Beachside Bliss on Ecuador's Coast For $1,800 a Month

Beachside Bliss on Ecuador's Coast For $1,800 a Month
By Jim Santos

With over 600 miles of beach on the Pacific Ocean, Ecuador has many options for expats who yearn for the coastal lifestyle. Let's take a look at three places, each with something special to offer...and for under $1,800 a month.

Manta, home to about a quarter of a million people, is the fifth-largest city in Ecuador and the country's largest on the Pacific. That's exactly what David and Robin Nathanson love about it. "We were looking for a place with a good infrastructure, so that we can run our business online."

Manta has an airport and all the shops, restaurants, and medical facilities you would expect from a city of its size. But it's still very affordable, even if you want to live on one of the city's several beaches. There are currently several oceanfront condos listed for less than $200,000.

David and Robin love the strong expat community. David says, "In the States, we lived in a gated community and never saw our neighbors. In Manta we are part of a big social group, with more friends than we have ever had—both expats and Ecuadorians."

Although it is only about 25 miles from Manta as the crow flies, the small (population about 5,000) village of Crucita seems like a different world. It has miles of beautiful sandy beach, with dozens of blue and white fishing boats bringing in fresh, delicious seafood.

Kim Brown and her husband, Ken, are enjoying their new life in Crucita. "We were able to find a house on the beach for $55,000, and we have put another $25,000 into renovating it and making it our own. We love that we can watch the whales and the cruise ships go by from our porch."

If Crucita is too small for your tastes, and Manta is too large, then halfway down the coast is another town that may be just right.

Puerto Lopez is a picturesque fishing village nestled in a small natural harbor and surrounded by the green hills of the Machalilla National Park.

For Cynthia McGowan, this village of about 16,000 is just what she was looking for. "I have found that I'm just more comfortable in a small village. It's a simpler and healthier lifestyle."

The fresh air from the ocean, lots of fresh fish and produce in her diet, and no city pollution are just some of the factors she cites as part of a healthier life. Although there is good internet and satellite TV available, Cynthia finds more enjoyment just sitting on her porch and listening to the sea.

She reports that two people can live well on about $1,800 a month, and that figure includes rent on a four-bedroom home, just steps from the sand.

Ecuador's Pacific coast truly has something to offer any "beach person" who is looking for a relaxed, healthy, and affordable lifestyle.