4%, according to the UN Population Division. It is the top of the series, which starts in 2005. Across Latin America & Caribbean the middle value was 66.2%, and Ecuador placed 19th highest of 33. World rank, highest first: 96th of 193.

What share of Ecuador's city dwellers live in slums?

57.8%: that is the share of city dwellers living in slums in Ecuador for 2022, according to UN-Habitat. Across Latin America & Caribbean the middle value was 14.7%, and Ecuador placed 1st highest of 26. World rank, highest first: 22nd of 170.

What share of people in Ecuador have electricity?

The World Bank puts the share of people with access to electricity in Ecuador at 98.5% in 2024. The peak was 100.0% in 2021 and the low 95.8% in 2005. It is 22nd highest of 33 in Latin America & Caribbean, where the median is 99.5%. Of 193 countries with 2024 data, 117th highest.

What is access to safe water in Ecuador?

In 2024, the share of people using safely managed drinking water in Ecuador was 69.9%, according to WHO and UNICEF. That is the highest since at least 2005. Across Latin America & Caribbean the middle value was 66.3%, and Ecuador placed 5th highest of 14. World rank, highest first: 74th of 134.

What share of people in Ecuador have safe sanitation?

49.3%: that is the share of people using safely managed sanitation in Ecuador for 2024, according to WHO and UNICEF. Since 2005 it has ranged from 45.0% (2005) to 49.3% (2023). Latin America & Caribbean median: 44.7%; Ecuador is 7th highest of 16. World rank, highest first: 81st of 134.

What is access to clean cooking in Ecuador?

According to the WHO, the share of people using clean cooking fuels in Ecuador was 95.0% in 2024. It is the top of the series, which starts in 2005. Across Latin America & Caribbean the middle value was 95.0%, and Ecuador placed 15th highest of 33. Of 192 countries with 2024 data, 86th highest.