Real Estate Sales Why aren't there more expats in Uruguay?

[Frisel]

Seems nicer... can't believe I spent four years in Argentina and didn't come here earlier.

 

[RinderHerts]

Uruguay is small, slow, and sleepy. Its also expensive. There are a fair amount of expats there- they keep their lambos and range rovers in their million dollar summer houses. I once saw an original Shelby Cobra in Jose Ignacio, with Uruguayan plates.
Alexander Vik, for example, had a Urugayan mother, but, to quote Forbes, "as a Norwegian who was raised in Sweden and schooled in the Canary Islands, Vik attended Harvard, where he won the Ivy League golf championship--twice. He brought up his children in an eight-bedroom Greenwich, Conn. mansion that once belonged to a Rockefeller heir, but he claims residence in Monaco."
He has thousands of hectaires and 3 hotels and a fancy ranch in Uruguay.
He is their target market for expats.
I have met wealthy Argentines who go there to visit their money...

 

[bwyonsea]

Uruguay is expensive and boring.

 

[Carlspmw]

Could you argue that culturally the two are very similar countries (I see memes comparing Uruguay to Shelbyville in the Simpsons) and henceforth the only material differences for expats are size of country, cost of living, ease of immigration procedures and presumably Argentina wins on most of these fronts

 

[earlyretirement]

Uruguay is expensive and boring.

I completely agree. Uruguay is a nice country but I totally agree that it's very boring compared to Buenos Aires. I had a house in Punta del Este for many years but besides 2 months in the summer it was completely dead. And also utilities there were crazy expensive. If you have a small apartment in Montevideo it would probably be cheap.

But I just never could live there as I find it too quiet and boring. It's a nice place to get away from the hustle and bustle of Buenos Aires but I love BA as there is so much to do. All they ever do in Uruguay is just sip mate and hang out with friends/family.

 

[TaisonCer]

I considered retiring in Uruguay but I have a more exciting life in Buenos Aires and I can go to Uruguay whenever I feel like it all the same.

 

[earlyretirement]

I should mention that even when I had a house in Uruguay, I rented it more than I used it. It got to be such that I couldn't even afford to stay in my own place. My house in the summer was going for $8,000 US dollars per WEEK so I couldn't really justify going there when I could rent it out.

It's amazing how many people from Europe come there during the high season (Christmas to end of February). Personally, I didn't think it was anything too special. The beaches aren't that great compared to other places in Brazil. But they sure did have a big scene with models/parties/events.

 

[BradMC]

I should mention that even when I had a house in Uruguay, I rented it more than I used it. It got to be such that I couldn't even afford to stay in my own place. My house in the summer was going for $8,000 US dollars per WEEK so I couldn't really justify going there when I could rent it out.

It's amazing how many people from Europe come there during the high season (Christmas to end of February). Personally, I didn't think it was anything too special. The beaches aren't that great compared to other places in Brazil. But they sure did have a big scene with models/parties/events.

Uruguay is certainly safer than most of Brazil.

 

[earlyretirement]

Uruguay is certainly safer than most of Brazil.

Yes, Uruguay is extremely safe. I also have an apartment in Rio and I didn't have any issues for many years but I agree many cities in Brazil have more crime. I was just speaking about people visiting a beach city in general for vacation. Not really living.

I still think the best thing would be to be based in Buenos Aires and you can fly and go visit other cities for vacation.