Numbeo.com great for gauging cost of living

numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_cities.jsp?country1=Vietnam&country2=Ecuador&city1=Hanoi&city2=Quito

great to check costs
and kayak.com for flights

any other "finds?"

rakututu wrote:

I am considering either Vietnam or ecuador and i am having a pretty tough time deciding - costs the same to fly from boise to either of these places - amazing!!  vietnam seems to be the winner in cost of living and i've been there and the folks are so friendly!  but ecuador keeps pulling me along

tell me why you think i should choose ecuador over vietnam.  costa rica has lost favor - too expensive - comments on that one?

Ecuador uses the U.S. Dollar which will shield you somewhat from fluctuations in currency values.  Also if you watch tv you can get DirecTV Latin America which has many of the same English channels including the movie channels.  Might help deal with culture shock a bit.  You'll much more likely meet other Americans, especially women in Ecuador than in Vietnam.  If you are looking for mild climates Vietnam is much more limited.  Ecuador has numerous places in the Andes that are reasonably mild.  Hope this helps!

It does!  Thanks.  I love chilly weather so I was worried even northen vietnam might not be cool enough for me.  any more info VERY welcome!  I spent some time in Vietnam and it is so different but ... i also want the toucans and scarlett maccaws and monkeys that ecuador would have...

Despite of all the negative comments that I made in the past, Ecuador is the place considering costs, US$ as a currency, and being relatively close to everything.
Think about cultural differences in Vietnam. We lash out at Ecuadorians here for their ways of life... at least they look up to the "gringos", think being a "gringo" is cool... who's gonna listen to you in Vietnam?
I've been in China, would not want to live there. But, that's me and China...

Ha!  IT's like trying to decide what to eat a t a restaurant!!  Now I see nicaragua looks like the best choice - cheap cheap and cheap to get there - what are the most noticeable pitfalls????

rakututu wrote:

Ha!  IT's like trying to decide what to eat a t a restaurant!!  Now I see nicaragua looks like the best choice - cheap cheap and cheap to get there - what are the most noticeable pitfalls????

You mentioned you liked certain things like tropical birds.  What else is important to you?  Is being super cheap your biggest criteria?  Do you like certain amenities?  Most of Nicaragua is hot, with a limited mountain region with a few small cities, really small with limited amenities, that have somewhat mild climates.  If you like Native American culture it's almost non-existent in Nicaragua but prevalent in Ecuador.  Personally for culture and low costs Guatemala is an exceptional choice.  Not that Nicaragua is bad, some like it alot.  I'd recommend if you haven't already buying general travel guides to both Central and South America and get a sense of what each country is like.  Then move on to specific country guides for the ones that interest you.  There are similarities between many countries, and great differences too.  By the way, the overall least expensive country in South America is Bolivia, but you'll have to deal with tons of red tape to live there.  I'm looking at Huanchaco, Peru.  I can be comfortable there on less than $700 a month, and it has the combination of things I'm looking for.

My 2 cents...: pretty and/or safe places are expensive. Unless it is some uninhibited island or a new best kept secret. So if you find something pretty/safe and cheap, maybe you should stick around until you find out what's missing. And if you eventually find out that nothing's missing, don't tell nobody (except PM me)...

huanchaco peru huh?...
well, the fauna and flora are very important to me.  i am a scuba diver too so that is why ecuador ranks so high - i just can't get over the cost rt to fly there!  i will check guatemala out more also.  cheap is the operative word.  VERY important.  I am selling almost everything and am determined to live lightly for the rest of my life - uncluttered.  nicaragua has some highlands but maybe not as much as i need.  thanks and all the more info the better
and all of you who tell me to look to myself to see what's missing - get over the psychological advice.  i am more than a girl from boise idaho who is disallusioned - i have spent months in borneo, vietnam, panama, lived in europe, camped in alaska for 6 months etc.  this is no escape from, it's an escape TO.  i know i may spend the rest of my life moving and that is what i find very appealing.  i don't have a manand don't want one - i just wantto meet fun people who are as adventurous as myself.  i am not going to "____" to sit with expats and mull over memories of home. 
i've been told like 10 times to straighten things out before i leave america - it's starting to sound like a pat bunch of hogwash from "safe" travelers.

That's the spirit, rakutuku! But if you are as adventurous as you say you are, don't ask here, just go. Here you will find a bunch of settled down expats who mull over memories - right.