I have spent time in various cities in Ecuador for 3 weeks for the last 2 winters trying to find out where I want to snowbird out of the Canadian winters. Cuenca is one of the top two places on my list. I just can’t wait to retire.
We really enjoyed our months there. It is a beautiful city with a great expat community. Our home there was amazing, and we felt as though we lived a very high-quality life. Thanks for watching. Best of luck on your retirement:)
These types of videos are very helpful. Before we moved here, we watched everything we could, and we visited a couple of times. It is not for everyone, and expats can be a snarky group as Tom and Julie said every one of us has our own opinions on how things are and how things should be done. But if you want a SAFE, healthy, fun and adventures place to live Cuenca and Ecuador should be top of the list.
Wonderfully charming couple. 😊 Great example of just how affordable other parts of the world 🌎 can be while maintaining or even exceeding standards of living, compared to the States. Thanks for sharing 👍
Our pleasure! They are dynamic. We made so many wonderful friends in Cuenca. Sadly, many countries in the world are now far less expensive than the US. Thanks for watching:)
I am on track to retire well. I am glad I don't have to live on $18K. Due to work I have traveled all over Central and South America. I also speak Spanish and Portuguese. Uruguay is my first choice.
I came here in the USA from the country similar to Ecuador and i go back often. Those countries are NOT paradise. That being said, the USA is also NOT a paradise. Good luck to everyone.
Great interview. We are in Cuenca Ecuador for the second time & can concur that our experience is almost identical - our visa’s were approved yesterday 🎉😊
What about language? Do they speak Spanish? Lovely home. I also watch JP and Amelia and mentioned the violence increasing in Ecuador. Is that something they see? Thank you!
We did not encounter insect issues in Cuenca. The coast is completely different. At 8500 ft elevation and cool temperatures you don’t have the right environment for them.
Thank you for the great video. I have a question regarding U.S.-based credit cards: Do they give expats a hard time when they see all their spending is outside the U.S.?
Depends I guess, generally no. We travel full time and don’t have a problem, but we have cards meant for this lifestyle to avoid foreign exchange expenses. Here is a video on credit cards and more financial information Top Travel Credit Cards For Expats: Save Big On International Fees! | WarrenJulieTravel.com ruclips.net/video/IH4mV9qxvcM/видео.html
The gentleman's observation about driving in Ecuador is accurate. I suspect it has to do with the feeling of "power" of those who can afford a car. Pedestrians don't matter. Although many people drive these days, the majority of Ecuadorians use public transportation. In Ecuador there is more classism that racism. This from an Ecuadorian.
The public transportation options in Cuenca are excellent. When we were there, we walked almost everywhere in the city and occasionally used the Tranvia. Thanks for watching:)
We actually did a video just about this topic about two months ago. In a nutshell this part of Ecuador is considerably safer than other regions. Not really a huge factor for Cuenca, the coast on the other hand or Quito is much more dangerous..
I see the large family pictures. How did they work through leaving their families? This is the #1 challenge for us. $1500 ha! $6k min per month all in by me. :(
They stay in touch with their families. Some of the children have visited them there and they have returned a few times to the states. Thanks for watching:)
Cuenca may be relatively safe compared to other parts of Ecuador, but the coast is not. You most likely will not get an international flight into Cuenca, so that means flying into Guayaquil or Quito. Careful research is required. Local people are quite poor, so there can be a lot of theft, both petty and otherwise. Personally, I would rather live in a more equal society and they exist for the same cost in Asia.
This couple loves their lifestyle in Ecuador. We enjoyed ourselves there in Cuenca for nearly ten months. I would never consider living on the coast. The weather in SE Asia is not comfortable for them, so they have made a beautiful life in Cuenca.
@@WarrenJulieTravel That's great, but I don't think it's accurate to describe this area as "safe" without a few disclaimers, and this aspect of Ecuador is usually downplayed on RUclips. It's not for everyone. Someone was murdered in broad daylight a block from my hotel in Guayaquil while I was staying there. If I had gone out for lunch instead of ordering Uber Eats, I would have walked right into it. I find crime and poverty a lot more uncomfortable than hot weather, but we're all different. Cheers!
What about crime and murder rates? Will threy say it's true or is iit relative to wherre you live, lime many places? Like I'm from Hawaii and everyone would regard Hawaii as paradies and it is BUT there are places there i will choose not to live in or drive around at night. Thank you for addressing my question. Aloha!
We made a lot of friends in Cuenca and have remained in touch. They all report that they feel very safe. The problems are on the coast. When we lived there, we felt very safe. Thanks for watching:)
Ecuador has too much political and economic strife for me to return. The irony is that so many of my fellow Americans complain about our country but it is our dollar that enables us to live well in these developing countries and not have to live like the locals. Presently, I am on a long term stay in Costa Rica.
@@Michaelthearcheangel we brought my Tinkerbell from the States just over a year ago. She had been with my son and his family until then. It's fairly simple. She had to be current with vaccinations and a certificate from the USDA veterinarian within 10 days prior to arriving in Ecuador. The forms can be found easily on the Ecuador travel websites.
All these videos on the internet about cheap living abroad, RETIREMENT abroad, are more show than substance. Anyone who leaves their home country has to think about the future without friends, without family, without social circles, without sufficient language skills when the years go by and things happen that cannot be stopped. Illness, lack of doctors and specialists and many other problems that come with age. What happens when a partner dies? Money alone cannot be the reason for living in a foreign country, can it? Well, everyone has to decide for themselves. I am open-minded, I travel a lot and still travel a lot, but leaving my home country for a cheaper way of life would never occur to me. To all those who undertake this adventure, I hope that family and friends are there very quickly in an emergency (which will not always be possible).
I’m not sure where you are basing this information. We are definitely not without friends abroad. We have social circles. We are continuously keeping in touch with our family and as far as sufficient language skills we can hire translators if we ever need them. We also use Google Translate, which is working quite well, and has for us for over four years. Also, the comment about lack of doctors and specialist is erroneous. We have found excellent physicians and specialist throughout our travels. We have received excellent care when needed. I can go as far as to say I have received better care abroad than I did in the United States. We are certainly not showing these videos for show purposes. We were the original slow travel, nomadic Travel Channel couple who detailed every aspect of our lives, our journeys and showed expat interviews. We have shown people our lives for over four years and detailed our experiences abroad. We live a very fulfilling life. This comment makes me think Perhaps this is the first video you have ever watched of ours. We planned to retire abroad for over 12 years before we left. Our lives are fulfilled with friendships from people all over the world. If you are a frequent traveler, I am not sure why you have not found friendships anywhere you have been.
Lots of countries have really improved their health care as well as more intensive health care services. Also some of us are US citizens but we speak a second language fluently and hold a second citizenship. 😊
![Natanael Cano - Amor Eterno [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/EO4prCs6WpM/mqdefault.jpg)
I have spent time in various cities in Ecuador for 3 weeks for the last 2 winters trying to find out where I want to snowbird out of the Canadian winters. Cuenca is one of the top two places on my list. I just can’t wait to retire.
We really enjoyed our months there. It is a beautiful city with a great expat community. Our home there was amazing, and we felt as though we lived a very high-quality life. Thanks for watching. Best of luck on your retirement:)
Wow that house for $600! That is exceptional. Thanks Warren and Julie for bringing the good stuff!!!!
$600 goes a very long way in Cuenca:)
Thanks for watching.
These types of videos are very helpful. Before we moved here, we watched everything we could, and we visited a couple of times. It is not for everyone, and expats can be a snarky group as Tom and Julie said every one of us has our own opinions on how things are and how things should be done. But if you want a SAFE, healthy, fun and adventures place to live Cuenca and Ecuador should be top of the list.
We appreciate you watching:) I think Cuenca has many wonderful attributes. We enjoyed our time there.
Wonderfully charming couple. 😊
Great example of just how affordable other parts of the world 🌎 can be while maintaining or even exceeding standards of living, compared to the States.
Thanks for sharing 👍
Our pleasure! They are dynamic. We made so many wonderful friends in Cuenca. Sadly, many countries in the world are now far less expensive than the US. Thanks for watching:)
I am on track to retire well. I am glad I don't have to live on $18K. Due to work I have traveled all over Central and South America. I also speak Spanish and Portuguese. Uruguay is my first choice.
Wonderful. Best of luck.
Cuenca is a charming city....beautiful people
Yes, we really enjoyed that city;) Thanks for watching.
I love this new idea! You two rock!!! Hugs!
Thanks so much! Thank you for watching:)
❤$600 unbelievable 😍 but that's a beautiful size especially the laundry room is outside but up the hill😂cool
The party room is a bonus❤
They have had beautiful homes in Cuenca
This is our third video with Tom:)
Cuenca is a beautiful city
I came here in the USA from the country similar to Ecuador and i go back often. Those countries are NOT paradise. That being said, the USA is also NOT a paradise. Good luck to everyone.
For Tom and Sheila it is their paradise.
Thanks for watching:)
Great interview.
We are in Cuenca Ecuador for the second time & can concur that our experience is almost identical - our visa’s were approved yesterday 🎉😊
Congratulations!
Thanks for watching:)
Another great video! Thanks 😊
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching:)
What about language? Do they speak Spanish? Lovely home. I also watch JP and Amelia and mentioned the violence increasing in Ecuador. Is that something they see? Thank you!
Tom and Sheila have had no issues with language or violence. They feel very safe there. Thanks for watching:)
Great video!
Thank you for watching:)
What about the bug situation? Mosquitos? Cockroaches? worse? How do you deal?
We did not encounter insect issues in Cuenca. The coast is completely different. At 8500 ft elevation and cool temperatures you don’t have the right environment for them.
Thank you for the great video. I have a question regarding U.S.-based credit cards: Do they give expats a hard time when they see all their spending is outside the U.S.?
Depends I guess, generally no. We travel full time and don’t have a problem, but we have cards meant for this lifestyle to avoid foreign exchange expenses. Here is a video on credit cards and more financial information Top Travel Credit Cards For Expats: Save Big On International Fees! | WarrenJulieTravel.com
ruclips.net/video/IH4mV9qxvcM/видео.html
If two can live on $1500/month, certainly one can also.
Absolutely! I hope you are enjoying the mountains:)
The gentleman's observation about driving in Ecuador is accurate. I suspect it has to do with the feeling of "power" of those who can afford a car. Pedestrians don't matter. Although many people drive these days, the majority of Ecuadorians use public transportation. In Ecuador there is more classism that racism. This from an Ecuadorian.
The public transportation options in Cuenca are excellent. When we were there, we walked almost everywhere in the city and occasionally used the Tranvia.
Thanks for watching:)
why don't you move back to Ecuador if doing Ecuador, Cuenca????
We do a lot of countries, and keep contact with many people in many locations.
Nice video but I don’t think you touched on crime. That would be my biggest concern.
We actually did a video just about this topic about two months ago. In a nutshell this part of Ecuador is considerably safer than other regions. Not really a huge factor for Cuenca, the coast on the other hand or Quito is much more dangerous..
I see the large family pictures. How did they work through leaving their families? This is the #1 challenge for us. $1500 ha! $6k min per month all in by me. :(
They stay in touch with their families. Some of the children have visited them there and they have returned a few times to the states. Thanks for watching:)
Cuenca may be relatively safe compared to other parts of Ecuador, but the coast is not. You most likely will not get an international flight into Cuenca, so that means flying into Guayaquil or Quito. Careful research is required. Local people are quite poor, so there can be a lot of theft, both petty and otherwise. Personally, I would rather live in a more equal society and they exist for the same cost in Asia.
This couple loves their lifestyle in Ecuador. We enjoyed ourselves there in Cuenca for nearly ten months. I would never consider living on the coast.
The weather in SE Asia is not comfortable for them, so they have made a beautiful life in Cuenca.
@@WarrenJulieTravel That's great, but I don't think it's accurate to describe this area as "safe" without a few disclaimers, and this aspect of Ecuador is usually downplayed on RUclips. It's not for everyone. Someone was murdered in broad daylight a block from my hotel in Guayaquil while I was staying there. If I had gone out for lunch instead of ordering Uber Eats, I would have walked right into it. I find crime and poverty a lot more uncomfortable than hot weather, but we're all different. Cheers!
What about crime and murder rates? Will threy say it's true or is iit relative to wherre you live, lime many places? Like I'm from Hawaii and everyone would regard Hawaii as paradies and it is BUT there are places there i will choose not to live in or drive around at night. Thank you for addressing my question. Aloha!
We made a lot of friends in Cuenca and have remained in touch. They all report that they feel very safe. The problems are on the coast. When we lived there, we felt very safe. Thanks for watching:)
I was in Dubrovnik 3 years ago!! Didn’t make it to Montenegro. Def want to go! Cost of living Im Montenegro for 1 person ??
That’s a subjective question. We own our home here and when we are here, we average around $1500 per month.
Ecuador has too much political and economic strife for me to return. The irony is that so many of my fellow Americans complain about our country but it is our dollar that enables us to live well in these developing countries and not have to live like the locals. Presently, I am on a long term stay in Costa Rica.
We concur that the US gave us the opportunities we have. We are grateful for our country and every opportunity we have been given.
Ecuador is not a safe place to leave.
Gosh, what a shame…you can’t buy some junk food.
They can definitely find junk food. It’s available.
You both look like you’re bobbing up & down like 2 corks in water, lol.
lol okay 👌
🎉
Thanks for watching:)
How do you get pets from USA? I want to go there i have cats and a dog. @WarrenJulieTravel
@@Michaelthearcheangel we brought my Tinkerbell from the States just over a year ago. She had been with my son and his family until then. It's fairly simple. She had to be current with vaccinations and a certificate from the USDA veterinarian within 10 days prior to arriving in Ecuador. The forms can be found easily on the Ecuador travel websites.
All these videos on the internet about cheap living abroad, RETIREMENT abroad, are more show than substance. Anyone who leaves their home country has to think about the future without friends, without family, without social circles, without sufficient language skills when the years go by and things happen that cannot be stopped. Illness, lack of doctors and specialists and many other problems that come with age. What happens when a partner dies? Money alone cannot be the reason for living in a foreign country, can it? Well, everyone has to decide for themselves. I am open-minded, I travel a lot and still travel a lot, but leaving my home country for a cheaper way of life would never occur to me. To all those who undertake this adventure, I hope that family and friends are there very quickly in an emergency (which will not always be possible).
I’m not sure where you are basing this information. We are definitely not without friends abroad. We have social circles. We are continuously keeping in touch with our family and as far as sufficient language skills we can hire translators if we ever need them. We also use Google Translate, which is working quite well, and has for us for over four years. Also, the comment about lack of doctors and specialist is erroneous. We have found excellent physicians and specialist throughout our travels. We have received excellent care when needed. I can go as far as to say I have received better care abroad than I did in the United States.
We are certainly not showing these videos for show purposes. We were the original slow travel, nomadic Travel Channel couple who detailed every aspect of our lives, our journeys and showed expat interviews. We have shown people our lives for over four years and detailed our experiences abroad. We live a very fulfilling life. This comment makes me think Perhaps this is the first video you have ever watched of ours.
We planned to retire abroad for over 12 years before we left.
Our lives are fulfilled with friendships from people all over the world.
If you are a frequent traveler, I am not sure why you have not found friendships anywhere you have been.
Lots of countries have really improved their health care as well as more intensive health care services. Also some of us are US citizens but we speak a second language fluently and hold a second citizenship. 😊