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Things I Find Puzzling About Uruguay

Posted on June 19, 2007
Filed Under Economy, Culture | 20 Comments

In a previous article I discussed the ten things I love about Montevideo. And, taking the lead from the Uruguayan blogger Gabo, I had thought it would be logical to follow with my list of ten things I hate about Uruguay. But there’s nothing I hate about Uruguay. Besides, I think it would be impolite of me to make such a list about a country I want to make my home. So I decided instead to write about things I find puzzling about Uruguay. By puzzling I mean I don’t clearly understand the cause or how other countries have managed to overcome these issues. I am sure there are must be good explanations for these things, so feel free to write in to share your insight. Read more

Has Punta Peaked?

Posted on June 2, 2007
Filed Under Real Estate, Economy, Places | 7 Comments

Could the region around Punta del Este be heading into a real estate decline? There are many indicators that seem to suggest this may be the case. Over-development, costly infrastructure and crime increase may be working together to change the economics of property ownership in Punta.

Punta rose to fame as a crime free, first world, oasis for rich South Americans, ensconced in the Uruguayan coast. Over the years it has been the preferred destination of the jet set, the rich and the famous from Argentina, and to a lesser extent Brazil, Chile and other countries. Read more

Squatters

Posted on April 18, 2007
Filed Under Real Estate, Crime, Economy | 5 Comments

Land occupation in Uruguay has increased dramatically in the last decade. The slowness of the judicial system and the severe economic crisis the country went through after 2002 made land invasion more common in certain areas. Even in high profile balnearios such as Punta del Este, a few very visible asentamientos (settlements) can be found, like the Predio Lobos at the Rambla Brava y Roosevelt and the barrio Kennedy, half a block from the Club de Golf. Many families now live in these asentiamentos, in spite of years of legal efforts to evict them. In that same area, in the past summers homes were occupied and terrenos invaded at a rate of two or three per month. Read more

Cost of Living in Uruguay

Posted on March 27, 2007
Filed Under Economy, Cost of Living, Expat Tips | 22 Comments

Have you been hearing that life in Uruguay is inexpensive? Are you itching to sell your house and bolt for the Airport? Hold your horses. The truth is, life in Uruguay can be fairly inexpensive or can be nearly as expensive as in North America. It will depend on your life-style.

For example, a typical T-shirt purchased in Uruguay is cheaper than in the US, however the quality is usually much inferior. Although shirts of similar quality to the ones in the US can easily be found at boutiques, they are significantly more expensive. The same is true for many other day-to-day items. Also items considered basic in US homes may be specialty items in Uruguay, and priced as such. Read more

Pricing, Fees and Change

Posted on March 24, 2007
Filed Under Economy, Expat Tips, Vocabulary | 6 Comments

Before 1999, the Uruguayan economy was heavily dollarized and it was common to see prices in US dollars and to see it used as a parallel currency. Nowadays however, prices are almost always advertised in Uruguayan Pesos, with the exception perhaps of real estate, motor vehicles, appliances and a few other imported items.

The symbol used for the peso in Uruguay is the $. Unfortunately, this happens to be the same symbol used for the US dollar in the US. As can be expected, this is a source of confusion for the newbie tourist, ex-pat or immigrant from the US. So here you go, Warning to Gringos: assume all prices are in pesos unless displayed as US$ xxx or USD xxx. Read more

Easy Come Easy Go

Posted on March 18, 2007
Filed Under Economy, Cost of Living, Expat Tips | 4 Comments

When researching Uruguay most people immediately notice that the cost of living in Uruguay is significantly lower than that of the US. Interestingly, most people do not realize that this has not always been the case. For example, in 1998 the cost of living in Montevideo was only slightly lower than in the US and Punta del Este was actually more expensive than most places in North America. Read more