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Punta del Este, Uruguay

10 Tips for Living in Uruguay

By Betsy Burlingame

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Summary: Uruguay may not be the most popular expat destination, but expats there are probably hoping that the truth about Uruguay's healthy lifestyle, family-oriented culture and beautiful beaches doesn't get out.

Uruguay is Less Corrupt than Other Latin American Countries

"Here in Uruguay the [residency] process is so much more clear cut. Not simple or perfectly smooth but easier. No corruption. If you have a handle on Spanish you can breeze through. I did not so my Uruguayan friends have helped me immensely. The residency process has taken over a year. I chose to go the cheap route (canje) and was told upfront that it would be a long wait for the card," explained one expat living in Valdense, Uruguay who have previously lived in Argentina.

Life is Good in Uruguay

"Lower cost of living, many benefits for seniors who get residency, friendly native people, quietness, stability of gov't, great public transportation, no need of a car, no need of expensive insurances, local "organic" meat and produce, slower pace of life, flourishing small businesses, hard-working honest family oriented native people, beautiful birds, great highways, wonderful beaches, simple life pleasures: people walk instead of jump in a car, women hang out clothes instead of using a dryer, families wear layers of clothes instead of turning up a thermostat, people buy small cars, use propane for cooking, have small homes so spend much of leisure time out of doors. The air here is clean, water potable throughout the country. The Solis Theater in Montevideo supports classical and innovative musical groups, both world famous and local talent. There are adjustments to make, yes. But in a nutshell, Uruguay is ideal for me," said one expat who retired in Uruguay.

Must Learn the Language

Another expat in Punta del Diablo, Uruguay recommended, "if you don't speak a certain amount of Spanish, you're lost. They take you more seriously. Nobody speaks English. Prepare yourself. Buy Rosetta Stone if you must, but be aware = it teaches Mexican Spanish, not Uruguayan Spanish... But why am I cheating you of a few laughs? Strike up conversations in fledgling Spanish whenever you can - at the bus stop or market. Word of mouth is how you will find houses to rent, year-round or during the season, cars for sale or rent, the best deals on firewood, etc. TALK to the locals."

The Best Thing about Uruguay - The People

"The people here will bend over backward to help you get along, give you recommendations for laundry service, firewood vendors, whatever you want. The key is to keep your heart open to the people. Be open to the people of Uruguay. Trust in the natural goodness of humankind here. Nobody is out to fleece you. Visit the provinces & learn about the country people, not just the city of Montevideo & cities.

Wine in Uruguay

"Yes, we are drinking a bit more - red wine - tannat grapes. We probably consume about a gallon per week, between ourselves & visitors... It's winter now & it helps to warm the blood... Dom Perico in Chuy (border of Uruguay & Brazil) has the best tannat - Sol Chico.

Cost of Living in Uruguay

"Realize this is not a cheap place to live. Prices are similar to the United States; however, there is much more freedom to be found here," said one expat. Another expat said, "Montevideo is one of the most INexpensive cities to live in the world, as are practically all other cities and towns in Uruguay, but Punta del Este is just as expensive as any US resort city or international resort in the world, if not more. I would strongly recommend coming to Uruguay on an extended .. (maybe a couple of months) visit to get a feel for it before packing up and moving here."

"Less than $1200/mo. We spend about $50/week on food, drink, wine, etc. We sold all our possessions before coming down & came down with 7 suitcases... We paid $100 each for these, which to my view was way cheaper than trying to ship them down," described another expat.

"The costs of living could be as much or more than in the US..a cup of coffee is cheaper at Starbucks in the US than in Uruguay. Health care if you are under 55 will cost you around 100 dollars a month with funeral expenses covered," described another expat in Uruguay.

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Mobility LC is committed to work hard to make your Uruguayan immigration and relocation process a reality. We can provide you with the best local contacts and will guide you all the way through the process offering support in 5 different languages. Your success is our personal goal.

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Mobility LC is committed to work hard to make your Uruguayan immigration and relocation process a reality. We can provide you with the best local contacts and will guide you all the way through the process offering support in 5 different languages. Your success is our personal goal.

Diversity in Uruguay

"Uruguayans come in a wide range of skin tones & hair textures. People are not referred to as "black" or "white," but just as... people. Mixed-race couples are everywhere, if you judge by skin tones; however, you find out eventually that BOTH are native Uruguayans. The principal religion is Catholicism; however, they are not rabid about religiosity. They attend Christmas, Easter, funerals, weddings, christenings. Religion is a personal matter, between a person & his/her higher power - that is all," said one expat living in Uruguay.

Expats Found it Easier to Move to Uruguay than to Argentina

"I faced the same choice 2 years ago, Uruguay or Argentina. I already had an apartment in Buenos Aires, wanted to relocate from coastal Brazil and did not want to live in a big city. We ended up near Punta del Este (but a world away in many respects) in Uruguay. The political and financial situation in Argentina is impossible. A few months ago it was impossible to get dollars (by decree of the President) and no one outside of Argentina wants their pesos. Inflation is 25-30%. I gave up trying to get residency. We still have our apartment in BA and enjoy the 35 minute flight from Punta to be in a great city every month. Since you mentioned you need to be near an airport there is one (Laguna del Sauce) 5 minutes from our house. And Uruguay seems very stable, the people are friendly, inflation is 7% and banking is easy. Both countries have winters and August is particularly gloomy. If you are visiting in July and August you will see the worst of the weather. I thought I would share my experiences with both countries," explained one expat in Punta del Este.

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Click connect to have our partner contact you via e-mail and/or phone.

Mobility LCMobility LC

Mobility LC is committed to work hard to make your Uruguayan immigration and relocation process a reality. We can provide you with the best local contacts and will guide you all the way through the process offering support in 5 different languages. Your success is our personal goal.
Connect

Click connect to have our partner contact you via e-mail and/or phone.

Where to Live in Uruguay

One expat said, "Uruguay is a friendly, relaxed, politically stable, relatively safe and enjoyable place to live. Montevideo is a wonderful coastal city with a small town feel. This means you'll have a wide range of restaurants and cultural activities availabe year round...but it's a place where everyone knows everyone else...which pays extraordinary benefits once you've paid a few dues and gotten to know who is who, who to trust, and who not to. The coastal areas offer fairly good beaches and there are expat communities but offer much less to do. You will have to have a car anywhere outside of Montevideo, whereas in the city you won't need one. (Frankly...I wouldn't DRIVE in Argentina, much less own a car. I've lived in Mediteranean Europe, Mexico, etc...and Argentina is BY FAR the most dangerous place to drive I have ever seen. Noone stops...EVER. Uruguay by contrast is simply 'sort of bad', comparable to many other places outside the U.S."

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William Russell's private medical insurance will cover you and your family wherever you may be. Whether you need primary care or complex surgery, you'll have access to the best hospitals & doctors available. Unlike some insurers, we also include medical evacuation and mental health cover in our plans (except SilverLite). Get a quote from our partner, William Russell.
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Crime in Uruguay

"The people of UY are by far the best - very helpful. Altho UYos complain about their rising crime rate in the inner cities, this is mainly petty theft, not murders like Costa Rica, etc... Personal assaults, robbings or muggings are nearly unheard-of here," explained another expat.

Another said, "Although there is very little to no crime outside the big city of Montevideo, you find occasional petty thievery. However, yesterday we got our supper of mussels & sea whelks from Rivera Beach & left our little VW parked & unlocked for several hours. It was unmolested, as the locals here are learning who the car belongs to."

Mobility LCMobility LC
Connect

Mobility LC is committed to work hard to make your Uruguayan immigration and relocation process a reality. We can provide you with the best local contacts and will guide you all the way through the process offering support in 5 different languages. Your success is our personal goal.

Click connect to have our partner contact you via e-mail and/or phone.

Mobility LCMobility LC

Mobility LC is committed to work hard to make your Uruguayan immigration and relocation process a reality. We can provide you with the best local contacts and will guide you all the way through the process offering support in 5 different languages. Your success is our personal goal.
Connect

Click connect to have our partner contact you via e-mail and/or phone.

About the Author

Betsy Burlingame Betsy Burlingame is the Founder and President of Expat Exchange and is one of the Founders of Digital Nomad Exchange. She launched Expat Exchange in 1997 as her Master's thesis project at NYU. Prior to Expat Exchange, Betsy worked at AT&T in International and Mass Market Marketing. She graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University with a BA in International Business and German.

Some of Betsy's articles include 12 Best Places to Live in Portugal, 7 Best Places to Live in Panama and 12 Things to Know Before Moving to the Dominican Republic. Betsy loves to travel and spend time with her family. Connect with Betsy on LinkedIn.


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Comments

guest
Mar 4, 2013 11:08

Hi Betsy, lovely article and spot on. I went there in June 2011 to check out the place for possible retirement. Coming from a crime plagued South Africa it was an eye opener to experience the relaxed vibe there. There is crime in Uruguay but it is minimal and occurs mostly in the city and then only near the docks at night. The people are the best - open, friendly and relaxed. Best regards. Jo

guest
Jun 21, 2013 11:33

Was hoping to find the verbage on dual citizenship etc. informative shorts. Bueno suerte hoy, Rick

guest
Jul 27, 2013 10:52

Hi Betsy, very informative and helpful article. Abul

drusap
Oct 7, 2013 17:17

I am very interested in Uraguay. What is the best method learning their Spanish. I had 6 weeks in high school 1965

guest
Dec 21, 2013 07:53

Crime is definitely increasing and is the Number 1 concern of most Uruguayan including robberies, muggings and home invasions in several of the small towns along the coast. Montevideo is the main area however and not just in the Old City anymore. If you go to Numbeo.com and check crime statistics you can compare where you are now to Montevideo. You can also compare cost of living etc.

damondmuhammad
Mar 11, 2014 04:28

Hi Betsy, Im Damond Muhammad. I currently live in Phoenix, Az. I have been researching places around the world that I would like to move too and have definitely narrowed my search down to Taiwan and Uruguay. This sounds like a very clean and peaceful place where I wont have to worry about crime. I am really looking forward to learning more about this lovely country. Funny thing, Im reading your info and see that you attended Ohio Wesleyan, a good friend of mine, Paul Schreel also attended that university where he played football, hope to hear back from you.

tgwithin
Oct 5, 2016 16:39

Thank you this is a great first read, as we are planning to relocate to Uruguay.

mommablah6
Dec 2, 2016 12:24

I found this article very educational and entertaining. I thought the cost of living was less than the U.S..but I am still interested I did read a in another website about other peoples who were born in Ururgray and were from Europe. They had Italian meals and Polish,like pierogis. I don't remember the cities but I did find it interesting. My Spanish is very poor. I better start studying.. Thank you for the information. Geraldine

cannabisfriendly
Dec 10, 2019 12:26

People here are friendly, that's true, but mostly when it comes to money (who's on Earth is unfriendly to cash, hahaha=) 1. You say right, they will help with laundry, as that laundry is a family member or a friend. Anything where the direction of payment is FROM YOU. For the otherwise - don't be tricked with that friendliness. 2. Wine is rubbish. Thankfully, there's a beautiful choice of Argentinian malbecs, yet two times more expensive than the same brand in ARG. 3. Promise means nothing. It aren't bad, just a cultural thing. They are hell surprised when you call to a promise given even yesterday. Really really, they do it NOT in a form of a trick, but simply a promise is zero, unless (see clause 1 of this message) That's cultural, not bad, not good, it's neutral. Simple formula: they speak out as if the tomorrow does not exists. Pretty easy to handle in the end of the day. I'm not an angry one, but you mentioned all goods and I agree, just trying to add my two cents..

Punta del Este, Uruguay

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