'Moving to Ecuador for retirement' Retirement

Moving to Ecuador for retirement

Reply #25 Kevin (74.210.6.155) -

My Girl and I just got back form Visiting Ecuador, we spent time in Banos and Mindo and loved it. Does anyone have any real estate info for these areas? Protected/park etc? Dangerous, earthquakes eruptions, taxes? Seemed more our style. I know the active Volcano there is working overtime but just wanted to know some more about that area. I am looking to return to live in Ecuador and found these areas interesting to say the least.

Reply #26 Dom (1) from Ecuador (Contact Member) -

Hey Ray, I have traveled and lived both in the far east and Ecuador and here is my take...

-rents are a little bit cheaper over in thailand than Ecuador, but to buy is cheaper in Ecuador

-Ecuador has a lot of variety in a little area, with the andes, amazon, pacific, galapagos and more all within a stones throw.

-Making local friends is easier in Ecuador. Mainly because Spanish is much easier to learn than Thai.

-Food in Thailand is better...but the fresh fruit juices in ecuador are to die for

-The weather is about the same as thailand at around 80-85 degrees in the coastal regions.

-Answering ur Q...Beach houses are just starting to be discovered, and can still be had for prices around $40K

-entertainment consists of everything Latin, soccer, dancing, fiestas, etc. along with all the outdoor sports u could want...there is bowling in the major cities and the coast is great for motorcycle rides

Check out my report on Beachfront Property in Ecuador for much more info on finding the best steals on the coast...

Reply #27 Manola from Banos, Ecuador (Contact Member) -

Hi Kevin.

My husband and I "retired" to Banos Dic. 07. We purchased a house 4 bedroom/3 bath, maid quarters, pool, located in-town for $150.000, cash. It is a very nice place. A friend just bought a 3/2, I think, for $45.000. Supposedly is a very nice property, and she bought it cheap. You can expect to pay about $100.000 for a very good place. As you know the currency is US Dollars.

Purchase expenses were less than $2.000, Property taxes, something like $30/year. Electricity, with everything running, less than $50/mth. Water $5/mth.

The Tungurahua is still smoking and sending ashes. Due to the prevalent winds they go away from town. Before purchasing the house we talked with another resident that studied the volcanic situation and consulted with Smithsonian's geologists. He felt confident enough to buy more property. There is NO warranties, but this is not a "big explosion" volcano. That said, we may be gone tomorrow.

You have been in Banos, people are friendly, and once you move in they welcome you and are very generous with information, etc.

We still like it here, so if you have any questions, please ask away.

Manola

Reply #28 Luis (68.237.225.143) -

Hi my name is Luis, well I see many people is thinking on retiring to Ecuador, ok I speak for myself for my stepfather, he went to live in Ecuador in 2001, he become Ecuadorian resident paying for an investment of $25, 000 but if you have a spouse u have to paid $500 more, he opened a CD at a Guayaquil bank, then he had to wait about 3 months and he had the permission to get his Identity document (Cedula de Ciudadania) like resident, but in the first two years you have to stay for 9months each year, and then u become a permanent resident. When pass the two years u can pay a small fee and use this CD to invest in real state, land or any business.

Depends where do u like to live the weather is different, in cities in the coast or near the coast like: Guayaquil, Manta, Portoviejo, Montecristi, Machala or Esmeraldas, the temperature is between 71 to 87 fahrenheit in the dry season but in the wet season is between 77 to 94 fahrenheit. In the mountains the main cities are between 7500 to 9100 ft. and the weather is between 45 to 68 fahrenheit. In the Amazony and in the Galapagos Islands the weather is similar like coast but in the amazony u can feel humidity. In Ecuador there are two marked seasons the summer and winter, the summer starts in may to September mids October and the winter starts at mids October -November and ends in April, but normally in Ecuador u feel like a spring climate all year in the mornings and afternoons.

There are a lots of Malls and Supermarkets in the principals cities, good private health, bad public health. Depends where do u like to live the main cities are Quito ( Capital ), Guayaquil, Cuenca, Ambato, Loja, Ibarra, Machala, Portoviejo, Manta, nut if u prefer smallest towns there are many of them Banios de Agua Santa, Vilcabamba, Mindo, San Miguel de los Bancos, Puerto Quito, Atacames, Montanita, Puerto Bolivar, Cotacachi, Atuntaqui , these towns are near the main cities (almost 1hour or 1/2hour ).

With an income of $500 to $1500 u can have a comfortable style of living, I shown u some costs:

Three rooms appt, good located is around $400 to $600 a month in a newest building ( no more than 10 yrs ) A cheaper three rooms appt will cost u $150 to $300 a month, everything depends where is located the apartment and the city. There r luxury houses with pool, gardens, rooms service, laundry room, in the suburbs around $700 to $1500 a month. But if u want to buy a house or apartment I suggest first u meet some people and ask them about prices for your final buy, a new house costs $30000 to $200000, and a new apartment costs $50000 to $120000, like I said before depends where is located, the internal furniture and the construction area.

Private nurse: $300 to $500 per month

Maid: $220 to $400 per month

Meals: $1.50 in a normal restaurant to $20 in a 5 star restaurant. Buffet in a restaurant $6, in a hotel 4 or 5 star $20, all per person.

Fast Food: Burguer King, KFC, McDonalds, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell $0, 99cnts to $15

Normal Milk: $0, 65cnts to $1, 10 per liter.

Movie tickets: $3, 50 per adult person.

Fruit and vegetables: $0, 10cnts to $3, depends per unit, kilo or pound.

Taxi fare: $ 1 the minimum ride, in some cities uses meter, ask for it, the start is $0, 35cnts.

Small car: $8000 to $18000 (new car), used cars in good shape: $1500 to $12000, depends model, year, millage.

Luxury car new: $30000 and up. Suv’s and 4x4 r popular for safety and because in some roads there are small holes, the cost start at $6000 (used car).

Many people in Ecuador speak a basic English, so is preferable to learn a basic Spanish too.

You can find organic products in any supermarket where ever you go.

Tv cable, Univisa (starts at $13 to $45 complete service per month) or Direct TV (around $45 to $70 per month) depends cities and locations.

In a month you spent: electricity $10 to $25, water $5 to $15, phone: $8 to $25, high speed internet $25 to $50, depend the city and consumption, gas cylinder (15kg) $1, 50

Dental care is cheaper, for example: root c$50 to $160, doctor appointment $10 to $40, health insurance $30 to $130 a month (depends age, smoking non smoking).

You can get the visa with two options: 1st filling the papers by your own but you need the signature of any attorney or 2nd hiring an attorney and leaves him does all job and paying the attorneys fees, the process in not difficult, each visa costs $350 plus notary costs, copies of passport, pictures, etc. If you have a guaranteed pension of $800 per month, you can apply for a retirement resident visa.

Internal flights most expensive round trip: Quito - Guayaquil - Galapagos $250 per person only Ecuadorian and residents.

Men hair cut: $2 to $10

Women hair cut, brushed and tint: $20 to $45

There are active volcanos and some earthquakes, like you know Ecuador is in the pacific coast like Los Angeles.

The local language is the Spanish but the natives talks quechua or quichua , the entertainment consists in traditions like, soccer, dancing, parties, local folklore, concerts, etc , there are all the outdoor sports u could imagin.

The currency is US Dollars.

If you want more information or want to know about attorneys, cities, costs, general question or anything u need ask me with confidence, my email is: echc_dgc@hotmail.com.

jkj

Reply #29 Robert Ramm (167.230.38.116) -

I am also thinking of retiring to Ecuador, but I am a little leary about the comment made by Michael Manning(reply #8). I want to be able to walk and night and feel safe. Can anyone tell me about crime in Guayaguil?

thanks Robert

Reply #30 eduardo (68.194.222.192) -

Hi, my wife and I are thinking to move to Ecuador in about 3 years. We both are ecuadorians, became american citizens and lived and work in the U.S. We like to know what rules will applied since we are ecuadorian born we still need to stay for nine months at a time for two years to gain the ecuadorian residence.

Thanks!

Reply #31 John and Fe (72.154.175.197) -

will like a nice home or townhouse in a little warmer climate then Quitos...can you advise a nice safe place small suburb type living , near to a city with night life and entertainment and shopping!!

would like to be within 60 minutes to a coast line beach..

john and fe

Reply #32 Marek Rychter (142.161.170.4) -

Hi , we live in Manitoba , Canada and are planning to move to Ecuador in a year or so.We'll be visiting Ecuador this winter (end of January ) and would like to scout a few places and gat some info that would help us to decide where to move .We would be very greatfull if we could meet with people who live in Ecuador during our visit.There are so many variables that every piece of information would be very appreciated.

We would like to get in touch with some people who would be willing to correspond with us .

Reply #33 Corina Cernat (24.68.56.8) -

We are a couple of Canadians who are thinking to move to Ecuador within 2 years. We don't know anybody and we'd be grateful to get in contact with someone who lives there and has time and enjoyment to correspond with us via email. We won't be able to be retired so I'm thinking at investment visa. Someone wrote in this website that is enough 1400.00 US $ to deposit in a Ecuadorian bank. Is that true ? My email is: almarebele@hotmail.com

How is the situation on the Coast ?(Salinas, Punta Blanca, etc?) Is it safe to live there all year round ? Does someone know if boxing is popular on the Coast? My husband is a boxing instructor. HOw about aerobics exercise ? HOw about any type of physical exercise ?

Corina

Reply #34 Gudjon S. from On a family world travel (Contact Member) -

Very interesting information here, I am not about to retire, but hope it is ok to post here anyway.

I am looking for an appartment in Ecuador to rent at a reasonable Ecuadorian price for 6-8 weeks from mid/late April this year. We are five, the boys are 6, 10 and 12 years old. We are looking for a 2-3 bedroom appartment close to or at the beach in a safe environment, preferably somewhere we can all learn Spanish. Looking for nature rather than a city or a big town.

We are from Iceland and have been travelling since August 2008 - are now in Buenos Aires for four weeks. 5-6 months to go before we return to sunny Iceland.

My email is gudjonsv@gmail.com, looking forward to hear from you that has our dream appartment!

Thank you,

Gudjon

Reply #35 Leslie (68.225.164.173) -

We spent a short time in Cuenca and Quito in 2007 and while we really liked Ecuador, the altitude posed a bit of a problem. Also, I didn't like the diesel smell in Cuenca either. We were there in June and don't know if it's that way all the time.

Reply #36 Glenna (98.177.145.5) - 09/09/09 17:12

I am thinking about moving to Ecuador but am concerned about my 2 small dogs. Are there restrictions? Thanks Glenna

Reply #37 Dixie (190.154.62.159) - 09/13/09 14:13

We have now been living in Ecuador for 12 months. My how time flys. Also how exciting to know that Ecuador has been named the number on country for retiring by International Living and more so that Cuenca has been named the number one haven for retirees. Cuenca is where we have an apartment and also live. We also have a beach house on the coast so we are now splitting our time in the mountains and on the coast. We would not have been able to afford this lifestyle in Australia.

Anyway you can check out my website and if you subscribe you can read back issues and new issues of our journey into Ecuador.

Ciao for now

Dixie

• Retire in Ecuador

Reply #38 David Beyer (190.152.184.186) - 09/24/09 08:45

For more information on residency, please see this site:

www.ecuadorservices.com

• Ecuador Foreigner Services

Reply #39 Betty (2) from Ala, USA (Contact Member) - 11/04/09 06:14

"looking to retire in Ecuador with income from Social Sec,"

We are looking at several places in Central America to choose one for retirement. Ecuador sounds so beautiful and affordable. All your information helps. Thanks so much for all your input, both good and bad.

Reply #40 Jerry (23) from Montana (Contact Member) - 11/16/09 19:49

"Spot on the beach"

Hi eldenffinfeliz@gmail. I'm flying into Guyaquil tomorrow night and will be looking for lodging in your area. Do you have anything available?

Thanks,

Jan

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