British pensioners may find Ecuador the perfect retirement destination

To many would-be expats from the UK as well as other European Union member states, Ecuador is a ‘faraway country with a strange sounding name’. but the truth is getting around.

Central and Latin America are long-term favourites for USA pensioners, evidenced by the huge number of websites aimed at older Americans and stressing expat communities mostly populated by retirees fleeing politics and the worsening threat of global warming. Nowadays, as Europe becomes less attractive and Southeast Asia is increasingly drawn into China’s net, a good number of would-be British retirees are widening their horizons to include countries such as Ecuador.

Affordability is high on the list of absolute requirements for an ever increasing number of retirees tired of stretching their pensions until they squeak. The Ecuadorean town of Cuenca has been heavily marketed online for a decade as a refuge for those seeking socialising, staying young, becoming more active and getting involved in new activities, with single women expatriating on their own and setting up trends for others to follow. Apparently, Ecuador is a great place to shed the vestiges of traditional gender roles as well as to stretch available cash whilst living the life they’ve dreamed of back in the home city.

Many Cuenca-based expats are fully retired, but a good number are working online part-time due to the ease of starting a business in Ecuador. One welcome side-effect is that excess weight is easily lost due to healthier eating and the lure of more enjoyable exercise regimes. At the same time, Ecuadorian nationals are benefiting due to jobs being created by incomers, even if they’re only in service as gardeners or welcome domestic helpers.

Other expatriates volunteer to work within the community or for charities, as they now have time to help others rather than struggling against inflation in the home country. Local people in Cuenca don’t see the expat population as migrants, thus ensuring there’s no tension between the two communities.