After 5 months of Adventure in Ecuador we answer your questions.

[@wiggy5927]

Hi guys , fun video. Looking forward to your travels.

[@KrisandMike]

Thanks for watching 👍

[@eternitywithjesus777]

I loved taking the bus when I was in Ecuador and Peru. They are nice buses. I took an overnight sleeper bus in Peru, that was fun. We had a steward serving food.

[@KrisandMike]

Wow that's amazing.

[@eternitywithjesus777]

Yall are so cute...Bahn-yos for Baños. Loving your videos😁

[@KrisandMike]

Ah Perfecto. Gracias 🙏

[@shahidanusrat6086]

Another wonderful vlog mam love from Pakistan 🙂

[@KrisandMike]

Thanks very much 🙏

[@donnaszemesi4200]

great Video! Can you do a video about the weather?? Thoughts compared to the weather in Canada?

[@KrisandMike]

Thanks 👍. We were thinking of doing a video on climate here and picking the right spot for you.

[@quito9896]

I'm sure Ecuador is happy to have you.

[@KrisandMike]

We are very thankful to be here. Thanks for watching.

[@PhoenixBeI]

Oh! Medicine-wise. My mom lives in Quito, and had a procedure. My brother asked me to see how much it would be in the US. She got it done in Ecuador. When I arrived to see my mom, he told me that her kidney stone surgery was $5K. 😅😅😅 and they were thinking about doing it in the US. 😅😅😅😅 I met an American in Panama who lives in the remote Bocas del Toro. Back then, there were no medical facilities there. He told me he had a stroke, flew to Panama, got treated, all within the first 3 critical hours, and got some rehab. The cost of it all, flight included, was $3k. One can be self-insured in other countries.

[@KrisandMike]

For sure things are very reasonable to cheap here. All different types of insurance at different prices

[@jimmyroman5329]

Hi there, Retired US soldier here... I spend a few months a yr in Guayaquil, if you want to visit Guayaquil you r more than welcome to stay at our home in a safe gated community

[@KrisandMike]

Thanks so much 🙏. Very kind of you.

[@AmericanGenXer]

I knew it would be risky to do it myself, but I really just wanted to try it. I was able to do an Amparo Visa por Matrimonio as my wife is Ecuadorian, which lets you jump from tourist visa straight to permanent resident. The current climate of the government's anti-corruption campaign made it interesting. Clerks get paid by lawyers to get their stuff through, but I did not do that. It worked out well and just AFTER I was done, they put almost the entire thing online. I did my tourist extension visa online in 1 day.

[@KrisandMike]

Yes there is so much more you can do online now. Even credit cards are accepted in most medium to large stores.

[@AmericanGenXer]

@@KrisandMike , I did not know that! Last time I tried in Artefacta.... they messed it up so bad, I decided not to try again.

[@PhoenixBeI]

Question. Where is San José? I keep looking at a map, and all I see on the hills above Olón is San Vicente de Loja. I love the views from your home!

[@KrisandMike]

5km north of Olon. Zoom in. Lol

[@PhoenixBeI]

@@KrisandMike got it. I thought you lived east, and not north, of Olón. And San José has hills, huh?

[@roundpaws]

It would be helpful if you provided $ spent for things you mention like healthcare plans

[@KrisandMike]

Sure the plans really are quite different and you can pick what you want. We chose a healthcare plan that was only for catastrophic coverage meaning it had a $5000 deductible lol. But amazing coverage after that. We did that because normal healthcare is so cheap and we are healthy. We will change in the future. Kris is 42 dollars and I am 62. Based on age . Thanks for watching 👍

[@roundpaws]

@@KrisandMike Thank you for that info. That usually means you aren't covered for things like cancer or other surgeries that aren't deemed "emergency" like gallblader, appendix etc.. I have been looking at similar plans in Mexico. Is there a hospital within an hour of Olon? When I researched moving there a while ago, I didn't find anything.

[@KrisandMike]

@@roundpaws no we are covered for everything over 5000. You can get quotes for almost any plan to suit you or combine two plans. Santa Elena and Salinas have hospitals. For the very serious stuff your looking Guayaquil at 3 hrs. That is similiar to Canada unless you live in a large city. Doctors will come to your house for $30. Antibiotics are $14.

[@KrisandMike]

@@roundpaws most minor surgeries are well under 5k so yes you would pay for them under our plan. We almost bought an add-on plan for another 70-80 that would have covered everything between the two plans. It had a $100 deductible.

[@usharaghuraman3273]

Hi - we are planning to move to Cuenca Ecuador end of 2023. Did you use any company to ship your household goods ?

[@KrisandMike]

Yes we did. We have a whole video on it. Check out our channel. Thanks for watching.

[@PhoenixBeI]

When you talk about food prices, where do you get it? I was in Ecuador last in 2019, and I noticed that grocery prices weren't much cheaper than what I pay here in Silicon Valley. Granted, this was at Supermaxi, which is more expensive. So when you talk about food prices, where are you buying?

[@KrisandMike]

We buy fruits and vegetables at the market. Everything else at Tia. Remember since 2019 inflation has been very high in North America but much less here. Also we came from Canada where most fruits and vegetables are imported most of the year

[@PhoenixBeI]

@@KrisandMike I live in CA and we have fresh produce year-round. Albeit, land here us pretty expensive, and it's very much reflected in the price. Really good imported olive oil is a fraction of California-made oil. And I'm talking about pure olive oil, and not the adulterated kind that has flooded the market. I don't know that there's any real, pure olive oil in Ecuador. Got some when I visited my mom in Quito, and it wasn't all that. 😖

[@ericdiekmann2308]

Investor visa, what did you invest in a house?

[@KrisandMike]

Yes we purchased a house for our investors visa. Most people by CDs. We have a video as to why we purchased and not rented. It all worked out great 👍

[@TimeToTravel-u2x]

*healthcare isnt free in Canada...it is included in your taxes... like FREE breakfasts at a hotel... it ain't free

[@KrisandMike]

Yes for sure taxes are higher then other places that don't have it. The free part is everyone in society has free access for the same procedures. I actually prefer systems that are a mix of private and public. Thanks for watching

[@TimeToTravel-u2x]

@@KrisandMike yes..spent my first 24yrs in Canada...and dont miss ANY of it!...You guys do a great job...always informative and entertaining

[@paulz6491]

It is free at point of service so know one pays at the hospital or doctors office but yes of course we pay through our taxes. My brother lives in Washington state and his combined health insurance, deductibles, co-pays and taxes are higher than my taxes (which includes health care).

[@tonyyoussef5267]

What you do with health Care in Ecuador and by living there is that affects your Canadians pension and Canadian health care and are you renting or owning home in Ecuador Thank you

[@KrisandMike]

Pension is not affected. We have private healthcare in Ecuador. Very affordable. We lose our Canadian health care by living here. If we were to return to Ontario we would have it back after 3 months. We bought our own home here. Watch our video which tells you why. Thanks for watching

[@lindariskus5713]

Kris and Mike, so happy for you both. Have been following your channel since you first made the decision to move from Canada to Ecuador. I visited almost 25 years ago now and decided way back then Ecuador would definitely be the place I would retire to. Am in process of selling my home and all my earthly belongings and hoping to relocate in next few months. What an amazing, beautiful country! And, the Ecuadorian people are so incredibly kind, helpful and polite. Thanks for sharing your journey! Maybe will bump into you both when I finally make my move. Any suggestions on what to bring that is hard to get there is appreciated?

[@KrisandMike]

Thanks for watching 👍. You can find most things after some time looking. Maybe not always the brand you are looking for. You can go to the Tia website and get an idea of all the food and prices they charge. That will give you an idea and it's fun too. Fybeca website for drugs and artefecta for electronics and appliances. This is also a thread on Facebook group Ecuador expats ask regularly. If your flexible no issues but if you have very special requirements for recipes you might have some trouble.

[@losthorizonfishing107]

Another great video filled with excellent information!👍

[@KrisandMike]

Thanks so much. It is very much appreciated 👍

[@BPe-ie9je]

Hard to believe onlh 5 months. You've made such great progress on all levels. Question: bedding ? could you have found down pillows, down comforter, sheets ,duvet , etc. in EC ?

[@BPe-ie9je]

oh and quality, cost...

[@KrisandMike]

This is a tough one to answer. It really depends on your own specifications. Many people say you should bring your own. We brought our own, but now that we're here we realized we didn't have to. But a lot of people would disagree with us.

[@jerrym3261]

The biggest question I have for living on the coast in Ecuador is what the humidity is like and I'm figuring, if a couple of Canadians can survive the bad time of the year without complaining, it can't be that bad. I see in the 14 day forecast for Olon the highest high is 82F 27C and the lowest low is 72F 23C so, maybe the hot days are over. I've been around enough to know that there are lots of flavors of humidity; salty vs freshwater, polluted vs fresh air, windy vs still, sunny vs cloudy, so I'm betting you have to experience it and judge for yourself. I think I can come to Ecuador with just a carry on. I don't need much. I keep running into kinks to keep me here in the US, a storm that took a lot of roof shingles on my house March 3 but, I'm getting a new roof tomorrow (hopefully). I well know this house doesn't fit me anymore so, it has to go. I feel I need to explore my options to know where I'm going. Time will tell but, in my life I've made a lot of moves and changes in October. Thanks and take care.

[@KrisandMike]

Humidity on the coast is one of the most difficult things to talk about because it's so personal. We loved the weather here but we could escape the humidity whenever we wanted by either. Going to some air conditioning and our house or the swimming pool. We were outside a lot. We took long walks on the beach and sure it was hot and it was humid but I was expecting far worse. Kris found it a little more difficult than I did, but overall we really enjoyed this winter. No complaints.

[@jerrym3261]

@@KrisandMike I know I don't use a swimming pool. I know that here, my allergies and the air pollution play into how uncomfortable I find the humidity. I lived coastal North Carolina for 3 years. It gets hotter there than Olon does so maybe that's as close a comparison I can come up with and that wasn't bad at all. I will need a motorcycle if I'm there very long so, there are trips to higher elevations to cool off.

[@Ladivinadonna]

Thank you very much guys for unswerving all our questions , we definitely do not want our Coco 🐕to suffer or been traumatized on her flight here , We want all of our babies can fly to Guayaquil on the same plane we are flying .. God is good to us and things are working out .., We are going to be renting for a few months while we find our dreamed piece of land or house . We hope by the time our ménage gets to Guayaquil our pensioner visa is been issued 🙏🏼 and we can move our belongings without paying storage or a hold fee to the Ecuadorian Authorities

[@KrisandMike]

Thanks for watching and your questions. The whole transition can be stressful but when it's over life is pretty amazing. Enjoy

[@Ladivinadonna]

@@KrisandMike We can’t wait to be there Living the Life We Love and deserve 🥰🥰🥰🥰 …. Pretty soon Every day will be FRIDAY!! 😂😂😂 God’s willing

[@KrisandMike]

@@Ladivinadonna Perfect. When are you arriving? I am pretty sure you told me but we get a ton of messages and emails. Where will you be renting first?

[@Ladivinadonna]

@@KrisandMike planing on flying to Guayaquil around October 19th , yes we will be renting for at least 6 months until we find our dreamed pice of land , facing the ocean up the hill , to build our bamboo house 🥰

[@KrisandMike]

@@Ladivinadonna That's great. Very exciting times for you guys.

[@whacked00]

Love your attitude. Very encouraging.

[@KrisandMike]

Thanks 👍. We are having a wonderful life here.

[@pamelatill4805]

Thank you for the funny story!!😂😂😂 That One would be a hard story to beat!!😂😂😂

[@KrisandMike]

Thanks for watching 👍

[@Jetmab04]

Thanks a lot for sharing! Happy to hear you're still happy and, look so much forward till it's my turn!! Like you, I will travel the country, I will rent small places until I find my base...maybe even find THE place before I start travelling...not sure yet but, that's part of the adventure and, as I will arrive with my 2 suitcases, private papers and my clothe only, it can't be that difficult 😊 And yes, the Amazonas - and the people there - definitely high on my list.. No more from here for now......still just counting down ..2 years, 4 Months and some days 🥰 Take care, keep enjoying and, look forward to hear more when you travel the country....may follow in your footsteps when I arrive.. Have a good week 👍

[@KrisandMike]

Thanks for watching 👍. That time will go fast for you. Or just come faster like we did. Lol

[@dianamayfield5615]

Another great video. So happy to see that you both are still happy. Can't wait to finally make my move.

[@KrisandMike]

Thanks 👍. We kept shortening our time to come. Lol

[@kathybastianelli6982]

When you moved there, were you fluent in Spanish? That is my bigeest concern, though i am learning.

[@KrisandMike]

My biggest regret is not learning more Spanish before we got here. We did Duolingo for about a year before. Having said that the people here are amazing and help you out. Of course you learn more when you are here. We can do fine in day to day things with a few chosen phrases or words. But harder to make friends when you can't say too much lol

[@mbwahaha]

Love your attitude, you are fun. I agree on everything, specially on the sense of freedom, its great. If i ever live in Ecuador, im sure i'll get a 4x4 like a cheap Grand Vitara, to explore Cotopaxi, Quilotoa, Chimborazo, Zaruma, Amazonia, all of the coast, everything. Going to those places is not fun without your own vehicle.

[@KrisandMike]

Hey thanks 👍. You get the 4x4 and we will be in the back. Lol 😂 thanks for watching

[@rogerkenworthy6380]

Hi Kris and Mike, great information, thanks! Really looking forward to your upcoming videos of the homes for sale in your area. Cheers Roger

[@KrisandMike]

Thanks Roger. We are just lining those up now.

[@rogerkenworthy6380]

@@KrisandMike Thanks, that would be great for the potential movers to Ecuador. Cheers Roger

[@pedroblanco8311]

Hi Kris and Mike, thanks for opening up in a very helpful fashion on these excellent questions. Additonally, my multi-lingual family thanks you for taking a moment to add Spanish subtitles. We're like # 138 for this video.

[@KrisandMike]

Hey Pedro. I hope you and your family are well. Thanks always for your kind words. Take care.

[@jim87vette]

Just found your channel yesterday, so playing a little catch up. It's interesting to watch the transition. I'm on a couple Facebook pages for the surrounding areas. They mention to take bed sheets with you? Any truth to this?

[@KrisandMike]

We read the same thing and Kris brought some very expensive sheets from Canada. Now that we're here we both would say nope. Unless you're very picky. Thanks for watching 👍

[@tmcdon]

First, thanks for the content and the updates! Glad you two are having a wonderful time! Secondly, in a previous video, the two of you talked about a favorite drink in Ecuador that you mentioned was like a "milk shake." it came in a bottle and could be found in many stores. Can you tell me again what it's called, please?

[@KrisandMike]

Thanks for watching 👍. I think I referred to their yogurt as a milkshake. It is drinkable and comes in many flavors with varying amounts of sugar. We like the strawberry 🍓.

[@tmcdon]

@@KrisandMike Thanks! My wife and are headed to Cuenca for our first exploratory trip later and we are looking forward to trying EVERYTHING!

[@whacked00]

Great video, you guys. Thanks! One of the big challenges I worry about is the transition to retirement. I work friday and then the following and monday i'm done.. And i'm retired. A lot of people struggle with this transition. Would you consider doing a video on your experience...?

[@KrisandMike]

Sure I will talk to Kris. I have been retired a while now but she just retired when we moved here. Everyone one can handle it differently and yes it is certainly a transition. Thanks and take care.

[@lauropalmavelez6162]

how u feel after five months....u have a new friends? or looking for a simple and lonely life together?

[@KrisandMike]

We are feeling great 👍. We are making new friends all the time. Easy to do here with so many friendly people. Thanks for watching 👍

[@azhalopeno]

Hi Kris and Mike, thanks for sharing your experiences in Ecuador. Very helpful. Would you mind sharing the contact info for your Visa attorney? You both seem very happy with the service you received. Thanks again!!

[@KrisandMike]

@@azhalopeno Hi. Yes we used Sebastian Cordero a lawyer out of Quito. Others on Ecuador expats Facebook group also recommended him too. He did our Visas, as well as our house purchase. He can be reached at [phone]. His English is great. You can use that number on WhatsApp if you like. Take care

[@frankiedewsbury9100]

You guys are living the life!! Really enjoy listening to your sharing of your experiences. Inspirational!!

[@KrisandMike]

Thanks so much Frankie! We are loving our life!

[@sandrafulcher7611]

Hello, My husband& I are moving to Cuenca in November. We have done many exploratory trips & been all over Ecuador. We are thinking we might do a investors visa as we want to buy a home there. We also like the cost. We were admiring your home & would like to see you do a tour of your home. Also we are curious about the cost of your home. Thanks Sandy & Randy

[@KrisandMike]

Hi thanks for watching. Unfortunately we have decided not to do a full tour or share the cost. However we will be doing a tour of current listings in the area. Also real estate is more expensive on the coast then inland. You must be getting excited. The next few months will go fast. Enjoy!

[@tomsaxton970]

I wanted to add to your medical discussion. I've been here 4 years in July and like you, never really needed a Dr. But after a while, I wanted to resume checkups with dermatologist, dentist, opthamologist and a GP. I finally have all of these snd I want to describe to your audience how different it is here (from the US). When I visit any one of these doctors, I only deal with the dr, no nurse, no secretary, no assistant. I also pay the dr in cash. For a dental cleaning, the dentist did it. She spent an hour. The most thorough cleaning I've ever had. In the opthamologist's office, same thing, just her. In the US, I got sent around to different rooms with different assistants and ultimately saw the dr for maybe 5 minutes. I found my GP becasuse I went to the emergency room for a terrible cough. She wrote a prescription, my wife went to the hospital pharmacy, bought the stuff, came back to the emergency room and the dr gave me a shot snd some meds. It was only $20 for the dr and $28 for the cortizone shot and meds. If you need a blood test, you go to a lab. They will draw your blood and whatsap the results. Then you go see the dr with the results in hand. Just really different from the US. I prefer it. Just some experiences to share. Oh, I am in Riobamba, a small city between Quito and Cuenca.

[@KrisandMike]

Thanks so much for watching and a great comment that will be very helpful for people. Once we have a year under our belt we will be doing the same thing as you. Take care.

[@margaretknows...]

Hello Guys Great video, so happy you guys are having fun. What is the name of the Attorney that you used, I can't understand Sabastian last name Thank you Maggie

[@KrisandMike]

Hi. Thanks for watching. His name is Sebastian Cordero out of Quito

[@katejimenez4900]

😊😊😊😊

[@KrisandMike]

Hola Kate. Gracias por ver. Acabo de poner los subtítulos en español. Espero verte por la ciudad. Cuidarse

[@cyndywergin85]

We paid $10/hour for a driver a couple years ago so can't imagine $80-100 for 3/4 day. Everything is negotiable 😊

[@KrisandMike]

Thanks for watching and yes everything is negotiable. I would say things are probably a little more expensive because gas has gone up. But you're right, it's not terribly expensive at all.

[@Resmith18SR]

Personally, I don't see a compelling reason to move to Ecuador. There's no easy way to get a long term visa for an American citizen and it's not as safe as you think it is. Guayaquil and certain areas in Ecuador have problems with high crime and there's political unrest as well. Mexico has much more experience with tourists and is a much easier country to relocate to. There's nothing in terms of climate in Ecuador that I couldn't find in Mexico. Having a dollar economy is not a real advantage. Most Canadian expats live in Mexico for a reason.

[@KrisandMike]

Mexico is a great choice as well. I love the food there. Amazing. Enjoy your stay. We each have our own journey.

[@Resmith18SR]

@@KrisandMike Exactly, and I have been retired living here in Cuernavaca Mexico for many years and just the climate alone makes it a hidden gem. It's called La Tierra de Eterna Primavera, Land of Eternal Spring. And where can you rent a 2 bedroom furnished apartment within walking distance to the Zócalo for less than $400 USD? Also I didn't have to get an FBI background check to live here unlike Ecuador.

[@proyectonuevo7487]

Oh I need to tell you, in July the first week, the blanket flights to Galapagos are ready and the ticket is very cheap, from $ 34 one way. The flights will be manta, to Baltra Island by Avianca on Wednesdays and Sundays.

[@KrisandMike]

Lots of new flights coming out of Manta now. Thanks for watching 👍

[@proyectonuevo7487]

Hello friends, I am Ecuadorian, and I see your videos, I am very glad that you are in Ecuador, I just give you a suggestion, I always see people in your videos working, obviously you must have investigated who are the people who are going to work at home, anyway be careful that information can be leaked, of the local Ecuadorians I have no doubts, Be careful to hire foreigners from Venezuela not Colombia, I am not xenophobic but some of them are dangerous, greetings

[@KrisandMike]

Hi. We hired all local people from our area. They are our friends now too.

[@cynthiareese2425]

​@@KrisandMike That is so awesome that you're great friends with you're contractors.