4. Ecuador

Ecuador, sandwiched between Colombia and Peru, has seen its tourism has grown by 30% over the past five years and the country attracts North Americans, Europeans, gap year backpackers, explorers, and expats from around the world, all whom come to enjoy its perfect combination of climate, culture, and affordability.

Ecuador is still a largely undiscovered country not yet homogenized 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, writes IL correspondent Donna Stiteler.

It is a republic on the equator lying on the west coast of South America and is the second smallest country on the continent about the size of Colorado. With 1,200 miles of coastline, one of the world’s highest active volcanoes, and the Galápagos Islands, it is one of the most ecologically diverse places on the planet.

It’s no wonder that Ecuador has consistently placed in the top 10 retirement locations in the world. It’s not just an ecological paradise, it’s a place where you can make friends, stop worrying about money, and enjoy the diversity of a country that is only a four-hour flight from the U.S.

There are few places in the world where the cost of living is as affordable as it is in Ecuador. You can easily live off $1,500 to $1,800 a month depending on location and lifestyle. You can own a home on a Pacific Coast beach or a condo with great views in the Andes for around $150,000. Rentals are plentiful and affordable too, with two-bedroom, two-bathroom condos starting at $500.

Ecuadorians know how to enjoy life. It’s a very family-oriented, mostly Catholic, country where the locals attend services in massive, gold-embossed cathedrals, gather for Sunday dinners, close down their shops to go watch their kids play soccer, and frequently invite expats over for dinner—but be prepared that dinner starts at 8 p.m. with dancing until 2 a.m. (which is most likely why they don’t start their days until 10 a.m.)

If you are interested in beach living, on the southern coastal tip of Ecuador is Salinas, a modern oceanside town known for its party bars, seafood, and year-round fiestas with a lively expat community. Venture north 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 Montañita or Olon. Manta is a fast-growing mid-size town with long stretches of beaches and modern conveniences that is quickly building an expat following.

Since the land produces excellent food, mostly with year-round growing seasons, prices at local mercados are so low that it is difficult to buy more than $20 worth of fruits and vegetables. Household help is available for $20 for four hours of cleaning, gardeners run $20, and a deep tissue massage will run between $30 to $40 for a 90-minute massage. No need for heating and air-conditioning bills in most of the country because of the temperate weather, and you can live in most places without a car, paying 30 cents for trams, and $2 to $4 for taxi rides to get you almost anywhere in town.

Living in Ecuador can give you a retirement you could only have dreamed about if you had stayed in the U.S. Instead of living paycheck-to-paycheck or having to work well into your retirement, Ecuador will provide a safe, joyful lifestyle, with money left over to travel the world.

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