COUNTRIES THAT ARE REALLY COOL & REALLY CHEAP! (Portugal, Thailand, Ecuador & more!)
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- čas přidán 7. 09. 2024
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Unless something drastic happens politically or economically, Ecuador is our permanent home. We plan to spend at least 6 months per year in Ecuador for the rest of our lives. It's our Plan A and we hope to get our citizenship next year.
However, we also want to diversify our residency so we have a Plan B in case something really bad happens and we need to leave Ecuador (returning to the USA is Plan Z).
That's why we've been researching other countries and sharing that research with you. There are A LOT of fantastic places to live that offer a higher quality of life for a lower cost of living than the USA!
In this video, we share 10 cheap countries where a couple can live a high quality lifestyle on less than $2,000 per month. You would need $6K to $10K to live like this in the United States!
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I live in Chapala, ajijic..btw....
I lived in the Czech Republic for almost three years. Prague is very different from the rest of the country, just like New York is different from the rest of America. The costs in Prague are outrageous. However, there are charming, inexpensive and less crowded towns just outside of Prague like Kutna Hora, Pilsen, Czesky Krumlov, and Hradec Kralove. It's great to stay in these more laid back, less expensive locations and simply take a bus or train to Prague whenever you want to visit.
I visited CZ 2019, my Grandma was born there but left as a child a few years before
Czechoslovakia gained independence from the A H empire. Otherwise, I would be eligible for citizenship. 😢 I would like to retire there from US. How were you able to stay that long? Student?
I was a teacher and then worked for local government.
I'm glad Colombia made the list. The healthcare system in Colombia is one of the world's best. The World Health Organization ranks it as the 22nd most efficient in the world, above Canada, the United States, and Australia.
Plus they have the most birds of any country. That's pretty cool.🦜
How about the Caribbean??? Belize, Panama, etc etc?????
I'm from Portugal but don't like Europe at all.
There is a difference between being efficient and effective.
True. But if the system is not efficient enough to get you seen by a professional, there is no chance of it being effective, especially if you die while waiting. Efficient precedes effective.
HI JP and Amelia, I am a French Canadian and I have received my Ecuadorian nationality on Dec 16th, 2019. I am soo proud to be at the same level of all my ecuadorian friends and proud to show my new cedula indicating Nacionalidad: ecuatoriana. If I can give you an advise, learn by heart, the national anthem. In the Spanish test, there are questions about politicians, date of holidays, etc...I was asked to write the national anthem, this was easy because I love the song. My stress was very high level and for nothing. If you study well, it will be easy..Good Luck.
Gracias! Y felicidades! 🥳🇪🇨
Medellin is definitely at 365 spring weather. Bogota gets 40 degree weather at night. Their heating system is blanket on top of mire blankets. Personally I love Medellin!
The Philippines is a great country for USA ex-pats as well. Good health care, easy to get around, plenty of English speakers and you can rent a three bedroom house in Manila for around 250 USD per month. Lovely people, great food, lots to do, and a country where you can hang out in the mountains or just chill on a beach. With a little over 3000 USD per month life time income I actually rate in the top 10% of wage earners there.
So happy to see Peru on this list, it gets overlooked, a lot, as a place to live. There's a whole new generation with serious dedication and serious education, medical, engineering, law, just launching their careers here. It will have a huge positive impact on the country and hopefully alleviate some of the pesky problems of living here. Super food, nice people, culture, it's a great country. I agree, a back up/2nd country option is probably good planning. Dying to revisit Ecuador soon. Thank you!
Peru is the other half of my heart!
Most South American countries are overlooked in general. Paraguay and Uruguay are both great countries to consider as well.
@@rebeccacarter1914 So do I !!!❤
My wife is from Peru we are currently in the process of having our house built in ica. I love going there . Peru my second home !!
I visited both Peru and Ecuador this year on separate trips. Both gorgeous countries with the most amazing people. I preferred Peru. Between my beginner Spanish, and their more than adequate English, communication was easy. Cheers!
Wages haven't kept up with inflation at all in the US, yet Powell stated that he was trying to lower wages and increase unemployment with a hawkish stance on increasing interest rates. The real problem is corporate greed, it's becoming less and less affordable to live here and that's on purpose! Sheesh! Anyway, I enjoy escaping to Ecuador on your channel and I am considering moving abroad next year or at least slow travelling through inexpensive countries to see where I'd like to live. Thanks for all you do!
I find it interesting that the fed blames the hot job market for inflation, but never mentions all the money they printed for a decade nor all the Corp bond purchases that allowed corporations to buy back their own stock and pay themselves big bonuses on the taxpayer dime. Or the fact that oil companies are allowed to price gouge and earn record profits while people starve. No. None of that has anything to do with inflation. It’s people working too much. Makes total sense. 😏
they could reduce demand and inflation by making big tax hikes on the richest, even temporarily, rather than throwing people at the bottom out of work by creating a recession
Unfortunately, wages in Ecuador are worse than in the U.S.
Inflation is going to drop faster than wages when recession/depression hits. Let's hope for a major recession so our money goes further and we regain some of the wealth lost to inflation. A lot of things are going to be on sale soon in the USA, so enjoy.
@@juuskanda 70% tax rates under Eisenhower, and that's the "great" age of America that so many rigid old folks seem to idolize.
70% upper tax limit and zero exemptions on Solcial Security works for me.
I, too, am a little surprised that you did not include the Philippines. Low cost of living, English, speaking, friendly people, great food, beautiful beaches, and mountains, waterfalls and such. I lived there seven years as a young man in the 1970s… I’m planning to move there next year again in my 70s.
I guess we should not be too surprised since the Philippines is supposed to be one of the countries most affected by global warming. I retired to Dauis, Bohol, Philippines three years ago and I am very happy here, but after typhoon Odette/Rai there was no power in our area for three weeks and some areas in Bohol didn't have power fully restored for four months. (Historically Bohol rarely gets directly hit by typhoons since most pass to the north. The last storm in Bohol comparable to Odette was typhoon Nitang/Ike in 1984.) But, I now have a 8 KW solar set up that cost around $13,000 so power outages and electric bills are no longer a concern.
It’s a huge turn off in the Philippines to see these beautiful young women with these old decrepit American/Canadian men. They go there with their crummy little social security checks, that couldn’t afford them a boarding house room in the US. They then use their meager money to take advantage of women living in poverty.
It’s sickening.
I loved my visit to Ecuador, but it was really hard to find money. Literally, the ATM's were empty (It was 2016). I Watched the video from start to finish and was surprised you didn't include Costa Rica. I've lived here now for 3.5 years, and you can definitely live here for under $2000 a month (Most Ticos live on much, much less). Pura Vida.
I am surprised you didn't include the Philippines. It is a tropical Asian country with a strong Spanish/American influence. It is very visa friendly and has special visa deals for Americans and American veterans. You can stay there for up to 3 years on a tourist visa followed by a brief border run every 3 years. Because it is cheap and English is widely spoken it is a favorite of expats on a limited budget.
If they would see pictures of Coron, Siargao or Boracay, they would have to revise the whole chart. I met tons of americans and europeans retired in Philippines who stay for a while in Thailand previously.
China would like to buy Phillipines. Taiwan war will start soon .Prepare
and if enough americans move there maybe you can achieve the goal of renting all the houses and making shure no actual local can pay for habitation or any infrastructure. this wont end well
@@goncalodias6402 let’s just say economics was not your favorite class in school. When you have a large group of expats spending their savings and pension plan in your country everything else grows. Including locals income.
@@goncalodias6402 let’s just say economics was not your favorite class in school. When you have a large group of expats spending their savings and pension plan in your country everything else grows. Including locals income.
Hi 👋🏽 I am fully bilingual English/Spanish. I currently live in Los Ángeles and I am 80% sure I will be leaving the States and become a “slow traveler” thru the Latin American Countries within the next two years. However, watching your videos has made that time frame shorter and that percentage higher. Thank you for sharing!
@geotancal I am similar and in San Diego. Wanna travel together and VLOG? 🤭
@@bela-sofia34 hello 👋🏽. What is your timeline? Maybe we can start by sharing plans and brainstorming together. Let me know!
@@geotancal I am totally flexible as I really want to go! I would love to talk to share plans and support one another on our journeys, honestly.
@@bela-sofia34 I’m down let’s compare plans and goals to see if we are a good fit.
@@khuuphotos that’s similar to my timeline. I’m open to sharing ideas.
Hey , I have been living in Peru for almost 12 years and now I going back to Europe and going to live in Portugal! Peru is a really beautiful country, have lived in Lima, Trujillo, Pucalpa and Cajamarca. For myself I loved best Cajamarca since I come from Germany originally (south of Germany) , the landscape made me feel at home. If you get a good insurance here in Peru than you should not have any problems with getting different procedures done.
I grew up in Peru - returned to the US when I was 15 in 1967. I lived 5 years in Lima (Miraflores neighborhood) and 5 years in Piura, in the north of Peru. I really like the Peruvian people and still cook using Aji Amarillo in many of my dishes.
I TOTALLY AGREE with how GREAT LIVING IN Rivas Nicaragua is which is just 25 minutes from the Costa Rica border!! I've been living here on & off for over 13 years - the whole time during covid (where we had NO lockdowns, NO rules - nada & I lost 49 pounds from walking 2-4 hours a day - mainly helping the street dogs.
It's just 25 minutes by Colectivo (shared) taxi from San Juan del Sur so if I'm craving some non-Nica food (not my fav for food) - I just hope in one of them (after they have 4 people total) for just 80-cords/around $2.40 each way - or the bus (which I don't take because that takes an hour on one of those old U.S. school buses!!).
I'm a 65 years young single/solo traveling/living gal & I feel VERY SAFE here - especially in Rivas.
I have an AMAZING massage therapist (& more) for around $15/hour!! I have an AWESOME Chiropractor in San Juan del Sur. Medical care is FREE to ALL - nationals & tourists - though I RARELY have used it all these years. I just got an X-ray of my finger (fell & jammed it) & knee (MANY years of falls) & each was just $25 & the standard doctor visit/consultation in Rivas is around $20.
I have an AMAZING conscious dentist where I had 7 teeth pulled at one time for $20/each but she wouldn't do me until I got my blood pressure down low enough & I had NO swelling, NO bruising, NO bleeding & NO pain!!!
I get around by either walking or "Pepano" - a bike taxi for under $1 within town! You SOOOO do NOT need a vehicle in Rivas or most of Nicaragua & drivers & roads are WAYYYYY BETTER than Costa Rica (where I lived for 13 years [though going back & forth doing the Visa Dance - with NO problems!!!- to Nica all that time]).
& Rivas is the core town to get you around much of the west with the Bus Terminal!!!
I've rented a private room with private bathroom in a Nica families house for $130/month & lived in Hospedaje Hilmor where private rooms with shared bathrooms are just 200-c/$6 a night or starting at $90/month & private room with private bathroom for 2 starting at
With all that said - I recently spent 6 months (Dec.-June) in my FAV city in the WORLD - Mexico City - & WOW have prices gone up a LOT on just about everything (which it has throughout the world).
FYI - I only get $842/month from Social Security which I go through fast - BUT - that's because I devote my time/money to helping street dogs with getting spayed, food, blood tests, medical care/treatment, putting down & more.
My intention now is January-July in Mexico City (though flying out of San Jose, Costa Rica - WAYYYYY CHEAPER!!!) & July-January in Rivas Nicaragua!!!
Great info Sarong Goddess!!
I’m looking for a December - April winter retreat. If my monthly budget is a bit larger than yours, which would you suggest: San Juan del Sur, Grenada, Leon, Rivas, or other?
Much appreciated. All good things…
Amazing. Ty. I live part of the year in Salvador Brazil, and there is crime. In my business we have had Nicaraguan workers who’ve talked about politics and crime. Rivas sounds amazing great comment!
Was waiting for Peru to come up, and happy to see it as #1, I spent a total of two years in Iquitos and a couple of nearby towns. Feels like home to me. Nice people, great food, high-oxygen-content air (so you feel good all the time). Fruits are amazing and you get strong and healthy, like the Peruvians. Plenty of expats to chat with. Will be going back, inshallah, at the soonest possible time.
I lived in Iquitos in the late 70's. What an adventure!
Good video. The only thing I wanted to say about older folks learning Spanish (or any subject), it is true that we don't learn like a sponge like young kids do, but the biggest barrier to adult learning is " lack of motivation." Adult learners need to have a strong reason to even bother trying to learn something new, especially if it's going to cut into other things that they'd rather be doing. I imagine that after the first time they collapse in the town center and can't tel bystanders "where it hurts," or that " my heart pills are in my backpack," that might give them the motivation they need. But one other type of motivation *should* be honoring our Ecuadorian hosts, and being bothered to try to learn at least enough of the local language to be able to handle essential functions when your personal taxi-driver/translator isn't available. Folks who blow off learning at least enough Spanish for things like that don't have any ea of what they're missing out on. Want a discount on something at the Mercado? -- learn how to ask for one in Spanish. Want to make friends with the locals? == learn a little Spanish. Want to ask what aisle the tahini is in? -- learn a little Spanish.
Actually moving to another country was motivation enough for me. I went to teach in Brazil 10 years ago and arrived knowing quite a bit of Portuguese, 9 months later I was conversational. Changed it over to Spanish over the last 10 years.
Agreed. We don't like it when immigrants to the US don't bother learning any English, so of course it's the decent thing to do, to learn a little.
Please consider taking a peek at Paraguay. They have a near instant permanent residency visa, with a bank deposit (currently) of $4500.00, which reportedly can be withdrawn immediately after visa obtained.
Claudia
Where did you get that information from we’d like to know thank you
@17:50 I like the thunder right before announcing the #1 on your list 🇵🇪 PERU.
I have watched dozens of videos on this topic, and yours was my favorite! PLEASE keep doing more videos like this. Congrats on almost being Ecuadorian citizens and thank you so much for generously sharing this research with all of us.
Gracias! Glad you enjoyed it! 😊
Mexico is also a very inexpensive country to live. Lots of ex pat there. I lived there 6 months last year. I broke my foot while there and found their health care system fabulous.
One of my second cousins lived in Ecuador while he work in the Nigerian off-shore oil fields. He married an Ecuadorian woman. After he retired he moved back to the States and I will see him for the first time since he has been back in a few days. One of the questions I am going to ask him is why he moved back.
US Expat living in Denmark. Thanks for your videos....I moved to Europe in 1980 on business and never returned AND never missed it for one minute. Of all the countries on your list the most interesting for myself would be Portugal.
As a teenager I spent a summer in Peru, fantastic people.
Good for you, Joseph Jahn!
Hi there. Love your channel. Canadian chiming in. It is really shocking that two educated Americans have to leave their first world country and move to a third world country to ensure a happy, healthy quality of life….that pretty much sums up the state of the USA at this time, very sad. Really look forward to your video 🇨🇦👍🏻
Corrupt governments and central banks are ruining the lives of its own citizens by their stupid and irresponsible actions
Ecuador is a developing country, but it is actually pretty modern, and not what most people imagine when they say a Third World Country. Haiti might qualify, but in Colombia, Peru and Ecuador you might find life to be arguably better in some ways than in Canada. Maybe you should visit.
@@danspencer4235 I was referring to the USA not Ecuador.
Thank you for the information. I will most definitely need to move out of the US eventually due to cost of living.
You're not alone. A lot of people will have to leave, and a lot already have for that reason.
I love Peru! Have made 5 trips there over the years. Also 1 trip to Ecuador many years ago and loved it as well. My wife and I are deciding how we want to spend our retirement and Ecuador is high on our list. Love your channel!
The 'beach' for Bolivia is over the mountains in Arica, Chile. Besides the beach, Arica has an "earthquake-proof" cast iron church designed by Gustave Eifel, the tower guy which is well worth the visit.
That sounds cool!
we chose Portugal and couldn’t be happier!
I appreciate the effort you both put into the videos. Your constant research pays off with these update videos. God bless you both with continued health and joy.
I met my lovely wife in Peru 20 years ago. We go back there as often as we can. I can't enough about Peru I love it there. We are currently having a house built in ica. Peru my second home
Healthcare in Nicaragua While traveling in Nicaragua with a group of my students, one of them needed to visit the emergency room. After all the tests and treatments where done and the prescription medicine was given out, a four hour visit cost a whopping $64(US). That was at the best private clinic in Granada. The doctor and staff were courteous and helpful. 👍
Wow!! Your channel has gotten huge! I haven’t seen a video in over a year. Really happy for you two. I went to Ecuador and Colombia. I prefer Colombia and am heading back very soon to spend some quality time. Bravo on the channel. 😊
I stayed in Portugal awhile, it's definitely a nice place! Generally honest people too.
Moved to Lisbon in July 2021...LOVE IT!!
We just traveled to Portugal and walked the Camino. The people were super friendly and the food was great. The Portugal cakes for breakfast are the bomb. lol
Hi! We are from the USA and now live on the island of Madeira in Portugal. Look us up when you get here. It'll be fun!
Have a wonderful day
Alan and Leslie
Hi guys Ecuadorian here great list. So happy to hear about the citizenship.
I don't know we're y'all are but,if ever need anything in Quito, me and my family are happy to help you ❤️
Blessings
You omit some important details, like visas and taxes. As with India, you cannot just easily move to Vietnam, for instance. There is no retirement visa or other long-term visa available there, and the tourist visa is quite short at 30 days, although it can be extended to 60 or 90 days, IIRC. Colombia is easy to get into, but they do not have a tax treaty with the US, and their taxes can be quite high. Ecuador, OTOH, does not tax foreign-sourced income, and is very easy to get a visa long term. And with respect to Peru, many places suffer from extremely high water stress and low water quality and availability, like Lima and Arequipa. Colombia has the the least water stress in SA, if memory serves, followed by Ecuador. This is an important consideration when you understand that many places like those in Peru and Chile are forecast to have terrible water issues within just 5-10 years. Thailand is a very population expat destination, but daaayyyum, it’s hotter than hell there (just look at weatherspark or accuweather). Cambodia suffers the same issue. Portugal is great on many fronts, but it is becoming more and more expensive, and what you’ll get for your money there is a lot less than in Ecuador or in other SA/LA countries. And FWIW, Prague is not nearly as cold as Denver is, where you’re from. I love your videos, and have watched many of them, but I think these things I’ve mentioned deserve a place here. It’s not all just about the healthcare, beaches, hiking, food, the currency used, the weather, etc. Those are all important, obviously, but there are other things.
I am living in Thailand and yes it is pretty hot. As a retiree it is a nice change for me after living in the cold and foggy San Francisco Bay Area. The evenings are wonderful.
If heading to Portugal look into going to Quarteira in the Algarve. We were there for 3 months and LOVED it. We head out on our next adventure on the 4th of July and we will be in Thailand for over 1 month. On another note, my wife and I started watching you both when we first started thinking about retiring and traveling the world. We appreciated the information you provided and you have encouraged us along the way. Ecuador in on our list for 2024 and are thinking of going there for 4-6 months. We would love to promote your channel as we start putting videos out there to try and encourage others to watch and follow the channels that have helped us and yours is one of them. Please let me know if this is ok with you all before, we do that. Safe travels to you both.
PERU!!!!!!!!!! You guys HAVE TO come here to Tarapoto, I would personally take you everywhere...San Martin Province is the greatest....It's the jungle life for me!
Nice perspective!!! Portugal is nice, but the ocean might be a bit cold there. The people are nice and the towns are very beautiful as well.
Great video. Haven't commented in a few weeks. Officially launching 12 May 2023. Plan to swing through Australia and South East Asia first. Then Mexico and Central/South America the following year. Sharing your video on my Facebook. You two are the OGs for expat videos for Minnie and I. We want others to see how many countries we can live in for Under 2k a month. Thank you for the video....
I'm taking my whole family to Thailand and Cambodia in November. I've been there many times, but this is the first time for the whole family. The food is awesome, and the temples are amazing!
COLOMBIA 🇨🇴 is Amazing!! I sure know!!
Free advice is worth the price you pay. So surprised that there are so many comments here that suggest otherwise. Thanks for your thoughts.
All I can say about Thailand is look into the burn season. It also an issue in Cambodia,Vietnam, Laos, etc. It lasts about 3-5 months depending on the country.
Im not the same without my Amelia and JP fix! Once again you guys knocked out of the Park! Live you guys and your Gift🎥
Gracias!
Interesting list! Thanks for the research! Ecuador just sounds too much like paradise!
A few years ago, I spent a week in Ostrava, Czech Republic. Wonderful place!
Thank you for the video. My wife is from Thailand, and I have a lot of family reasons to move there, and the country and people are awesome! Healthcare is awesome too! However, I find the government to not be immigrant friendly. As I understand it, a farang (foreigner) will never have permanent residence unless they live there for more than 10 years, speak and write Thai, and get permission from the King. So, for us regular people, we will have to get a new visa every year, and check in 3 times a year with immigration until we leave or die. If retiring, you will be required to have private health insurance, which can get quite expensive. With a marriage visa there is not an insurance requirement presently, but I suspect that will change. They do have some new business visas for 5 years, for a price, but my understanding is they are not permanent residence visas. I could be wrong, and they could have changed the laws there, but this is my understanding presently. Compare that to Ecuador...visa for 24 months and apply for permanent residence in 21 months! Sorry Thailand, but in my opinion Ecuador wins hands down. We were in Cuenca a few months ago and loved it. The warm people and cool weather can't be beat. I started the immigration process, so sometime in the future, I hope my wife will open a restaurant and offer some great Thai food in Cuenca!
Great informational video Amelia and JP. I am currently living in Thailand, on a one year Non-O (i.e. marriage/thai family) visa, and agree the immigration process is very cumbersome. But it's a burden worth putting up with for living here. The visa process is a bit antiquated requiring numerous paper documents, in duplicate, along with (in my case) pictures of my wife and I posing in front of our house (with house number visible), sitting on our bed, etc. (I'm not joking). Technically you don't need a "new" visa every year but you will be required to apply for a one year "extension". But the paperwork required is the same when I initially applied....to include more pictures of my wife and I. To add another frustrating point, each immigration office may have their own interpretation of what is required. Also, a retirement visa will require 800k thai baht (~$22k USD) in a Thai bank for at least 3 months prior to applying (400k for a Non-O marriage/thai family). If you can put up with the frustration of immigrations and the visa process, Thailand is a great place to live.
Yes Randall, farangs are never really accepted. Go where you are treated best.
I have been living and married in Thailand for 5 years. You cannot get permanent residence unless you have worked here and paid taxes for 3 years. If you retire here on a non-immigrant O visa (married or single) and extend yearly then there is no insurance requirement. There is a requirement to check in with Immigration every time you spend a continuous 90 days in the country. You can now do this online during a 21 day time window. This video is about cheap places to live but since September 1st there is a new 10-year Long Term Resident visa for retirees with a pension income of $80,000/yr. There is also the Elite Visa program. It is expensive but you can get 5, 10, and 20 year visas.
@@martypoll Thank you Martin! I appreciate the information. I wish you the best there! Thailand has a lot to offer, and I enjoy my visits there. It just doesn't work for me, but I hope it still works for a lot of people.
Good to know. Peru (the Andes) has impressed me the most. Lovely people, delicious cuisine, breathtaking views. But ... that was 30 years ago, before it became a popular tourist attraction! I've followed you guys from the very beginning, while you were waiting in a Cuenca hotel for your luggage to arrive. Haven't seen you in a while. I've noticed how Equador has changed you: Amelia, you're more confident and look so sophisticated and pretty, and JP, well, you're one handsome dude!
If anyone comes to Chile I can give them a few pointers and show them around. I speak spanish fluently.
I'm a semi retired Canadian that has lived in Lima for years and currently live in a very sunny part of northern Peru and it really is very affordable. I'm surprised you guys never mentioned the quality of the cuisine here, it's world class with 2 restaurants in Lima ranking on the top 10 on the world's 50 best restaurants list and Lima has 2 restaurants in 1st and 2nd place on the list of latin america's 50 best restaurants apart from plenty more in the top 50. A lot of well travelled tourists tend to agree that it has the best cuisine in latin america.
Private health care is extremely affordable, quick to attend and the medical professionals are far more competent than the medical professionals in Vancouver Canada.
I paid about 15 USD total to remove two wisdom teeth with xray and everything without insurance, back home they would have charged me 150 usd per tooth not including x-ray.
Cosmetic surgery in an affluent neighborhood in lima where english is spoken is generally 1/3 the cost of the US but the cost in the middle class neighborhoods is lower albeit spanish may be needed.
Love it here. In the upper middle class parts of lima you can get around with just english as the locals are usually highly educated and it's very safe in this area as long as you stay in the affluent districts.
Thanks for sharing! 👍
A molar extraction in US, is $450. ; what city, area are you in? Good info. Gal in Cuenca, visiting Peru/world rated #1 restaurant at over $100. Peru is intreging. When I see Peru I never see any trees. Thanks.
@@BPe-ie9je Oof that's a lot. I'm currently in Piura Peru which is the closest major city to Ecuador but all my price examples are for Lima.
Enjoy Central, it's a great long experience, owned by a lovely young couple, Virgilio Martinez and Pia Leon, Pia was rated best female chef in the world last year and she has a great restaurant next door too called kjolle, both are so worth the trip to Lima.
Most of Peru has plenty of trees, it just so happens most of the major cities are located on the desert which is along the entire coast.
@@BPe-ie9je Piura has trees and Peru is the second amazonian country only after Brasil, but the largest population centers are in the coast which is desert.
Prague isn't cheap anymore. Many people there earn really good money, you won't find an apartment for the same kind of prices as Ecuador. A beautiful city, but nowhere in Europe is cheap. Maybe still Sofia, Bulgaria, but I have not been back in a few years. Portugal isn't cheap either nowadays, 2k a month is livable, but only just. Thailand is still a fair shout, but it has has a strengthening Baht that has meant many old Brits and Germans who retired there years ago are very close to broke now
You have to look further than the obvious nowadays for really good cheap living
I have been looking at these countries, very appealing to me on many levels.
My friend moved to Nicaragua just recently and he's there for good loves it.
Hi guys,,Well we made it after 8 years and we’re now in our 3rd week in Ecuador.We stayed at Otorongo for a few days then shuttled down to Vilcabamba where we stayed at Izhcayluma with old friends Peter and Raik. We have now been here officially one week and settled into our “Roundhouse” about an20 minute walk into town ….owned by an expat and enjoying once again the ambient sounds of the countryside..We were originally going to stay 3 months but have decided to stay 6 with options of getting retirement visas before our time is up..Thanks for all you do and you certainly were instrumental in reigniting my love for this beautiful country.
Great! 🥳
Rent prices in Lisbon and Porto have sky rocketed recently. Sadly I’m having to leave 😢
Hi Folks I’m a new subscriber and enjoy listening to your informative videos. I’m a New Yorker who has a home in Salvador Brazil, an amazing city, in what I think is a remarkable country! Having said that there is crime, in my 27 years of going I’ve seen one incident. My Uber driver got car jacked (luckily we were not yet in the car :). We just returned from Portugal a country we’re eyeing depending on our politics here in US, a great trip and country and people (not as happy a people as the Brazilians :). I think you did mention it seemed most everyone speaks English, or enough to get by. One suggestion, you also talked up Nicaragua, which is very unsafe, has a strong arm President, even Americans have been wrongfully detained. The US State Dept issues and updates Travel Advisories. Overall love your station, glad I found it. Thank you for bringing the world a little closer to our fellow Americans most of whom don’t travel outside our borders. 👍
have you looked into getting Spanish citizenship next? per my understanding, once you get Ecuadoran citizenship, you qualify for fast-track naturalization there after just 2 years of residency during which time you could easily cross over to Portugal or France - no border controls in Schengen area. a Spain ID card would let you live/work in any EU country. Spain's passport is among the strongest in the world! (FYI: Schengen area ≠ EU ≠ eurozone)
We have discussed it, but we can’t apply for EC citizenship until next March so we haven’t researched it.
@@AmeliaAndJP per my understanding, if you go to Spain to establish your residency, you could then cross the *open* Portuguese border to visit Josh & Kalie (ExpatsEverywhere) & all that time counts toward the 2 years. i've been there, Spain/Portugal, most recently in 2004. the border is totally uncontrolled between Schengen states. just like driving from Texas to Oklahoma!
btw, the citizenship would be Spain. one can only be an EU citizen by being a citizen of an EU member state. [UK citizens who lack additional citizenship in a current EU country, ergo, are *former* EU citizens - many northern Irish who wanted to keep EU citizen status went to the Republic of Ireland to easily get that citizenship due to Brexit]
Surprised you missed Malaysia which is #1 for Nomad Capitalist and a perennial fave in Int'l Living, because it's English-speaking, inexpensive, developed, high-standards, and friendly, with lots of beaches, islands & mountains or developed city vibes. With truly world-class private medical facilities plus my fave: NO income tax or tax filing. Gas costs USD 48-cents a gallon (as it's rich in oil & gas) and electricity is cheap too. There's many luxurious or std condos to rent or buy at bargain prices. U can find anything u want to buy. And its entire infrastructure is superb like that of neighboring Singapore.
Food is excellent & varied as fresh produce grows year-round in the whole region, and Penang Malaysia was ranked #1 worldwide for best food by Conde Nast Traveler.
Ultra-cheap car insurance, gas, property tax, utilities, condo fees, etc, and everyone is fully fluent in English which is the official language for contracts & government, being a former British colony.
Where do you find the 48 cents/gallon price? Every source I looked placed it much higher at 45 cents/liter, which makes it 1,7 dollars for a gallon. Which is still very cheap for some one living with a western salary
@@tracidvoyager That's right too. There's two-tiered pricing at the pump for permanent residents versus others like foreigners and working expats etc. There's also talk that wealthier residents may have to buy the more expensive, taxed gas soon.
Do you have dialysis centers here?
@@aplusdiva7006 I don't know but I expect there'd be good ones available at private clinics & hospitals whenever you need. There are many topnotch private healthcare facilities available, as Singapore-Malaysia-Thailand are a medical tourism hub for SE Asia as well as for Brits & Europeans who can't wait for or trust their own govt-run healthcare.
@@caronridge6912 Thanks for your response
And yes, I have been in all, and even after Ian, I am staying in Florida!
Feedback on your list. I am entering my 9th year of living in Cambodia, and have had a wonderful experience here. Of significant importance to me is the overhead represented by governments in the countries I chose to live in. I have found the Cambodian government excellent to work with. As far as visas are concerned, no problem, I simply go to the local travel agent and give them my passport, pay the fee, approx $300, and in a few days I pick up my passport with new visa. That alone should put Cambodia near the top of your list. I also lived for 7 year in Thailand and the government overhead and incompetence is horrendous there. That is enough to inspire me to never enter the country again. My last visit, a year or 2 ago, I stayed 3 months and rented an space to that time. The landlord refused to give me my deposit back, and I left that apartment in better condition then when I arrived. Also I had to get a visa extension and it took most of the day sitting and waiting for my extension. I consider that incompetence, and Cambodia is just so, so much easier to handle these types of things. People refer to the Thai as having smiles and sweet lips. I add and a black heart, and I have had a large number of experiences to verify my judgement. Check out English, Thai news sites and notice the increasing violence against foreigners in the country, including shootings and murders. My favorite annoyance is that all expats must report their address on a monthly basis which I find unnecessary.
Also, I spent excessive time, over several years, researching Portugal and was committed to moving their. However, the Portuguese embassy in Bangkok, was rude to work with and never once answered my emails related to obtaining a visa. I complained on the internet and several other people verified my complaint. To make matters worse, one can not go to Portugal to initiate the residency process. On top of that, in my opinion, the Portuguese Government overhead is completely over the top. By the way, the water everywhere in Portugal is cold, cold cold. In the Algarve, I thought i could escape that problem by going to the far east location right next to Spain. The water there, on the hottest days, at best will reach a temp of 60's F.
Even Italy suffers from that problem, on the shores of the Abruzzo province, in the summer the water can reach 68 F. Oh, while the Algarve and Lisbon are the pop culture favorites these day, Abruzzo, Italy offer an unparalleled beauty. It is ranked as the cleanest, greenest area of Europe. Get this, 30 to 40 minutes to ski or sea. Check it out. I have been considering getting my Italian citizenship via my grandfather, but with the war in Europe a wild card and put that on the back burner. My #1 choice is Panama, which for some unknown reason is not on your list. Panama is ranked #1, ahead of Portugal, on several list. I will head to Panama, after my home in Bangkok sales. That is a whole other Thai nightmare enmeshed with Thai property law and scams perpetrated by Thai women on unsuspecting expats. I look forward to your answer regarding Panama. You two are my favorites and I respect your quality work. With Ecuador, I am impressed with the quality of there towns and cities. Are they as good as your videos indicate or is it a matter of great editing?
For what period of time is your $300 visa renewal
The Thai address reporting is every 90 days. The new website is finally pretty good and you can do it online in a few minutes. It does seem unnecessary though. The time to get my 1 year extension in Bangkok immigration is variable but I've never spent more than 1/2 day there. Everyone's experience is different but I find this the safest place I've ever lived (compared to the San Francisco Bay Area) and the other expats I know would say the same.
We are currently living in the mountains of Matagalpa, Nicaragua. To us the main downside is heat/humidity, even here in the mountains. We just love cool weather more than most. We lived in Costa Rica before and have family there, but it is so similar to Nicaragua…at twice the cost. Not sure why anyone would go to CR.
For major medical there are two very good hospitals in Managua, but some expats go to Medellin for serious stuff.
We are slow traveling in search of our favorite retirement city….. Xela, Guatemala is our next stop !
Only seasoned travelers should consider frontier countries like Cambodia, Nicaragua, Bolivia. Quite a culture shock. Vietnam is on hold until they start issuing longer visas, only 30 day tourist visas since reopening in March 2022, and they have never offered retirement visas. Monthly visa runs doesn't cut it.
I lived in Bolivia for about 5 years and consider there my home away from home. Nevertheless, there are two sides of Bolivia and mostly you referred to Altiplano, La Paz´s one. The other side is absolutely the opposite of those mountains, Santa Cruz de La Sierra´s. Both are equally beautiful. But as I said, different. I just missed my other home in the list. Though I understand why you have not mentioned it, I am quite inclined to say once you come and see it for what it is closely, you can be surprised ;). I would recommend visiting Minas and São Paulo countryside on a first visit. Cheers guys! Much love from São Paulo.
For English speakers, will be a big issue in Bolivia? I heard the cost of living is very reasonable there, correct?
We've been looking into moving to the Prague area. I've been doing research and am happy to see that they allow disabled people to move there. So many countries have bans on the disabled even vacationing let alone living there.
As a US citizen, we don't really know much about living elsewhere in the world. We generally speak only one language. I personally want to feel safe wherever I go. I lived in Spain for several short periods. I only felt comfortable in one location, but I found the women there especially generous. If I gave a two different women a compliment, one on her lipstick color, the other on her earrings, I learned they wanted they give me both those products. Luckily I took new jewelry sets from the US when I traveled there and was flabbergasted of the generosity and thankful I could do something nice for the gift giver as well. The one gifting me with the pearl earrings I repaid as I could with a brand new in the box necklace and earrings. Probably not comparable but I sure was surprised by the generosity. The one who insisted I take her "second" lipstick copy, I was able to share a coffee and chocolate treat in one of the nicest chocolatier establishments in Marbella. I'm old now. I still imagine living near the equator. I certainly depend on good health care, wellness care, plastic surgeries as desired etc. I don't want to feel isolated. and alone. My daughter in Texas visits me once a year and I reciprocate when I'm able.
I would like to find a warm place where I don't ever have to shiver or have cold toes or fingers. I would like to jump in water up to my shoulders and just exercise in the comfortable water once or twice a day. My recommendation to you is to consider telling us how we can better reduce our carbon footprint and save the world for the next generations.
Great comment.
I’ve never heard you speak to the VAT, though you talk about a number of countries where it applies.
Great list but I also would have added Mexico, The Philippines, Brazil, Argentina, Belize, Chile, Uruguay, and Puerto Rico.
Haha, We’re huge fans of Robin Williams, laughter was had, thx for sharing your experiences.
The fascination of Thailand is the very unique culture and people, though you can live here and never scratch beneath the surface...
Turkey is also a good choice. From a financial perspective almost certainly less expensive than the Czech Republic.
You guys are great! I especially like JP's haircut. I was surprised that Mexico was not on your list. I know that you have spent time there. What kept it off of the list?
I been retired in Thailand for 5 years. I'm married and we are currently building a house. I can definitely recommend this country for travel and/or retirement. I've been living in Bangkok and it is an exciting modern city that also hasn't lost it's Thainess. It is relatively inexpensive in Bangkok, cheaper in the smaller cities, and very cheap in the countryside. Thailand has great health care and beautiful temples. It is hot and very hot. It has great beaches and mountains. It has a very different culture since it has never been colonized by the western powers. It doesn't really have jungles. I saw jungle (as we learned it from TV) in Malaysia and there is little of that in most of Thailand but it is still beautiful and has many national parks. Plan your trip around the many interesting festivals. Cost of retirement here? I you want a comfortable and good standard of living then $2000/month is a good number to consider plus that is about the income the immigration department wants you to have to retire here long term.
You guys left out Panama and Argentina. All and all, great video
Need somewhere to spend my east coast winter this year.
Having a tough time deciding between Ecuador and Colombia.
The women in Colombia wow but be careful lolo
Colombia has a wonderful music festival in the first half of January (Cartagena). Food is muy cheap but hard to find good rentals under $40 a day. And of course Cuenca has those friday night concerts. So try both Colombia and Ecuador.
I would recomend Brazil. Specially the states on northeast shore. 2000 usd could provide you a high midle class there. The climate and weather is nice every year, there are plentys of amazing beaches and you can get the public healthy system.
I agree
Best places to live in Lima, Peru? Miraflores and Barranco
I disagree about the health care in Nicaragua. Vivian Pellas hospital in Managua. Johns Hopkins affiliated. The other private hospitals use the same medical groups and surgeons.
Thank you JP & Amellia for such good info. Could you tell me if there is Petro/Refinery type work or Automation/Robotics work in Equador? ( I taught college level) Trades Union workers before that. We're ready to move from America, citizen ship along the way when we retire in 2yrs. Pre planing as I don't think we will be able to stay in this country for 2yrs. Curious about the work there. We certainly want to be a blessing to Equador & educate as many as we can with skills. Complement the country as we wish to call Equdaor home. All our friends have left to Mexico, Equador, Columbia etc. Latin America. They love it!!!!! We've been international so there's no culture shock for us. We miss Latin America so much.......the fresh food & warm hearted people.
Thank you for this list, it is interesting and informative.
I love your vids guys you are a well vibed lady and a happy gent I am convinced to go and make a new life in Ecuador
Thanks, very informative .Only I was down to trying to decide between Panama and Ecuador, now I'm thinking Peru and Columbia should be looked at more thoroughly also.
British Columbia?, or Columbia, South Carolina?
ColOmbia
Greetings from Indio, Ca. Great video. All these countries have a variety of climates. I loved Cuenca weather - we were there last August. Singapore is a cool city to be an expst - very comfotasble and safe but not cheap.
We, Dutch and Canadian, live on a farm in Nicaragua for the past 8 yrs, we live on a budget of USD1200 to USD1500, we agree very safe, easy to travel, health care is the best I went to the Military Hospital and had 3 stints placed for USD13000. Militiary hospital is rated Diamond Cat by Canadian Govt. So no I didn't have to go to Costa Rica.
Great! Thanks for sharing!
Latin America, I would also be looking as low cost rent in places around Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay.
In Uruguay, I heard wealthy Argentines are migrating there,, due to laissez-faire fiscal policies. Lots of new construction in Punta Del Este.
In Paraguay, they are extending the red carpet to Brazilian Industrialists, as a their version of Maquila 2.0
Brazil, the largest influx of expats is bound to Florianopolis, SC , on the Southern part of the Country, given it's climate,, and economic outlook, being the state an industrious one.
Sao Paulo, albeit unexpensive to expats, it still way more pricier than most are willing to spend on rent. Rio, public safety is a calamity, even for locals.
My wife and I are planning retirement to Portugal in about 3 years. I'd like to see more of Europe before I pass and Portugal has an easy path to citizenship. Of course, the Portuguese language is going to be more difficult to pick. We had been thinking about retiring to Ecuador, but Portugal just seems to have a stronger pull ... My mom and dad were missionaries to Vietnam, and I want to go back and visit but not sure about living there.
but I read you don't have to pass the language exam as a retiree right, and Portugal has a lot of english a second language speakers
Portugal here: Take your money and run into the other direction. Housing prices have exploded in the past year. You won't be able to get anything decent for less than 1000 euros per month. Nothing is cheap here anymore.
@@dan_kay thanks for the heads up
@@dan_kay What disappointing news. I read about escalating prices in Portugal recently on an expat site. It was too good to last, too many people moving there.
@@mnob1122
It is so bad at the moment, that the universities don't know how to fill their classrooms anymore, because students are unable to find an affordable place to live.
And if you think that it can't be that bad in more rural areas - you're right. About 250 km from Lisbon with no civilization in a 100 km diameter, you might find a 2br for less than 1000 euros per month.
According to one of the major real estate sites, the average rent in Lisbon is 16.85 euros per m². The average salary in Portugal has not changed and is still at 822 euros - before taxes!
That's how you create civil unrest in the long run.
Great content! Thank you for all your work that goes into making these videos. I’m curious why Argentina, Turkey and the Philippines didn’t make the cut? I’ve heard many good things about the beauty and affordability of these countries.
It was a top 10 list so we couldn’t include every possibility.
Turkey is one of the few that offers a citizenship path and it's increasingly outside of the influence of the West and US, which will be a key feature as the West's decline accelerates and goes full WEF as it is. You'll want to live on the other side of the new Iron Curtain and be a citizen over there... the world is changing. Even Saudi and all the other oil rich Persian Gulf states are dumping the US and switching sides! Pay attention, people!
thanks for all your videos, love you guys I learn so much watching you guys appreciate you you guys are right on so expensive in the states i live in Seattle WA. I just turned 60 in September 6 more yrs, cant wait ......
also love Greece I have been there few times another place is Croatia very cheap you wont go broke there either
Surprised Argentina didn't make it on the list, you can live very well there with a steady U.S. income.
I have been living in Thailand for 21 years and feel very good about Thailand. Originally from beautiful Boulder, CO when I first got here thought it was amazing, and now married to my Thai wife I feel very content and it is way cheaper to buy a house and live here. Cheers
Congrats on your escape! 🥳
We are in our early stages of our search for a place to retire. U hit on several of my concerns. I grew up in Germany (AF brat) but hubby never went overseas. He thinks moving to South America would be great. He has also looked into Spain, Portugal and Italy. I want beaches and affordable living. Can't afford to retire near beach here in US.
Your videos are helpful.
Colombia is appealing . like Camboja , Vietnam and Thailand . Speak 5 languages and learn one more would be nice . Think a lot about Croatia been there and is beautiful , would like yo know the cost of leaving .
Interesting to hear another perspective about current times in Thailand Cambodia Vietnam. When I traveled there I had all four currencies in my pocket and at times was getting confusing which language to say thank you or? I don't think in general terms and of course you only have a little time, but I wouldn't say the medical is good in Thailand I would say in Bangkok there are more modern hospitals since I was in a rural Hospital in Thailand and even the doctor avoided speaking English, a little hellhole. The immigration and Visa situation in Thailand has always been a little schizophrenic and always changing rules, they hit me hard for overstay even when I showed up in a wheelchair with doctors letters explaining I'd had a medical condition I could not travel. I spent about four or five hours sitting in a wheelchair going from place to place and practically being physically inspected by their immigration doctor, it was ridiculous. That is one of the biggest drawbacks for an expat unless you wish to invest some real cash. Cambodia is much easier and unfortunately has turned into a bit of a ghost town in Siam reap, the temples are what I would go there for again but after living there for almost a year a lot of really low life trash white man I have to say usually are alcoholic and drugs are pretty available. In general it's pretty dusty dirty and sad to see the plastic pollution is taking over the Mekong River. Danang Vietnam was very nice and I spent a few weeks there Visa is a bit of a pain. I would have to say as an expat I found Vietnam friendly and easy and reasonably clean. Thailand is pretty similar, but you encounter more of a prevalence of Tourism burnout with the locals. Maybe you get the smile but they've seen it all before and you're no different than whomever they encountered..
🙏🙏
We were also starting to consider this, so thanks for doing the advance legwork on this subject. Taking notes.
Very good infos !! Thanks for the high quality of content, as usual.
If you get startled easily be prepared at 17:49. Good informational video. Ecuador is still number one on my list.
I'm in panama right now/ santa Clara& El Valle great places/ laws in panama can be different than USA👍
I really enjoyed the reviews and some of my favorite countries made the top 10 list. I am residing in Ecuador and very happy it was 2nd. Health care is a priority and efficiency y as important as effectiveness. That's why I chose it over Colombia. 💓💓
Portugal also has an other advantage for English speakers. A majority of the population speaks English.
Have you researched Uruguay? I would love to see more information about it.