Ecuador in the Top 10 for best retirement countries!

Ecuador is the land of diversity. Whether you want to live, vacation, retire, or simply relax in Ecuador, you’ll find the perfect combination of climate, culture, and affordability to make your dreams come true. It’s a country Anthony Bourdain described as “a republic on the equator lying on the west coast of South America and is the 2nd smallest country on the continent. With 1,200 miles of beach, one of the world’s highest active volcanoes, and the Galápagos islands, it is one of the most ecologically diverse places on the planet.”

Ecuador is a largely undiscovered country not yet gentrified but still offering the conveniences of modern living including high-speed fiber optic internet, American dollar currency, temperate weather, good public transportation, and affordable healthcare and housing. It has a tranquillo culture where manana means sometime in the future, and people welcome each other with cheek kisses and deep hugs. It’s often described as a trip back to the 1950s, only now the indigenous men in tribal dress pulling donkeys on long ropes are talking on iPhones. Walk down any major city street and you will see a mix of indigenous, Spanish descendants, mixed ethnicities, North Americans, and Europeans.

Because of its unique geological topography with the equator creating temperate weather, you can live on the beach and enjoy cool sea breezes which makes the weather in the 70s and mid-80s. Or settle in the Andes, where the equator places the mountains closer to the sun, making even locations at 8,000 altitudes produce weather in the 60s–70s F.

Visit the beaches and you can sit on the shores of Puerto Lopez and whale watch while you enjoy a pilsner and eat freshly made ceviche in beachside canopies. Venture north on the coast and you’ll encounter small sleepy coastal towns that attract expats wanting to escape the rat race, surfers, and hippies riding bicycles in towns like Montanita. Further north is the launching point to explore the Galápagos islands and its famous blue-footed boobies and giant green tortoises. On the southern coastal tip of Ecuador is Salinas, a modern oceanside town known for its party bars, seafood, and year-round fiestas.

Head inland and you’re in the Andes, where you can zipline over mountain valleys, white water raft, get purified by Shamans, and shop for colorful textiles loomed by the indigenous. Many expats settle in Quito or Cuenca to enjoy the 16th century Spanish colonial and 18th century French Republican architecture which earned these cities UNESCO Heritage site designations. Both these colonial towns offer modern conveniences and have a booming tourist industry. Their stone-laden streets are lined with shops, chic bars, and restaurants tucked into scenic historic buildings.

Go east into the Amazon rainforests and you can paddle down the Puyo river where you’ll see the indigenous tribes who live on the river with their children, who hoist blow dart guns to test their aim.

Expats are scattered all over Ecuador depending on their lifestyle choices. Larger expat communities are in Salinas, with its beaches lined with modern condos; Cotacachi, a small sleepy village where craftsman make everything from leather goods to alpaca ponchos; Cuenca, the modern Andean town which is the cultural center of Ecuador, where music, art, and New Orleans-style architecture attracts visitors from around the world; and Vilcabamba, the home of the Valley of Longevity known for its indigenous centurions and laidback expats who sit outside at cafés trading philosophies.

While I appreciate the natural beauty and the mix of indigenous, Incan, and Spanish culture, one of my favorite benefits is the affordable lifestyle. There are few places where living is as affordable as in Ecuador. There is something for everyone, regardless of your budget. Consider that you can own a home on a Pacific Coast beach or a condo with great views in the Andes for less than $150,000. Rentals are plentiful and affordable too with a two-bedroom, two-bathroom condo available in downtown Cuenca for $500.

A couple can live here for anywhere from $1,650 to $1,825 a month, depending on location and lifestyle.

Since the land produces excellent food, mostly with year-round growing seasons, prices at local "mercados" are so low, it is difficult to carry more than $15 worth of fruits and vegetables. Household help is available for $20 per day, and services like pedicures and haircuts are just a few dollars. No need for heating and cooling bills in most of the country, and you can live most places without a car, paying 30 cents or less for buses, and $2 to $5 for cab rides.

There are tight-knit active expat communities and many activities to get involved in—day trips to nearby towns, card games, dinner clubs, trivia, art classes, hikes in the Cajas, and long lunches with friends. Every day I get up and have a choice of what I’d like to do. Living in Ecuador has given me the retirement I could only have dreamed about if I had stayed in the U.S.

Canoa Beach Ecuador

Source

Ecuador-Retirement-index-2021

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By Donna Stiteler