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Ecuador
Latin America
Lucky Nomads World Index
63.14 / 100
Global rank
#135
Corporate tax
25%
Personal tax
37%
Lucky Nomads Proprietary Indices
22 scoring dimensions scored independently using a deterministic methodology built on primary sources and structured analytical inference.
- SafetyShield Index3.8 / 10
- Affordability Index7.5 / 10
- Entry Ease Index6.7 / 10
- Tax Freedom Index5.0 / 10
- WiFi Index7.3 / 10
- Admin Ease Index5.1 / 10
- Healthcare Index8.2 / 10
- City Comfort Index7.1 / 10
- WeatherComfort Index6.8 / 10
- Banking Index5.8 / 10
- GeoStability Index6.0 / 10
- Justice & Order Index4.9 / 10
- Quality of Life Index6.9 / 10
- Open Society Index6.3 / 10
- Flight Index3.3 / 10
- Environmental Quality Index7.7 / 10
- English Index5.0 / 10
- Wealth Protection Index6.0 / 10
- AI Access Index6.2 / 10
- Economic Openness Index5.2 / 10
- Market Depth Index6.2 / 10
- ClimateShield Index7.6 / 10
Country snapshot
- Capital
- Quito
- Population (approx.)
- 18,000,000
- Area (km²)
- 283,561 km²
- Currency code (ISO 4217)
- USD
- Currency name
- United States dollar
- Main airport IATA code
- UIO
- Airport name
- Mariscal Sucre International Airport
General facts
- Minimum monthly cost
- From $1,164/month
- Main languages
- Spanish
- Jurisdiction type
- Country
- Region
- Latin America
- Web TLD
- .ec
- Phone calling code
- +593
Web TLD and phone codes are general references and can differ for territories or special numbering plans.
Tax system
- Marginal CIT (corporate income tax)
- 25%Very highWorldwide
- Marginal PIT (personal income tax)
- 37%HighWorldwide
Corporate taxation basis: Worldwide. The country generally taxes worldwide income of resident companies.
Worldwide taxation of resident companies under Article 4 of the LRTI. Multiple sectoral and geographical exemptions operate outside the general regime: Zonas Francas (0 percent 5 years then 15 percent), LOFP new productive investments (10 to 15 year CIT holiday), and 10 year exemption for renewable energy and green hydrogen value chain. Mutually exclusive elections per fiscal year.
Flat 25 percent headline corporate income tax on resident companies, raised to 28 percent when beneficiarios finales are tax-resident in low-tax jurisdictions or non-cooperative regimes per the SRI list. A 3 percentage point reduction applies to new investments and a 5 pp reduction in specific sectoral cases under the Ley de Regimen Tributario Interno.
Personal income tax basis. Worldwide. Resident individuals are generally taxable on their worldwide income, subject to relief under applicable tax treaties.
Worldwide taxation of resident individuals (183 day test under Article 4.1 LRTI). The Residencia Fiscal Temporal regime converts to territorial-only taxation for 5 years for new foreign fiscal residents who have never been Ecuadorian tax residents.
Progressive scale 0 to 37 percent under Article 36 LRTI, with the 37 percent top bracket applying to annual income above approximately USD 130,000 in 2026. Brackets are set annually by SRI Resolution NAC-DGERCGC. The Residencia Fiscal Temporal regime (LOEEGE December 2023) provides a 5 year territorial taxation window for never-resident foreigners meeting USD 150,000 investment or USD 2,500 monthly foreign-source income conditions.
Tax percentages here are editorial reference figures for comparison, not individualized tax advice.
Special tax regimes
For companies
Renewable Energy and Green Hydrogen Investment Tax Holiday
AvailableSectoral corporate income tax exemption introduced by the LOEEGE of 20 December 2023 for new productive investments in non-conventional renewable…
Tax Stability Regime (Régimen de Estabilidad Tributaria)
AvailableVoluntary opt-in tax stability regime introduced by the LOEEGE of 20 December 2023, allowing any corporate taxpayer to lock in the prevailing…
New Productive Investments Tax Holiday (Ley Orgánica para el Fomento Productivo - Contratos de Inversión)
AvailableCorporate income tax exemption regime for new productive investments, originally enacted under the Ley Organica para el Fomento Productivo of 2018…
Tourism Investment Tax Holiday
AvailableSectoral corporate income tax exemption introduced by the LOEEGE of 20 December 2023 for new tourism sector investments of at least USD 100,000 in…
Free Zones Regime (Régimen de Zonas Francas)
AvailableFree zone corporate regime restructured by the Ley Organica de Eficiencia Economica y Generacion de Empleo of 20 December 2023, replacing the prior…
For individuals
Temporary Tax Residence Regime (Residencia Fiscal Temporal)
AvailableFive-year territorial tax regime introduced by the Ley Organica de Eficiencia Economica y Generacion de Empleo of 20 December 2023, available…
Simplified Regime for Popular Businesses (RIMPE Negocios Populares)
AvailableSimplified tax regime for individual popular businesses (negocios populares) with annual gross income up to USD 20,000.
You either qualify for Ecuador's special tax regimes, or you don't. GeoCompass determines your eligibility, highlights the applicable conditions, and helps estimate your potential tax exposure.
Check my eligibilityVisa and mobility
Your access
Visa need and length of stay for Ecuador. Saved on your device.
Overview
- Citizenship by investment
Not currently available
- Residence by investment
Available
- Remote work visa (digital nomad visa)
Available
Programmes
Ecuador lists several residency and mobility routes across residence by investment, work (employer sponsored), work (self sponsored), retirement routes, and remote work visas. Lucky Nomads tracks these programmes as editorial reference points. Thresholds, documents, and personal eligibility are evaluated in GeoCompass against your exact profile.
7 programmes listed · 7 are marked available in our editorial review
Residence by investment
1 programmeCapital, property, fund, or declared investment routes that can lead to longer-term residence.
- Available
Visa de Residencia Temporal Inversionista
Work (employer sponsored)
1 programmeEmployer-linked permits and skilled employment passes for hired professionals.
- Available
Visa de Residencia Temporal de Trabajo bajo Relacion de Dependencia
Work (self sponsored)
2 programmesSelf-sponsored work or freelance routes where you qualify without a local employer.
- Available
Visa de Residencia Temporal de Profesional, Tecnico, Tecnologo o Artesano
- Available
Visa de Residencia Temporal Mercosur (Residente por Convenio)
Retirement routes
2 programmesRetirement-age or pension-linked residence options.
- Available
Visa de Residencia Temporal Jubilado
- Available
Visa de Residencia Temporal Rentista
Remote work visas
1 programmeRemote work or digital nomad style permits.
- Available
Visa de Residencia Temporal Rentista para Trabajo Remoto (Visa Nómada Digital)
Not all residency routes are accessible. Some require minimum income, investment thresholds, local substance, or strict eligibility conditions. GeoCompass evaluates which options you can actually secure in Ecuador.
Evaluate my residency optionsVisa and programme labels reflect editorial research, not individualized legal advice. Thresholds, documents, and personal eligibility are evaluated in GeoCompass. Always confirm rules with official government sources before you plan a move.
Dimensions breakdown
Strongest dimensions
- Healthcare Index8.2 / 10Strong healthcare access and quality
- Environmental Quality Index7.7 / 10Strong environmental quality index
- ClimateShield Index7.6 / 10Strong climateshield index
Weakest dimensions
- Flight Index3.3 / 10
- SafetyShield Index3.8 / 10
Published ranks by index
One row per leaderboard we publish (the composite index plus each proprietary dimension). A rank appears only when this country is currently in the published top 10 for that list. Open a row to see the full ranking. Hover an index name for the same short definition as elsewhere on the site.
This jurisdiction is not in the published top 10 on any of these lists right now.
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Founder, Lucky Nomads · Wealth manager
Researched from official sources, leading global indices and Lucky Nomads' own scoring.
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