Challenge: Why Los For Retirement?

[NeverSure]

OK, we all love LOS for retirement and there's no arguing that for most there are trade-offs, but they are worth it, it seems.

Now, I just had a very good exchange with a mod in another thread and we agreed it might be just as cheap to live in rural Alabama in the States as it is in LOS. Health care was just one consideration, since seniors over 65 get Medicare. Many things are cheaper in the US including Western food, beer and wine, sundries, cars, motorcycles, electronics, appliances, etc. In a very rural area housing will be similar especially after this housing crash. BUT that's not my topic. It's just one thing to consider.

ECUADOR. Rent is similar and food and other things are cheap. Women are beautiful to some tastes, and poor and available. It has beaches and beach front or view isn't expensive. It has very good weather.

Farang price: The farang price works like this. Upon getting a retirement visa (prove you have $1,000 US income for one person, and an addition $200 for each additional person) you get 1/2 price electricity, 1/2 price bus passes, free local telephone, 1/2 price tickets to concerts and the list goes on.

Health care. Once the visa is sorted, you can buy into the national health care system for $40 US per month and you're covered. They have good health care with many foreign trained doctors. For US citizens, it's only a 3 hour flight home if needed, and maybe 8 - 9 hours for Canadians and Brits and you're into world class health care.

Food: Not nearly as good as LOS, but Western food is common and cheaper. As with many places there are international restaurants. Beer and wine are cheaper by far and so are imported goods. Food is cheap if you like their street food - similar to Mexican food.

Land: You can own land there. You can buy a decent but not fancy home for US $50,000 and even less in their rural areas. That will include the land!!

Placement. As always, it is cheaper to live away from the biggest cities. I happen to like that even in LOS.

Language: Much English is spoken but Spanish is a lot easier to learn than Thai. A LOT easier in that it uses the same alphabet, isn't tonal, and the words are derived from the same sources, largely Latin. "Casa means "home." A man's home is his casa, hahaha. It's derived from the same word as "castle," and easy to remember.

Logisitics: It is about the same distance from Canada or the UK as LOS is. From the US, much much closer. For Australia, much farther and very similar to the distance from the US or Canada to LOS.

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So please, with some gentleness and politeness, discuss why, especially considering health care for seniors, LOS is still, with it's prices rising, the best alternative for Western retirement?

Why does it have to continue to be LOS?

What keeps us in LOS?

[Jingthing]

Sounds like you are comparing directly to Ecuador.

Interestingly, very few retirement destination countries offer a "bank account" method for qualification for retirement status (or similar).

Most require pensions.

Some offer other income methods, typically at higher levels than pension requirements.

Thailand unusually does offer a bank account method and so does Ecuador.

Thailand's bank account method appears to be very popular.

If you don't have a pension you can stick 25K USD (in dollars) in an Ecuador bank earning 7 percent I think and be well on the road towards residence status in a few years.

[MrRealDeal]

"Women are poor and available" LOL

Thats not really on my list of requirements !

[Dancealot]

Why look further when you've found the perfect home away from home?

[Jingthing]

Again comparing to Ecuador and Latin America in general, you kind of have to learn Spanish (or Portuguese) or pay a lot for translators, while in expat-ville Thailand you really don't have to. Spanish is easier than Thai but above stupid gringo speak level, it's not that easy!

(Talking about basic living things: banking, dealing with utilities, immigration matters, etc.)

[NeverSure]

I found English to be common in main business and government areas of Ecuador, just as it is in LOS. I would say the odds of finding an English speaker are equal. It is a popular tourist destination and many expats live there.

[Nana Cowboy]

Ecuador sounds interesting. Funny you never hear much about the place. Agree that Spanish is an easy language. I'm fluent but it will never do me any good here but I'm in Thailand to stay

[wigantojapan]

Ecuador sounds interesting. Funny you never hear much about the place. Agree that Spanish is an easy language. I'm fluent but it will never do me any good here but I'm in Thailand to stay

agree Ecuador sounds intresting can you advise on some places to live.I prefer a more rural lifestyle.thanks

[NeverSure]

I forgot to mention women. If someone thinks they aren't good looking, up to you. Did I mention that they are well known for having b@@bs, if you are a, er, uh, sucker for those?

Link

[MrRealDeal]

I forgot to mention women. If someone thinks they aren't good looking, up to you. Did I mention that they are well known for having b@@bs, if you are a, er, uh, sucker for those?

Link

Actually you did mention them and added that they are "poor and available" as apparently a plus ...... Would it be an extra bonus if they are uneducated as well ? LOL

[krisb]

Ok first like jingting and others say calling women 'poor and available' is quite a pathetic choice of words. Offensive and degrading to all women.

Secondly Ecuador is 1 of the worlds most dangerous countries. My friends wife and her family moved here from Ecuador to escape a war torn country I wouldnt live there if you paid me to and comparing Thailand to Ecuador is just stupid.

[wigantojapan]

my mate who spent 12 years in south america just told me ecuador is one of the most expensive countries to live in out there.

beautiful but expensive and he can easily live in the hills

[GreenSnapper]

Ok first like jingting and others say calling women 'poor and available' is quite a pathetic choice of words. Offensive and degrading to all women.

PC nonsense.

For most healthy normal men, the availability of women plays a big role. It's human nature.

[CaptHaddock]

Ecuador has many advantages: the food is much better than Thai food, in my opinion, and the currency is the USD. So, no worry about the effect of a declining dollar if you keep financial assets in the US. But, I wouldn't live there. Crime is pervasive. Walking around Quito gave me the creeps getting ugly looks from guys who would clearly like to mug us. Every bank has an armed guard standing in the doorway. Standard advice is not to hail a taxi on the street, but to ask your hotel to call one for you, to avoid being kidnapped. Even in small towns houses have iron bars on the windows. Living in fear is not my idea of a good retirement.

[krisb]

Ok first like jingting and others say calling women 'poor and available' is quite a pathetic choice of words. Offensive and degrading to all women.

PC nonsense.

For most healthy normal men, the availability of women plays a big role. It's human nature.

What? perhaps its normal for you but its certainly not healthy. Sounds more like preying on the weak and vulnerable.

Should be closed this thread.

[Semper]

Even in small towns houses have iron bars on the windows. Living in fear is not my idea of a good retirement.

Sounds like Thailand.

[NeverSure]

Ok first like jingting and others say calling women 'poor and available' is quite a pathetic choice of words. Offensive and degrading to all women.

Oh really. Did I say stupid and uneducated? I consider Thai women to be poor and available by Western standards, and I believe they are the reason that a great many Western men move to LOS. They are poor and available even if college educated, and after about age 25 and certainly by 30 they are past their sell by date.

Oh the hypocrisy. Men who move to LOS for the available women go nuts if it is mentioned about another country.

Bastids.

[geriatrickid]

I'm currently in Udon Thani and it is a different Thailand than I'm used to in Patong. If I had known the delights of Issan, I'd never have wasted all my time on Phuket. Yesteday I was in Swampy wonderin why everyone was rushing to get to Phuket. You want retirement? Check out Issan. It's the hidden gem of Thailand.

[Sharp]

I'm currently in Udon Thani and it is a different Thailand than I'm used to in Patong. If I had known the delights of Issan, I'd never have wasted all my time on Phuket. Yesteday I was in Swampy wonderin why everyone was rushing to get to Phuket. You want retirement? Check out Issan. It's the hidden gem of Thailand.

+1....or Hau HIn

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa app

[BlackPuddingBertha]

"What keeps us in LOS?"

In your list you didnt mention tax. Being retired in Thailand I pay no tax anywhere (100% legally). This, combined with a very easy and cheap retirement visa procedure makes me inclined to put up with the overpriced beer and the soi dogs.

I dont think I'd be very happy with the food in Ecuador either, if it is really like Mexican food. It's OK once a month but not every day.

An average temperature that is perhaps 5°C cooler than here would be nice though, or at least lower humidity.

[CaptHaddock]

Even in small towns houses have iron bars on the windows. Living in fear is not my idea of a good retirement.

Sounds like Thailand.

Nope. Not even close. Here is a chart of world homicide rates for the most recent years per 100,000 people:

Thailand 4.8

Ecuador 15.2

By comparison New York State was 4.0

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_intentional_homicide_rate

I expect that statistics for less violent crimes show a similar difference, but please post them if you have them.

[krisb]

Ok first like jingting and others say calling women 'poor and available' is quite a pathetic choice of words. Offensive and degrading to all women.

Oh really. Did I say stupid and uneducated? I consider Thai women to be poor and available by Western standards, and I believe they are the reason that a great many Western men move to LOS. They are poor and available even if college educated, and after about age 25 and certainly by 30 they are past their sell by date.

Oh the hypocrisy. Men who move to LOS for the available women go nuts if it is mentioned about another country.

Bastids.

So poor women are easier right? and when they hit 30 years max they are past their sell by date! My wifes 37 same age as me and shes no where near her sell by date.

[rene123]

The simple answer is South American countries are mostly Catholic. Is there a South American country that the Catholic church HASN'T screwed up? It's certainly the main cause of problems in the Philippines, which should be, but isn't a great country for tourists. Poverty and crime are rampant in South America, and certainly in the Philippines.

[Dancealot]

Ok first like jingting and others say calling women 'poor and available' is quite a pathetic choice of words. Offensive and degrading to all women.

Oh really. Did I say stupid and uneducated? I consider Thai women to be poor and available by Western standards, and I believe they are the reason that a great many Western men move to LOS. They are poor and available even if college educated, and after about age 25 and certainly by 30 they are past their sell by date.

Oh the hypocrisy. Men who move to LOS for the available women go nuts if it is mentioned about another country.

Bastids.

I think i understand what you mean to say, Neversure. After years of putting all my efforts into Thailand it feel awkward to focus on another place. Why should i change when i have just settled?

In other words: My girlfriends is Thai, yes. But Thailand is my wife!

[giddyup]

I forgot to mention women. If someone thinks they aren't good looking, up to you. Did I mention that they are well known for having b@@bs, if you are a, er, uh, sucker for those?

Link

You had me at "boobs".

[TommoPhysicist]

Ok first like jingting and others say calling women 'poor and available' is quite a pathetic choice of words. Offensive and degrading to all women.

Surely it's only degrading to the poor and available women?

The rich and unavailable women won't care.

Anyway, if it all goes 'boobs nipples up' with my Thai wife, I might give it a go, The VISA sounds easy.

[poanoi]

Aside for the $1000/month, do i have to be of any particular age to qualify for retirement visa in Ecuador ?

[Jingthing]

Aside for the $1000/month, do i have to be of any particular age to qualify for retirement visa in Ecuador ?

I don't think so.

However, there are some special problems with getting official documents for most South American retirement destinations. For example for Ecuador if you have been living in Thailand you would probably need super official (and translated AND officially legalized, not simple) criminal background records for both Thailand and your home country. Reading some reports on this board, the hassle of obtaining such a document for Thailand may be MASSIVE! Also their bureaucracy is very slow compared to Thailand, processes can take months and months and sometimes decisions happen too late, plus up till recently you absolutely need to hire lawyers, typically costing thousands of dollars. Of course the end result if you succeed can be permanent residency, not possible for expat retirees in Thailand. I see signs that Ecuador realizing this cash cow aspect of foreign expats and is slowly making it easier. For example, until recently SINGLE applicants needed to provide official documentation that they have never been married, and they are dropping that silly requirement. Recently an immigration office was opened in Cuenca offering some English speaking services and claiming a lawyer isn't needed, but this is new, and most people still feel they need lawyers.

[Penefattore]

Ok first like jingting and others say calling women 'poor and available' is quite a pathetic choice of words.

Yeah I think "dead broke and therefore submissive and prone to sex enslavement" would have been more attractive for us guys looking for retirement sweat spots.

[HeijoshinCool]

Even in small towns houses have iron bars on the windows. Living in fear is not my idea of a good retirement.

Sounds like Thailand.

Nope. Not even close. Here is a chart of world homicide rates for the most recent years per 100,000 people:

Thailand 4.8

Ecuador 15.2

By comparison New York State was 4.0

Yes, but you can't trust statistics.

Farang homicides in Thailand are classified as suicides.