Dear International Living Reader,
Every cliché you've heard about living large on little…about settling into the lap of luxury on even a retiree's budget…is true in the place I'm about to reveal.
This is one of the world's cheapest places to live. Take $300 out of the ATM Monday morning… and your expenses are covered for the week.
In a moment I'll show you the actual monthly budget of a couple living the good life in one of the most beautiful, healthy and relaxed places on earth on less than $900 per month…much less than an average Social Security check.
(Now, they own their own home so their budget doesn't include rent…if you add $500 for rent you can see that you'd still be spending less than $1,500 a month.)
Happily, owning in this place is easy, because it also boasts some of the world's great real estate bargains and investment opportunities. How about a gorgeous home with floor-to-ceiling windows on two acres of hilltop overlooking the blue Pacific…for $83,000? Or A hacienda-style home on an acre of land in the mountains for less than $90,000? Or a brand-new, two-bedroom/two-bath condo—with city or ocean views—for less than $60,000?
These aren't just the lowest prices…these are typical prices!
Some countries offer low costs of living. Others have good real estate buys…or attractive business opportunities. But, in two decades of looking, we've never found a country that offers all these things in abundance…plus perfect year-round weather.
I'm talking about Ecuador.
And that couple I mentioned who live well on less than $900 a month? In fact, they live the good life in not one, but two glorious locations in Ecuador.
Ron and Terresa Moore own homes in both the Andean mountain town of Cotacachi and smack on the beach in Crucita, one of the country's prettiest little beach towns. For both these homes, they paid less than $114,000—total. (They say they'd probably spend closer to $135,000 for those same two properties today.) In Ecuador, they say they've found not only the solution to their financial problems, but the retirement lifestyle they've always dreamed of. They're enjoying life and they no longer have to worry about making ends meet.
The average U.S. Social Security check is $1,234 a month. That doesn't buy a very prosperous existence Stateside. But you could live very comfortably on less than that in Ecuador.
Here's Ron's and Terresa's monthly budget…
| Electricity/water/gas: | $62 |
| Telephone/DirecTV/Internet: | $130-$210 |
| Groceries (includes alcohol): | $350 |
| Transportation (buses and taxis): | $2 |
| Entertainment: | $50 |
| Condo dues (both condos): | $130 |
| Ecuador IESS health plan: | $113 (covers doctor's visits and meds) |
The total depends on what home the Moores are in. But on average, they're spending $899 a month. And that leaves plenty for extras. The simple truth is, the cost of living in Ecuador is modest—and that means you'll have plenty leftover to "play" with, travel on, even save…
There's so much information to share with you about Ecuador. As you may know, for the last number of years, International Living's writers and editors have scoured the country to learn everything about the benefits, cost-savings, opportunities, advantages (and yes, challenges) this country has to offer.
I've asked them to share that information with you in our best-selling Escape to Ecuador: Everything You Need to Know to Retire Better, Invest Well, and Enjoy the Good Life For Less. And I guarantee it will help you decide if Ecuador is right for you.
But don't just take my word for it. Keep reading to learn what some of your fellow International Living readers have found in Ecuador…
Mike Sager is a motorcycle-loving, rock-n-rolling free spirit…a former surfer from Huntington Beach, California and a die-hard beach lover.
In California, Mike put in long hours as a mail carrier. He lived a few miles from the closest beach, but rarely had time to go to there—and when he did, he had to get there early to stake out his piece of sand before the crowds arrived.
Fortunately, Mike no longer has to worry about making his way to a costly, crowded California beach. Because today he lives in the picturesque fishing town of Olón, just north of Montañita, one of Ecuador's most popular surfer towns. His home is smack-on-the-beach…no housing projects or boardwalk…not even a road in front of it. He walks out the door and his toes hit the sand. A few steps more and he's at the water's edge.
His home is no beach shack, either. It's a well-built, two-story home with three bedrooms and two-and-a-half bathrooms. The upper floor has a covered balcony facing the sea…this is where he's hung his hammock. Downstairs, a long covered terrace is the perfect place to watch sunsets and strum a little guitar in the evenings.
How much did this idyllic home on the beach set him back? He paid just $50,000.
Maybe you prefer to be in the center of the action? Even in a world-class resort city, with all the amenities you'd expect in a place called the "Miami of Ecuador," you can buy a brand-new three-bedroom, two-and-a-half bathroom house just a few minutes walk from the ocean for $135,000!
And there are lots of deals like this to be had on Ecuador's Pacific Coast. We tell you exactly where to find them in Escape to Ecuador: Everything You Need to Know to Retire Better, Invest Well, and Enjoy the Good Life For Less.
If you're not a beach fan, no worries. Ecuador is more than beaches. In fact, it's far better known for its majestic mountains. The "Spine of the Andes" cuts through the middle of the country from north to south. But because Ecuador is located smack dab on the equator, it's never too hot and never too cold. You won't find a better, more agreeable climate than in this "Land of Eternal Spring."
There are so many cities and towns along Ecuador's "Spine of the Andes" that deserve your attention. Briefly…
Important note: In Ecuador, foreigners are afforded all the rights of citizens when it comes to property ownership. Still, things are done a bit differently than they are at home. You need to understand the intricacies of property ownership in Ecuador and know who to turn to for legal help in order to safeguard your investments. See Chapter 5 of Escape to Ecuador: Everything You Need to Know to Retire Better, Invest Well, and Enjoy the Good Life For Less, "Buying Property in Ecuador" to learn more.
Every year International Living editors conduct interviews, analyze statistics, and crunch the numbers to prepare our Global Retirement Index. Once again, Ecuador came out as the best place in the world to retire, and one of our favorite places within Ecuador is Cuenca.
Located about 275 miles south of Quito, Cuenca is Ecuador's third-largest city, but its central historic district feels more like a small, charming Old-World town, with tidy plazas, ancient churches, and cobblestone streets lined with tall colonial-era adobe-walled buildings transformed into small hotels, restaurants, and shops. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999.
But this city offers more than just aesthetic beauty…
And real estate prices? You'll be happy to know that even in Cuenca—the most desirable city in Ecuador and the #1 spot in the world for retirees—you can find bargain prices.
Only three minutes away from supermarkets, drugstores, and shops is a two-bedroom, two-bathroom condo with amazing views and private garden for just $79,000. It is 936 square feet plus a beautiful wraparound garden of 688 square feet. It also comes with a parking space and storage unit. It has under-floor heating and can be sold fully furnished.
Just blocks (a short walk) from the colonial center, a new seven-tower condo community is in the works. Condos range in size from 800 square feet to more than 2,200, with many units having outside terraces with views of the city and mountains. Amenities include a gymnasium, movie theater, walking paths, spa, art gallery, playground and game room, and more than an acre of green space. All buildings will have high-speed elevators, back-up generators, wireless internet and 24-hour security. Prices start at just $66,000.
We're so excited by the opportunities we see in Cuenca that we've prepared a Special Report, called Colonial Cuenca: The World's #1 Retirement Haven for you. In fact, I want to send you a copy of it FREE just for agreeing to take a no-risk look at our Escape to Ecuador.
I'll tell you how to reserve Escape to Ecuador in just a moment…
What About Health Care Costs?
In Ecuador's bigger cities, you'll find hospitals with state-of-the-art equipment, as well as specialists in all fields and physicians with private clinics. The average visit to the doctor's office costs just $30, with the fee to see a specialist costing about $35.
Name-brand medicines are much cheaper than in the U.S. Generics cost a fraction as much and availability is good.
Dental work performed by highly skilled doctors is also widely available and inexpensive. Partial plates cost $325, and a complete set of dentures costs $900 — including office visits, fittings, impressions, and lab work. A cleaning is $40 while a filling costs $30.
And don't be afraid to have surgery here. Many specialists in Ecuador have trained in Europe or the U.S. and have top-notch skills. And costs are 1/5th to 1/10th what you'd pay in the U.S.
Health insurance, too, is a bargain in Ecuador–a tiny fraction of what you'd pay in the U.S. And by the way, Ecuador recently made improvements to its public health care system, offering free and subsidized care to all residents.
Want to learn more? An entire chapter of Escape to Ecuador is devoted to the topic of health care: where the best doctors and hospitals are located, where to get health insurance, how much you can expect to pay, and more.
At International Living, the "best friend and mother question" is our litmus test. If we don't feel comfortable sending the people closest to us there, we won't recommend it to you.
And we wholeheartedly recommend Ecuador.
It's a peaceful country with a long-standing commitment to democracy. Ecuador president Rafael Correa was democratically elected to back-to-back terms, and like leaders everywhere, his popularity wavers.
By and large, political watchdogs give Correa high marks for effort and say his policies are more closely aligned with Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva than with Chavez. Importantly, Correa has insisted all along that property rights in Ecuador are secure—and the country's new constitution restates that point.
So would I recommend Ecuador as a retirement destination to my best friend…and my mother? Absolutely yes.
As I said, the only way to find out if Ecuador is right for you is to plan a visit and see for yourself. But before you spend that kind of money, I've a proposition for you.
Reserve your copy of Escape to Ecuador: Everything You Need to Know to Retire Better, Invest Well, and Enjoy the Good Life For Less.
We've spent a decade researching Ecuador….and make no mistake, this isn't a travel guide. Our editors have lived in Ecuador or spent extensive amounts of time there. They've experienced all the benefits this country has to offer and interviewed hundreds of expats who've done the same. They've been through the challenges, too—and they tell you all about these—there's no sugar-coating here.
With Escape to Ecuador: Everything You Need to Know to Retire Better, Invest Well, and Enjoy the Good Life For Less, you'll benefit immediately:
And Escape to Ecuador: Everything You Need to Know to Retire Better, Invest Well, and Enjoy the Good Life For Less includes:
Your timing is good. Now is a smart time to gain a foothold in Ecuador…before the rest of the world catches on to what a wonderland this is. Like Mexico, Costa Rica, and Panama have done, Ecuador will attract a growing number of foreign retirees in the years to come.
Make no mistake…the mainstream media will catch on to Ecuador's charms very soon. In fact, it's already beginning to happen. When travel Guru Arthur Frommer wrote about three friends who are looking to relocate to Ecuador, he said: "It's the new hot spot for Americans seeking an affordable life where you can live large on little money."
And he's right.
Baby Boomers are approaching retirement at a time when the world economy is in tatters. The global financial crisis has pummeled their investment portfolios, IRAs, 401Ks, and pension funds.
They face greater financial pressures in retirement than at any time since the Great Depression. And in greater numbers than ever, they are seeking alternatives to a retirement of merely scraping by in the U.S.
Right now…today…Ecuador makes perfect sense as an ideal escape from financial chaos and stress.
And Escape to Ecuador puts everything you need to live and prosper in one of the most beautiful and affordable places on earth right in the palm of your hand.
In addition to all those things I've already mentioned, you'll get:
Escape to Ecuador: Everything You Need to Know to Retire Better, Invest Well, and Enjoy the Good Life For Less is a complete guide for everything you'll want to do, know about, andp see in Ecuador.
Plus, you'll also get our editors' insider travel tips: Luxury hotels at boarding house prices…a smart shopper's handbook…and more, including—
We've gone through Escape to Ecuador: Everything You Need to Know to Retire Better, Invest Well, and Enjoy the Good Life For Less page by page and sentence by sentence to ensure that all the information…all the resources and contact details, including websites, e-mail addresses and telephone numbers…all the maps, statistics, dollar figures and prices quoted…are completely up-to-date.
We've left no stone unturned. And the best part is that we publish this manual electronically…so it's much more useful, colorful, and interactive than ever before. And you'll have access to it as soon as your order has processed.
But we're not stopping there… We think that Ecuador makes so much sense right now…from almost every economic and quality of life point of view that we're sending you two special updated Bonus Reports too:
FREE Bonus Report #1: Colonial Cuenca: The World's #1 Retirement Haven (value $29)…
As I already mentioned, it's yours absolutely free when you order Escape to Ecuador: Everything You Need to Know to Retire Better, Invest Well, and Enjoy the Good Life For Less.
In this in-depth Special Report we take a look at a very special area of Ecuador — the #1 Retirement Destination in the World. And we reveal the need-to-know details about Ecuador's most popular expat destination:
FREE Bonus Report #2: South America's Last Coastal Frontier (value $49)…
In this report we reveal the incredible details about Ecuador's soon-to-boom stretch of magnificent Pacific coastline, including:
We've done our homework and found beachfront deals that would go for millions in San Diego or Malibu…deals you can take advantage of right now with this special report.
If you've ever wanted to turn your back on skyrocketing prices for everything from health care to real estate to public transportation and restaurant meals, now's your chance.
And if you've ever wanted to walk away from long, bitterly cold winters and brutally hot summers…then I've got a deal for you.
Reserve Escape to Ecuador: Everything You Need to Know to Retire Better, Invest Well, and Enjoy the Good Life For Less now.
I'm so confident you'll be pleasantly surprised by all this manual includes and by all Ecuador has to offer, I'll give you a 30-day, no-hassle, money back guarantee. If for any reason you're not completely satisfied with the depth and breadth of information you find in Escape to Ecuador: Everything You Need to Know to Retire Better, Invest Well, and Enjoy the Good Life For Less, call us within 30 days and we'll refund your purchase, no questions asked.
This is your best guide to the best retirement haven in the world, and right now we're offering it for just $99.
With it, you'll get…absolutely free…our Special Report, Colonial Cuenca: The World's #1 Retirement Haven (a $29 value)…and South America's Last Coastal Frontier (value $49).
Think about it. Escape to Ecuador: Everything You Need to Know to Retire Better, Invest Well, and Enjoy the Good Life For Less and your free Special Reports. All for just $99.
And a no-question money-back guarantee if you're not 100% satisfied.
That's a serious bargain for the amount of current, usable information you're about to receive…especially considering that it could launch you on your way to the most enjoyable…and affordable…life you've ever imagined.
Sincerely,
Jackie Flynn
Publisher, International Living