The Cheapest Place In The World To Retire Well—On Less Than $800 A Month
Ecuador is the number-one place in the world for a cheap and luxurious retirement.
In fact, no matter where you choose to live here…
Be it a tranquil mountain village, a historic colonial city center, or along the long stretch of sandy Pacific coast…
US$1,500 a month is more than you’d need for a happy and carefree retirement with all of the amenities from back home… plus a few new luxuries to boot.
As I’ll show you in a minute, a couple settling in a small town could live easily on about US$650 per month…
But if you’d be happier in a world-renowned, 16th-century colonial city—with its theater, orchestra, art shows, restaurants, perfect weather, and cafés—you can do that starting at US$1,163 per month… or less than US$800 if you own your home. Add a few hundred dollars to your monthly budget, and you could live in true luxury… with a cook, a maid, and even a driver attending you.
Plus, of course, you’d never run out of things to do…
Not with 1,400 miles of Pacific coastline, several historic colonial towns, the Amazon rain forest, the Galápagos Islands, and the Andes mountains all available to you nearby.
The cost of living in Ecuador is cheap… really cheap.
Unlike back home, you can thrive here on your Social Security check alone.
Now, I know that can be hard to believe…
But it’s not just me and my on-the-ground team of experts making that claim.
In fact, the government of Ecuador has put a specific dollar figure on it: US$1,275.
That is, to qualify for this country’s famous retiree visa, you only need a pension of about US$1,275—20% less than the average American’s Social Security benefit.
At that budget, the government knows you’ll be able to pay for local goods and services, contribute to the economy, and live a comfortable life…
And talk about comfortable and welcoming…
Foreign retirees here enjoy some of the best benefits in the world:
- 50% off electricity, water, and telephone service…
- 50% off all public transportation…
- 50% off national and international airfare…
- 50% off all cultural, sports, artistic and recreational events…
- A special discount on property tax…
- A discount on vehicle taxes…
- No taxes on Ecuadorian income or foreign pensions…
- Even a refund of sales taxes…
And, perhaps best of all, you never have to stand in line. Seniors always get to skip to the front!
Indeed, Ecuador is one of those places that every would-be retiree abroad must consider.
No matter where you decide to live in Ecuador, you can do so on US$1,000 a month or less.
To put that in perspective, the average Social Security payment is US$1,543 per month.
But one risk many people overlook when budgeting for a new life overseas is the currency exchange rate…
If you’re an American, you’re fully protected in the event the U.S. dollar’s value tanks.
That’s because Ecuador is one of a few countries that uses the U.S. dollar as legal currency.
So your expenses will never be impacted by the dollar’s fall… which has caused cost-of-living increases of up to 85% for some expats in countries with other currencies.
Here are four more reasons Ecuador is our top pick for retiring well overseas on a small budget:
Proximity…
Ecuador is in the same time zone as the Eastern United States. That makes those video calls with the kids easy to schedule, and you’ll never have a problem watching the big game. Plus, it’ll take you only about four hours to get here from Florida, or about six from New York or Texas…
Familiarity…
The official currency of Ecuador is the U.S. dollar, meaning you’ll never have to worry about currency swings pricing you out of your budget one day. Plus, thanks to thousands of current expats who’ve already taken our advice, Ecuador is home to one of the world’s fastest growing North American expat havens…
Perfect Weather…
Ecuador’s highlands feature several charming colonial towns, such as Cuenca. Their remarkable location has resulted in virtually no bugs to swat at and “springlike” weather all year—an average of about 70°F (21°C) every day—which also means you’ll never have to spend money on heating or air conditioning…
Diversity…
Did you know that the Galapagos Islands, part of the Andes mountains, and part of the Amazon rain forest are all in Ecuador? Aside from nature, Ecuador also boasts diverse lifestyle options, from colonial Cuenca to cosmopolitan Quito, and from the sleepy mountain village of Cotacachi to the beach town of Playas…
Kathleen Peddicord
Founding Publisher, Overseas Opportunity Letter
