🇪🇨 South America
Ecuador
Ecuador for American digital nomads: 90 days visa-free + 90 extension, a nomad visa (Rentista Remote Work (Nomad) Visa), and a moderate tax regime once you become tax resident.
South America 🛂 Has nomad visa 🧾 moderate tax
At a glance
| Tourist entry (US passport) | 90 days visa-free + 90 extension |
| Digital nomad visa | Rentista Remote Work (Nomad) Visa — income requirement ~$1,350-1,400/mo (3x min wage) or $16,200 savings, 2 yrs |
| Path to permanent residency | Yes → after ~21 months on the nomad visa |
| Tax system | Worldwide · top rate 37% top |
| US tax treaty | No US treaty |
| Family-law exposure (payer) | Obligation 6/10 · cross-border collection 5/10 |
| Safety (hard stats) | Homicide 38.8/100k · road deaths 15/100k |
Full detail with ratings and sources: visas & residency · tax breakdown · legal exposure · safety & crime
General reference — not legal, tax, or immigration advice. Rules change
often and depend on your situation; US citizens are taxed by the IRS on worldwide income no
matter where they live. Verify specifics with a qualified professional before acting.
Data last updated · Source: Compiled from the visas, tax and legal datasets
Cities we cover in Ecuador
🇪🇨 Quito
Dollarized economy, affordable, high altitude (2,850m)
🇪🇨 Cuenca
Top-ranked expat retirement city; UNESCO heritage center
Month-by-month weather: Quito climate · Cuenca climate