Home Sweet Home?
Posted on April 7, 2007
Filed Under Montevideo, Real Estate, Expat Tips |
9 Comments
So you are interested in buying real estate in Uruguay? You have been hearing that it is a bargain and you are wondering whether you will miss out on this great opportunity. Well, there are a few things you should think about first. But before I start flailing my arms like the robot in Lost in Space, I should warn you that what follows is based on my own observations and may not mesh with what you’ll hear elsewhere. So take it for what it’s worth. Read more
Mucamas, Cocineras, Niñeras y Limpiadoras
Posted on April 2, 2007
Filed Under Expat Tips, Culture, Vocabulary |
5 Comments
If you are planning to live in Uruguay, sooner or later you’ll yield to the temptation of hiring household help (empleadas domésticas). This is totally understandable, after all it is much more affordable than in Europe or North America. However this is not a thing to get into lightly and there are many factors to consider.
According to this article, 8.4% of homes in Uruguay have domésticas and they are paid 37 pesos per hour, on average. Some of those domésticas, are mucamas (maids), cocineras (cooks), niñeras (nannies) or limpiadoras (cleaning person). The limpiadora is a contractor hired to come to your home a few times a week and charges by the hour (usually less than 60 pesos/hour, often far less). The mucamas, niñeras and cocineras are normally full time employees and usually costs less than 200 dollars per month (the minimum is 3150 pesos). Employers are supposed to contribute to the empleada’s social security, but shamelessly more than 50% of employers do not. Live-in mucamas and/or niñeras are not uncommon. In Punta del Este, many apartment buildings have a servicio de mucama as part of the building services. 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
Bank Accounts and Money Transfers
Posted on March 21, 2007
Filed Under Expat Tips |
5 Comments
In the past, people flocked to Uruguay to deposit money in Uruguayan banks in order to hide assets. The liberal rules regarding movement of capital, foreign currency accounts and strong banking secrecy laws were very appealing. The Uruguayan secrecy laws are considered more encompassing than those of Switzerland and can only be broken by court order in case of criminal proceedings and few other cases. A few years ago however, Uruguay added several hurdles for non-residents to discourage money laundering and other illegal activities. Also recently, Uruguay passed a law imposing an income tax on residents and non-residents (Uruguayan income only). As a result, opening a bank account in Uruguay has been transformed into a matter that requires some planning. Read more
ATMs and Credit Cards
Posted on March 19, 2007
Filed Under Services, Expat Tips |
4 Comments
When traveling abroad one of the first items on my worry list is whether I’ll have direct access to my money via an ATM or if I will need to rely on credit cards and cash. This topic is of particular relevance in Uruguay because a number of businesses do not accept credit cards. Like most people, I prefer not to carry oodles of cash if I don’t have to. And I am not a big fan of travelers checks and the hassles associated with them. The good news is that if you plan right, you will be able to withdraw in pesos or in dollars from your account back home from most ATMs in Uruguay. 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
Uruguayan Beer
Posted on March 13, 2007
Filed Under Food and Drink, Expat Tips |
4 Comments
If you like beer and are headed towards Uruguay, be prepared. The beer is inexpensive but there is little variety to choose from, especially in the interior. The Uruguayan beer market is essentially a monopoly, controlled by QUINSA, which is owned InBev, the world largest beer manufacturer. This same company also has a virtual monopoly in Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia and Brazil. And if you look at their brand portfolio, you will find so many familiar names that it’s almost scary. Read more
Land Owner
Posted on March 11, 2007
Filed Under Real Estate, Expat Tips |
4 Comments
As of this week, I am a landowner in Uruguay! I bought a 900 sqm beach front terreno near the border with Brazil. About a year ago, my brother spotted a few good plots on a low-key balneario near the border. Jokingly, he asked me over the phone if I was interested in buying the undeveloped lot next to his. The time between my “immediate yes!” and the final closing of the deal took more than three months. The process was supposed to be simple, but ended up complicated due to a few peculiar issues. Here are the details, from finding the broker to closing: Read more
Intercity Buses in Uruguay
Posted on March 8, 2007
Filed Under Transportation, Expat Tips, Vocabulary |
5 Comments
Uruguay has a good intercity bus system, even if many of the buses are old and in need of repair. The roads are well maintained for South American standards and are usually two-lane, undivided, paved highways, except for a very few. Traffic is light except perhaps on the coastal roads, on certain summer holidays. Because of the good roads and the light traffic, bus schedules are usually dependable. Read more
Café Glaseado
Posted on March 3, 2007
Filed Under Food and Drink, Expat Tips |
4 Comments
One the few big disappointments I had in Uruguay had to do with Coffee. No, I am not a coffee aficionado that always shops for the best boutique coffees of the world. As a matter of fact, I am not even a huge coffee drinker. But when I do drink it, I expect to be able to, well, drink it.
As part of my research into the daily life in Uruguay, my wife and I tried coffee at several establishments throughout Montevideo and Uruguay. Sadly, in most cases, we were unable to finish the coffee and in the few times we did, it was in order not to make a scene. Read more
Uruguay Cost of Living Links
Posted on March 1, 2007
Filed Under Cost of Living, Expat Tips |
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Click here for the cost of living links of the UY Resources page.
Real Estate Links
Posted on March 1, 2007
Filed Under Real Estate, Expat Tips |
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Click here for real estate links in UY resources.
Electrical Adaptors
Posted on February 26, 2007
Filed Under Services, Expat Tips |
2 Comments
If you are on your way to Uruguay, you will want to know that the voltage is 220V 50Hz, similar to most countries in Europe. US and Canada, use 110V 60Hz and Brazil, depending on the city, either 110V or 220V, but always 60 Hz.
What does this mean to you? If you want to bring appliances into Uruguay, you will need to buy either a converter or a transformer for each appliance. Converters are small devices that clip the 220V sinusoidal wave in a way that the resulting voltage is on average 110V. For devices like hair dryers and shavers, it works perfectly fine. However for anything electronic, you’ll need a 220V-110V transformer. Keep in mind that transformers need to match the power drawn by the device connected to it. For example, a microwave oven that pulls 1200W will need a transformer rated at 1200W or higher. Considering that a 1500W transformer is about the size of car battery, you may come to your senses and decide to buy all your appliances in Uruguay. Read more
Arriving at Carrasco Airport
Posted on February 24, 2007
Filed Under Montevideo, Transportation, Expat Tips |
2 Comments
If you are going to Montevideo from just about anywhere other than Argentina or southern Brazil, chances are that you will be arriving through Carrasco Airport. If this is your first time to Montevideo, there are few things that you might want to know. Read more
