retire in ecuador

[grebilfarrell]

Hello !! I am new here and finding lots of great info. I am 53, recently laid off (again ) in the corporate travel world and now must thing about moving out of the US earlier than I was for retirement. My question is I can cash out a house/condo and all furnishings., leaving me with about 600.00 a month spending for 7 years. Then My SS check would start and then I would have approx 1000.00 a month plus approx 200.00 to 400.00 per month form my 410k. Is this enough to live on. I am sinlge, do not drink or smoke and really have simple needs. Anyone out there that can maybe advise me ! thanks, Randy Farrell

[suspirar]

Yes, you can survive on $600 per month.

[jhm680]

Hello,

I know you get MUST get this all the time on these Forums but what can I say. I have read a lot about Ecuador and I plan on visiting in October and staying for 90 or 180 days. I prefer 180 and am now working on getting the necessary Visa for that. I am staying so long because I want to see if Ecuador is for me and I am for Ecuador.

Since graduating college 26 years ago I have been employed in the cruise industry and some of you might recognize me when you see me as I worked for a few of the Mass Marketed Cruise Lines for years before moving into the Luxury Cruise Lines. I started out on the Cruise Staff and am now a Cruise Director. It has been a wonderful way to see the world and meet so many interesting people as I truly enjoy what I do. However, it is time for me to move on and I have enjoyed my Latin Passengers so much so I have decided to see if their corner of the planet is for me.

My main concern is housing as I hate staying in hotels for extended periods of time because I eat a strict diet and need to prepare my own food. So I would love to hear some thoughts on housing and how to do it reasonably. I will be getting off the ship in Lima (Callao), Peru in October and spending a few days there visiting some friends and then heading to Ecuador. I will need a 2 Bedroom apartment with 2 Bathrooms because my mom who is 74 plans on visiting me for some time when I get there. Also, if somebody could provide me information on Pharmacies because my mom takes a few pills and I need to see if she should get enough for her stay or can buy some when she gets there if she runs out.

Thanks, in advance for any advice you might want to provide.

[suspirar]

The chance that your mom's medication is available in Ecuador is probably 97% or higher. Pharmacies offer the Gardasil HPV shot, so they probably carry you mom's medication.

Finding a place stay in a place with a kitchen for only a short time can be hard. For something like that, it is best to have lots of informal contacts. You can make friends through couchsurfing.com or Hospitality Club. However, you would use the sites to get info, not to get a free night on a couch. You'll have to do lots of networking on the Internet before you get to your destination in Ecuador.

Be careful about the tap water. It is good is some place and bad in other places. You can have differences in water quality within the same city.

[jhm680]

Originally Posted by suspirar

The chance that your mom's medication is available in Ecuador is probably 97% or higher. Pharmacies offer the Gardasil HPV shot, so they probably carry you mom's medication.

Finding a place stay in a place with a kitchen for only a short time can be hard. For something like that, it is best to have lots of informal contacts. You can make friends through couchsurfing.com or Hospitality Club. However, you would use the sites to get info, not to get a free night on a couch. You'll have to do lots of networking on the Internet before you get to your destination in Ecuador.

Be careful about the tap water. It is good is some place and bad in other places. You can have differences in water quality within the same city.

No couch surfing for me, been there done that. My stay would be SIX months as I am planning on spending all of my leave in Ecuador and then flying to Europe for my last contract which is six months. I want to use the six months to see if Ecuador and me are a match. I do have some contacts in Ecuador (primarily ex passengers) I am going to work those and the other contacts you mentioned.

The other issue I have to address is a Visa because I think you can only stay 90 days per calendar year, but that seems relatively easy, but what seems so easy can in reality get very complicated in that part of the world.

The water issue is IMPORTANT and thanks for mentioning it. When I am on a ship I always drink bottled water and our tap water is very purified so I have NO resistance to bad water. LOTS to consider and thanks for replying.

[suspirar]

Yes, you only get 90 days free. You can purchase another visa to extend your stay. Here are some resources that may help you:

Location of immigration-related offices throughout Ecuador:
DIRECCION NACIONAL DE MIGRACION - Dónde estamos ubicados

Ecuadorian consulates in Peru:
Embajada de Ecuador en Perú
They have visa info under Informacion Consular -> Servicios Consulares -> Visas.

There is an Eucadorian consulate in Lima.

There is an Ecuadorian consulate in Tumbes:
Sra. María del Pilar Pineda
Dirección: Jr. Bolivar 129, 3er Piso Plaza Mayor - Tumbes
E-mail: consultum@speedy.com.pe
Teléfax: (51) 072 525-949

The is another Ecuadorian consulate in Piura:
Sr. Juan Quezada Quezada
Dirección: Av. Chirichigño 505 y Federico Elguero
E.mail: consulado_de_ecuador@speedy.com.pe
Telefax: (51) 073 308-027

Ecuadorian consulates in Colombia:
CONSULADO DE ECUADOR EN CALI
Cl 19 # 2N-29 Edif Torre De Cali
Colombia - Valle del Cauca, Cali
Phones : (57) (2) 6604085

CONSULADO DE ECUADOR- MEDELLÍN
Cl 47 # 80-27
Colombia - Antioquia, Medellín
Phones : (57) (4) 2508656

Ecuadorian consulates in the USA:
Embajada de Ecuador en Washington, DC

[janniem]

I would like to suggest checking out the website
Living in Ecuador: An Insider's Guide to the Good Life
Gary and Linda offer a bunch of information and have been able to suggest houses and apartments to rent in the Cotacachi area. I think I've learned more from them than spending hours on the internet.......and they're really nice people too.

Jan