A Week In Ecuador On A $18,897 Salary

Refinery29

2 days ago

Welcome to Money Diaries where we are tackling the ever-present taboo that is money. We're asking real people how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we're tracking every last dollar.
Today: a rural medical doctor who makes $18,897 per year and who spends some of her money this week on online submission for a short story (she enjoyed writing it so much she might do it again next month!).
Editor's Note: All prices converted to US dollars using Google and correct at time of writing.
Occupation: Rural medical doctor
Industry: Healthcare
Age: 24
Location: Ecuador
Salary: $18,897.36
Assets: Savings: $7,562.52; retirement funds: $5,040.44; medical residency savings: $2,522.08 (I'm saving to apply in 2027). I am the shareholder of a company that my father cofounded when I was little. When he passed away, I inherited a small percentage of his shares, and they were worth approximately $75,000 at the beginning of this year. They might be worth more now as the company has grown significantly, but we won't know their value until the end of 2025. Besides that, my mom gave me a car for college that I still own and that is worth around $10,000 (I might sell it once I start applying for residency).
Debt: $7,500 from student loans.
Paycheck Amount (Monthly): $1,116.21 + $458.57 (from my company shares).
Pronouns: She/her
Monthly Expenses
Housing Costs: $100 (including electricity, internet and water services). Because of the location of my job, I work on a special schedule: I work for 18 consecutive days and get 12 resting days. While in my community, I rent an apartment with a rural dentist, who also works with me. I live with my mom for the rest of the month for free (and my mom pays for most of the groceries and gas during my stay as well).
Loan Payments: $458.57
Gym membership: $81
Running Training Program: $85
Cell Phone: $0 (I'm in the company phone program for shareholders).
Disney+ & Spotify: $0 (paid for by my mom).
Health & Retirement Insurance: $95.15 taken automatically from my paycheck (this is a combined service our government offers to every citizen, so you can contribute monthly for public healthcare services but also for your retirement).
Monthly Psychology Appointment: $40
Savings: $590. I transfer $500 to my residency savings account and save the rest to indulge in small luxuries such as clothing or short trips every once in a while.
Was there an expectation for you to attend higher education? Did you participate in any form of higher education? If yes, how did you pay for it?
Education has been a priority in my family for decades, so no one ever thought of me not going to college. Being the daughter of doctors inspired me to attend medical school in my hometown when I was 18. In Ecuador, the degree lasts six years, and you can go straight into it after high school. My mom and grandparents have been very supportive regarding my education and paid for most of my degree until my little sister got into college as well. Having two daughters in private universities on her own (since my dad passed away when I was 12) was too expensive for my mom, so I had to take out a loan for my last two years of school.
Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent(s) educate you about finances?
My mom taught me about finances from when I was a teen. While in high school, she would give me a monthly allowance based on a budget I had to present to her in a spreadsheet. Besides that, most of the conversations we had were about the importance of saving and planning. She was always recommending books and courses on personal finances that I never took seriously, but now that I am starting to make my own money, I wish I used the resources she offered me when I had more free time.
What was your first job and why did you get it?
During my last year of medical school, as part of my degree, I did an intern year where I worked at a hospital, supporting residents and attendings on anything they need. I got paid around $500 monthly, and I used this money to pay for all my personal expenses besides housing and basic needs that my mom still covered for me. I also saved some money that I later spent on traveling abroad with my friends as a graduation gift from myself.
Did you worry about money growing up?
I think the most I worried about money growing up was after my father passed away. For the first couple of years, I saw my mom struggling to pay loans and medical bills from my dad's disease (he had cancer) while being the head of the household, and that made me worry as well. As the company my dad cofounded began to do well and my mom educated herself on personal finances, we eventually began living a very comfortable life. Although I almost stopped worrying about money after that, to see my mom stressed so much those first years definitely impacted me, and it became a reminder that life can change drastically when you least expect it and you have to be aware of that, but you also have to trust you can be resilient enough to overcome whatever life throws at you.
Do you worry about money now?
As I am planning to apply for residency in two years, I definitely worry about money now. I want to become a specialist abroad, which means I have to save a certain amount of money for traveling and studying, and I keep that in mind every time I feel like spending a little extra money on things like concerts, expensive dining or clothes. However, my mom has offered to help me so I can fully focus on this objective in 2026. This means I won't work for a year until I get into the program I want. While I am so lucky my mom is willing to support me and I am going to contribute with more than half of the expected expenses for this process, I still feel guilty about it.
At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net?
To pursue a medical career means that there is a big chance that you won't acquire complete financial independence until your early thirties (or later). Although I began paying for all of my personal expenses last year, I feel like this is the first year I am financially responsible for myself (though I live with my mom for some days of the month). I am very grateful for having my mom and grandparents as I know that they could help me financially if I need some help, especially for the next few years. I also know I could sell my car or my company shares in extreme, emergency situations.
Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain.
When my father passed away, I inherited some things, including part of a house that we eventually sold to buy a house in a nicer neighborhood, and the company shares that I still own. The money I receive from them monthly has always been used for educational purposes (including exchanges and summer programs in other countries that have definitely been life-changing). As previously mentioned, when I started college, my mom bought me a car so I could go anywhere on my own while she spent more time with my little sister without worrying too much about me. My grandparents also gift me around $500 each year for my birthday and Christmas that I mostly use for more costly personal expenses (such as running gear or traveling), and whenever they are in town they offer to pay for my groceries. Finally, my mom contributed monthly to a retirement fund for me when I started medical school. Once I began contributing for it during intern year, she stepped out, but I am so grateful for her amazing support on this (and everything else).
Day One: Sunday
5:10 a.m. — Rise and shine! I text my coworker J. to let him know I am awake and getting ready for our run. I am currently training for a 30km trail running race, and J. has been my training buddy since March. Today we have to run for 90 minutes, so I take two squares of dulce de guayaba and fill a flask with coconut water to bring with me.
5:40 a.m. — We start running towards a nearby community. Although cloudy, the weather is perfect, and we encounter different animals throughout our route. From cattle to birds to lots of dogs that run with us, time flies and we are having fun!
7:10 a.m. — I am back home ready to start the day. I decide to treat myself to breakfast since I successfully completed all of my workouts of the week — I buy an empanada and some chocolate milk to eat with eggs and ham. I also indulge in a Gatorade that I drink while doing some stretching exercises before hitting the shower. $1.35
12:30 p.m. — After attending to a couple of patients at the Centro de Salud where I work, which kept me busier than expected, it is lunchtime, and my coworkers and I decide to eat out today. We walk to our favorite place — a family-owned BBQ restaurant that sells the best ribs I have ever tasted. We order some ribs and sausages, fried potatoes and salad, and guanabana juice. They serve us big portions and we leave the place very satisfied. We never regret coming here. $4
5 p.m. — We close the center and go home. Our community is so small, we can go anywhere by walking. We discuss if we should get doughnuts or not, but we finally decide we can eat them another day. As A., my roommate, and I arrive home, we realize the bakery ran out of doughnuts today. I guess faith did not want us to have dessert after all.
5:15 p.m. — I snack on dark chocolate-covered rice cakes dipped in vanilla Greek yogurt before doing some chores. I go to the roof to check on the clothes I washed a couple of days ago and find them a bit humid. We don't have any laundry machines here, so we have to wash everything manually and then let them dry by hanging them on the rooftop of our building (is it a building, though? There are only two floors). I decide to let my clothes dry for one more day and go downstairs to deep clean my room and bathroom while watching Once Upon a Time (I have been obsessed lately).
7 p.m. — I make some fish and salad for dinner. Though I am not hungry, I know I have to fuel my body properly during these intense training days, so I try to make it a priority. I eat while I chat with my sister, who is studying in Mexico, about her graduation next year. I will definitely travel to this event and am already excited!
8 p.m. — I start writing this diary while eating some tortilla chips. I take my time to carefully check my assets and expenses while listening to the F1 movie soundtrack on Spotify. I can't wait to go back to the city to watch it at the cinema.
10 p.m. — I take some magnesium, brush my teeth, wash and moisturize my face, and apply a leave-on conditioner on my hair before going to sleep. I scroll on social media before finally closing my eyes.
Daily Total: $5.35
Day Two: Monday
6:55 a.m. — It is a rest day today, so I sleep in a little longer. I get ready for work before cooking one of my favorite breakfasts: a Greek yogurt bowl with apples, raw oats, and peanut butter. I eat a fried egg on the side to add some extra protein.
11:30 a.m. — I take a quick break from work to go buy a snack at the grocery store. I buy Rollitos ($0.25 — my favorite snack since I was a kid) and some toothpaste ($1.25). $1.50
1:30 p.m. — I take my lunch break a little later and am starving. I decide to make a homemade burger with fries on the side and salad with all of the vegetables I find in my mini fridge. Thanks to my air fryer, it takes me 15 minutes to get it done, and I enjoy it slowly for the rest of the hour.
6 p.m. — After a nice and long nap, I wake up to revise respiratory anatomy and pharmacology. Since I am going to start studying for residency exams in September, I have been trying to check the diseases we see the most here to adapt myself into studying again. Every time I study while working, I wonder how on earth I was able to study for more than eight hours, go to classes, train, and have a social life while in medical school.
7:30 p.m. — I take a break from studying to make some oatmeal pancakes for dinner. I add lots of syrup, bananas, and peanut butter as toppings. I love breakfast for dinner.
8:30 p.m. — After two intense study hours, I decide it's time to rest. I do my night time routine while watching an episode of Once Upon a Time. When it is over, I immediately fall asleep.
Daily Total: $1.50
Day Three: Tuesday
5:40 a.m. — I wake up and get ready for the hour-long run I have to do today. This run is a splendid one. Living in the middle of the forest means listening to different animals and rivers throughout the way, and it makes me feel very connected to nature.
7:30 a.m. — I eat two scrambled eggs and bacon with instant oatmeal, Greek yogurt, peanut butter, and blueberries for breakfast. I also drink a big cup of coffee and coconut water to hydrate from my run before heading to work.
12 p.m. — It is lunchtime and I am RELIEVED. Many patients came in the morning and I didn't even have time to drink water. I arrive home and let some whole wheat fusilli cook before going upstairs to soak my clothes in detergent. I have to do my laundry in the afternoon and want to have it ready to rinse. Once the pasta is done, I assemble a tuna salad with it.
1 p.m. — I text K., who lives close to me, to let her know I am leaving home. She takes the same lunch hour as me and we like to walk together to work. We stop to get some ice cream on the way — this is the hottest day we have had since arriving, and it feels like the perfect excuse for a sweet treat. $0.25
5 p.m. — After taking care of some patients and doing half of a mock test for residency, it is time to close the Centro de Salud. Today, we decide we should get some dessert and head to the ice cream shop. A., K. and J. get chocolate cake and ice cream while I get a donut from the bakery. We chat for a while with some people from the community as we enjoy our treats. $0.50
7:15 p.m. — I finally finish doing my laundry. I do a quick leg workout before getting a shower and making dinner. Today, I make homemade nachos, and they are amazing. I use my last can of chili beans, so I add them to my grocery list for next month. The village I work in is considered 'difficult access', which means that very few cars, buses, and trucks arrive due to the distance from any big city and the state of the unpaved road. When it rains, it is impossible for any vehicle to arrive. This also means that there is not a lot of variety in stores, so I bring almost 80% of what I eat from my hometown. Every time I come here, you can tell which are my bags since they are always massive and super heavy from all the food and cleaning supplies I bring!
9:30 p.m. — I have some tea before falling asleep. This was a productive but tiring day.
Daily Total: $0.75
Day Four: Wednesday
5:55 a.m. — I am out of the house ready for my run. I have to do a very specific zone-two workout but struggle to keep my heart rate low, so I walk a lot in between. J. does a tempo run, and I time his fastest kilometer — he wants to join the army and running is a part of the physical test he has to take. From the results we have been getting, I think he will nail it.
7:30 a.m. — I make banana oatmeal with two scrambled eggs and ham for breakfast. I only had a few Moritas (blackberry-shaped gummies) for my workout this morning and am starving. A. and I take the trash out before going to work.
11 a.m. — J. and I decide to take a coffee break and get mochaccinos. There are no cafeterias in the village, so we choose some packaged ones from the grocery store. They taste like dessert, and we drink them slowly while checking on the requirements he has to fulfill to join the army. Moments like this are what make life good. $1
12:30 p.m. — I am about to go to lunch when I realize I left the keys of my room inside of it. I panic. I go talk to the woman who is in charge of the building when our landlady is away to ask her if she has a copy of it. She is not sure if the landlady took them away with her and we won't know until around 7 p.m. I panic more. I go eat leftover chili beans and sautéed potatoes while thinking what to do. If there are no keys, I might have to change the whole lock set. I go to the hardware store to check on prices and find someone who can help me to change it if needed. After that, I feel better and go back to work. I have a solid Plan B now that hopefully won't be too expensive to execute.
3:30 p.m. — I attend to the last patient of the day and finish the test I started yesterday. I make a list of topics to revise tonight from the questions I failed. K. asks her boyfriend if he knows how to open doors without keys and he says he can give it a try. We agree on meeting him after work in case our landlady doesn't keep the keys here. I am hungry, but I skip the grocery store and decide to eat at home instead — I might have to buy a lock set today after all.
5:20 p.m. — Today is my lucky day: They had the keys here and my room is open! I sigh in relief and apologize to everyone involved for the inconvenience. K. decides to go home, and I thank her and her boyfriend for their support and willingness to break my door if required. I snack on some ham and Moritas while updating my family about it.
7 p.m. — I eat lunch leftovers from yesterday while checking the topics from my mock test. I am struggling to focus and don't know if I will be done by tonight. I give myself some grace and take a break to catch up with friends and family via WhatsApp. After all, I am still months away from starting to formally study. I snack on some tortilla chips and realize I have been snacking more than usual. I definitely need to increase my nutritional intake since I have been running more, so I start to think about healthy snack ideas to prep for next month.
9 p.m. — I finish my study session and start checking for grammar mistakes in this diary. To write more is one of my main 2025 resolutions: It is an activity I have loved since high school, but I stopped doing it at some point. I had a creative block last month and didn't write anything, so I have been enjoying this exercise a lot. It has even inspired me to write some stories once I finish this!
11:11 p.m. — I felt so inspired I just wrote a short story based on a trip I took years ago (I found a writing prompt online and decided to give it a try). I send it to my sister and mom to get their feedback before going to sleep.
Daily Total: $1
Day Five: Thursday
7 a.m. — I wake up and start getting ready for the day! I feel tired yet excited about the story I wrote last night. I head downstairs to get some bread at the bakery and buy a recently baked cacho (the Ecuadorian version of croissants) to eat with scrambled eggs and Jamoneta. $0.20
12 p.m. — After a slow morning, I go buy potatoes and mayonnaise for lunch. I am not sure what I will be cooking but my stomach is feeling like getting potatoes today. I also get some fried pork meat. $0.60
2:30 p.m. — My coworkers and I realize we just got paid! Since there are no scheduled patients in the afternoon, I start organizing my monthly expenses. I add $500 to my savings account immediately and pay rent and my fitness memberships for next month. I also place the money for my therapy appointment next week and for groceries in a separate account so I won't spend it until I need to. The satisfaction I get from this is unbeatable.
6 p.m. — After scrolling on TikTok for an hour, I do a 50-minute leg workout from YouTube that my running coach sent me. I don't use any weights but my legs are burning. Shoutout to Caroline Girvan for such an amazing routine!
7:30 p.m. — My friends and I meet to get dinner. We buy salchipapas, corviches, and ice cream for dessert. We start discussing all things food and almost all of us agree the coastal region has the best Ecuadorian cuisine (K. disagrees though — she loves hornado too much). $2.65
9 p.m. — I call my mom and sister on our group chat and talk for an hour. I also chat with my best friend from school who is working in the Amazon jungle. Then I immediately fall asleep.
Daily Total: $3.45
Day Six: Friday
5:35 a.m. — I wake up feeling tired and still full from last night's dinner. Still, I text J., get ready, and eat an apple before meeting him to go running.
5:55 a.m. — J. is not only tired, but exhausted from last night. Apparently, he couldn't fall asleep and took a pill that is making him feel dizzy today. We decide to not force ourselves by running and go on a short hike instead.
7 a.m. — I feel better and more energized to go to work now. I play a Juan Luis Guerra playlist on Spotify while getting ready to feel more motivated and it works immediately! Of course, I start by listening to my favorite song of his, 'Como Yo'. I eat my usual breakfast: eggs with ham and oatmeal with Greek yogurt.
12 p.m. — I finish editing the short story I wrote a few days ago and love it. Reminiscing about this one trip from when I was younger was a beautiful experience. Going to India helped me become the person I am now in many different ways, so I get very emotional whenever I navigate towards my memories of it. My mom and sister encourage me to submit it for a chance to get it published in a magazine, and after seeing the application fee is not that expensive, I decide to give it a go. $5
1 p.m. — I go to the grocery store to buy avocados but unfortunately they are not ready to eat yet. Instead, I get cream cheese, dulce de leche, and Grillé wholewheat toasts. I am transitioning into the time of the month when my groceries start running out, so I start to improvise my meals using whatever is available here. I realize they have one bottle of natural (not Greek) yogurt and buy it immediately. This is the first time I have seen one of those in the village! $4.60
5:10 p.m. — After a stressful day, I get home and put on my pajamas. I feel like resting this afternoon, so I plan on watching a marathon of Once Upon a Time. I make an early dinner of papihuevo and toast with cream cheese and dulce de leche. I also drink some electrolytes that taste like pink lemonade. It really is about the small things in life.
7:45 p.m. — K. calls me to let me know there is an emergency in the Centro de Salud. Part of our special schedule includes attending any urgent situations with patients outside of our normal schedule (which rarely happens). A. and I walk there, and after the initial assessment, I realize it is not really an emergency. I prescribe the patient pain medication and tell her to come back tomorrow morning for a full assessment. I am glad it is not severe. After it, my friends decide to go have dinner in another community, but I choose to go home instead. I am also transitioning into the time of the month when I start to feel very tired from working so many consecutive days, therefore I want to recover properly today. After another episode of Once Upon a Time, I fall asleep.
Daily Total: $9.60
Day Seven: Saturday
6 a.m. — I wake up early to do the last batch of laundry of the month before going back to the city. I am doing half of it today and then the rest tomorrow morning. Once I am downstairs, I go get ready and make myself a yogurt bowl and scrambled eggs for breakfast.
8 a.m. — We will not see any patients for the next few hours, in order to do inventory. We revise all of the medications, tests, and medical equipment and make a list that includes expiration dates of everything to make sure we use everything safely. I enjoy doing different activities every once in a while, and it is a perfect excuse to rest for a bit while still being productive in my workplace.
10:30 a.m. — I buy some Doritos at the grocery store although I am not really hungry. I was really craving some and they are really good. #NoRegrets. $0.60
1 p.m. — I don't feel like cooking, so today I am going to eat lunch in one of the 'comedores' of the village. I get a complete lunch for $3 that includes soup, main course, and juice. I choose to eat yawarlukru and ribs, and it is truly phenomenal. I leave home for a quick nap before going back to work. $3
3 p.m. — K. preordered tres leches from the bakery and it is dessert time! It is perfect. No more comments. $1.50
5:15 p.m. — It is workout time. Today, I have to run for 90 minutes before doing some exercises for knee stability. I take some electrolytes and a square of dulce de guayaba with me, as well as a flashlight in case it gets dark. Before going out the unbelievable, yet predictable, occurs: the zipper from my running belt breaks! I improvise a belt by placing everything in a bag as fast as possible. I will have to try to get it fixed once I am back in my hometown (ps: by predictable, I mean PREDICTABLE: My belt is more than five years old, and I knew it was a matter of time before it started falling apart).
7:30 p.m. — Even though the run was tough, I felt very strong from the beginning. The weather was beautiful, and I cannot emphasize enough on how beautiful the landscapes are here. I am truly obsessed and feel blessed to experience living in such a special area (I am surrounded by different national parks and reserves), regardless of the burdens that come from being in a place of difficult access. I arrive home to do the exercises my trainer sent me and some stretches before hopping in the shower.
8 p.m. — I feel so tired I have to force myself to leave my room and get dinner. I go to the grocery store to buy some bottled water, Gatorade, and two apples for tomorrow. I eat some pasta tuna salad I had in the fridge and start rehydrating until I feel I am coming back to life. $2.25
8:30 p.m. — I read a few chapters of Animal Farm by George Orwell. I read it in high school and thought it would be interesting to reread it now that I am older, but I regret bringing such a small book here: I read more than half of it the first night I came, and, as you can imagine, there are no libraries or bookstores here, so I can't acquire more reading material once I finish it (and reading on my computer is not an option — I am a paperback girlie). Last month, I brought Sunrise on the Reaping and it was long enough to read it from start to finish here. I get distracted by thinking about what to read next, based on my current experience.
9 p.m. — I am too tired to do anything besides sleeping. I do my night routine and lights are out. I guess Animal Farm can wait one more day!
Daily Total: $7.35
The Breakdown
Conclusion
'I think this was a very average spending week for me when I am in my village. When I'm at home, my expenses are similar in quantity but I spend more money on entertainment, dining, clothes, and beauty rather than on everyday needs. Since I am saving as much money as possible for residency, I have been intentionally budgeting since I started this job. Therefore, I have a very solid perspective on my expenses, but writing them in this format was really informative as I could see where I could plan better, especially with food. After writing this diary, I started buying healthier snack options in my hometown to have here and my spending on sweet treats has dropped a lot. I even feel less bloated and more energized! It has been a win-win from all perspectives. I also thought of this as a gratitude exercise since I usually compare myself with other friends my age and sometimes feel frustrated about my current situation (the rural year I am doing is mandatory for all healthcare graduates in order to legally practice medicine in Ecuador). By writing this diary, I realized I actually like my job and life a lot.
'I think it is very important to let everyone know that my assets and lifestyle (even in my village) are not a reflection of the majority of Ecuadorians. I come from an educated, very supportive, upper middle class family — a privilege that less than 10% of the population has. Especially in areas like where I am now, people live with less than a dollar a day, and at least half of the patients I attend do not finish high school (and I have not attended one patient with higher education yet). Before coming here, I always thought that there might be a way to make things better for all of us, but now that I am so close to the life conditions of the majority of our population, I am not sure about that. For now, I try to focus on how I can continue my education to help as many people as possible while preserving my mental health. My frustration not only comes from feeling stuck in the long pathway of becoming a doctor, but also from seeing pain and suffering daily with limited resources to help out.
'On happier news, the short story I wrote was actually chosen to be published! Best investment I have made this year so far.'
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