Expat Community > Ecuador

joolee
Joined 2015
Posts: 2

Oddball Questions

9 years ago

Oddball Questions

I'm not completely new to being an expat. At 20 I randomly bought a ticket to England figuring once I land I'll figure out what to do next. Few weeks later I landed in Italy (with less than 200$ in my pocket) and ended up staying a little over a year.

Now I'm 43. After spending much of my professional life in Los Angeles battling traffic and insanely high COL, I moved to West Virigina with the idea of a MUCH simpler, quieter and cheaper life. I'm a self employed/freelance digital artist (3d Modeling and Animation). All of my income basically comes from the internet, all funneled into Paypal so it doesn't make a lick of difference where I live.

Despite the lower cost of living in WV, it's still really high and I'm considering another move and Ecuador seems to be a wonderful choice. I've spent hours and hours scouring the web for info but what seems to be in short supply is the CON list and I worry about the devil in the details.

In the last 5 years I've made it a point to DRASTICALLY simplify my life. Going from 80k a year to less than 20. My needs are super simple; don't care much about food (except for coffee and diet coke). I have a dog (a ridiculously well behaved Golden Retriever) and my work. So I guess the critical living requirements are HIGH speed SUPER RELIABLE internet, a vet bill that won't give me a heart attack and rent/utility bills that don't make me cry :P In the winter here I get 250+ gas bills.

These are my oddbal questions; what are the internet speeds like (Up/Down), the average vet bill for regualar issues, wont be taking a car so is it feasible to find inexpensive places to live that are in walking distance for groceries. My dog and I are basically joined at the hip, I walk him everywhere. Where I live he's welcome to be tied out while I run in for groceries so it would be a bummer to live somewhere dogs are frowned upon.

Residency. From all I've read this seems soooo tricky. I'm not a retiree, not a student, not a worker.... what category do I fall in?

Any answers, tips, advice would be so appreciated.

William Russell

Get a quote for international health insurance from our partner, William Russell.
Get Quote

William Russell

Get a quote for international health insurance from our partner, William Russell.
Get Quote

Living in Ecuador Guide

Expats in Ecuador share some of the pros and cons of living in Ecuador. Topics covered include where to live, the bureaucracy, the people and more.

Ecuador Forum
Join our Ecuador forum to meet other expats and talk about living in Ecuador.

Contribute
Help other expats and newcomers by answering questions about the challenges and adventures of living in Ecuador.

Best Places to Live in Ecuador

If you're dreaming about living in Ecuador, here are the 15 Best Places to Live in Ecuador in 2023.

Healthcare in Ecuador

Expats in Ecuador share their experiences with healthcare and overseas medical insurance in Ecuador.

Cost of Living in Ecuador

Expats offer insight into the cost of living in Ecuador.

Moving to Ecuador Guide

Expats in Ecuador offer advice to newcomers and people considering a move to Ecuador about clothing, sunscreen, renting before buying, gringo pricing, Ecuadorians politeness and much more.

Real Estate in Ecuador

Real estate listings in popular cities and towns in Ecuador.

Pros & Cons of Living in Ecuador

Take off your rose-colored glasses and learn what expats have to say about the biggest challenges and the greatest rewards of living in Ecuador.

Retiring in Ecuador

Advice for people retiring in Ecuador.

10 Tips for Living in Ecuador

If you've recently arrived in Ecuador, here are 10 tips for digital nomads living in Ecuador.

Additional Information:

Visit our Ecuador Index for a Full List

William Russell

Get a quote for international health insurance from our partner, William Russell.
Get Quote

William Russell

Get a quote for international health insurance from our partner, William Russell.
Get Quote

Contribute
Help others in Ecuador by answering questions about the challenges and adventures of living in Ecuador.

Login

Or, Send Login Link

Expat Community > Ecuador

Oddball Questions

Login