Hi Jon, security is one of those things that you have to take personal responsibility for in Ecuador. That’s why I suggest you observe how the locals live. Apartment buildings have security entrances or doormen (mostly in Quito) and homes are usually walled and with barbed wire or broken glass on top to deter anyone from crawling over the walls. There are security bars on doors and windows and alarm systems in place. I don’t know that crime here is more of an issue than anywhere else, but there’s really no such thing as emergency police response. And yes, the disparity between rich and poor is great. We foreigners have to learn to not flaunt our “things” and not be so trusting with people (i.e. workers) coming into our homes. (If you live in Ecuador, for instance, don’t draw attention to yourself by wearing expensive clothes and jewelry. Don’t tell everyone… at the local tienda or in social settings or even on Facebook… that you’ll be gone for a couple of weeks — especially if you’ve just had a crew in your kitchen doing renovations and bought brand-new appliances or just installed big screen TVs in the living room.)
Overall, it’s best to be prepared and smart about your own security. There are some places along the coast where you might feel safe outside a gated community, but in my opinion, you’d best have a very trustworthy caretaker living onsite and and/or take lots of security precautions and not fill your home with tempting electronics (especially if you will only live there part-time.) I’d personally rather have the security and neighbors that a gated community offers. Also note that a gated community in Ecuador isn’t always what you’d… they may be as small as five or six homes.
Like I say, we’ve never had any problems, but we’ve been living in Latin America for 12 years and we’re very careful and aware at all times. That’s smart anywhere in the world these days, I’d guess.
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