'Uruguay cheap or expensive -' Retirement

Uruguay cheap or expensive -

My wife and I lived in New York (she was born there) between the City and Long Island until we started working in a Federal job, that paid the same anyplace in the States. Then we decided to find a place cheaper than the Big Apple. In 1993 we moved to sunny Florida, when after making some numbers, we figured out that we would be saving 300.00 a week just to move. We called that, moving up two or three steps in our standard of living.

If you are not rich in the States or any other country, you are not going to be rich in Uruguay or any place else.

But yes you can move up two or three steps in you standard of living.

Another benefit about moving to European Uruguay is that you will blend in and only will be noticed when you speak. Try that in other countries.

My advice would be to do what this expats are doing and doing it well. Learn and adapt. Learn Spanish should be a priority to be able to enjoy the Culture of the Uruguayan, that is more vast that many people think.

Smart people like you, should have meetings on Saturday when only Spanish is permited. We enjoyed all your opinions and we hope to see most of you soon.

-this depends on where you earn your money...if you are continuing to earn a wage from up North but will be living down South then yes, you can probably live comfortably. However if you move here and work HERE then expect to take a drop in standard of living.

Also, to enjoy and equivalent standard of living here in Uruguay actually costs more because good quality products in general are all higher and some almost double in cost to the US because of trade issues (small market = small demand and therefore small selection, and the import taxes drive up all the prices).

As for speaking Spanish every Saturday, its a great idea but the truth is Jorge many people have these lovely dreams about conversing in Spanish with their neighbours but never take the time to study or practice, you can't force people to do it.

There is a language exchange meeting every second Friday evening in Atlantico Bar in Pocitos. Both Uruguayans and Expats attend....however I get the feeling that few expats actually speak to the Uruguayans in Spanish, so really its a majority of English language exchange for Uruguayans, maybe with one or 2 expats taking advantage of the opportunity to practice! It all comes down to motivation.

To an ex-pat with a non-Peso income, "cheap or expensive" is mostly determined by the current exchange rate.

I'm retired, I moved here when the north was booming with credit and the ROU still recovering from the crisis of 2001 so with 1 GBP = 49 pesos and depressed ROU land prices, my initial investments were "cheap."

Now the ROU is prospering and the north is still in deep financial doodah so 1 GBP = 30 pesos. Add local inflation to this and its no longer "cheap." In terms of my British rents, I've taken a pay cut of nearly 50% over three years.

I selected the Topic of Retirement, I wasn't talking about working in Uruguay.

I'm a Uruguayan who moved to the states at age 21 for better ways of working and living.

When I talk about moving up two or three steps. I'm talking about making the same money every month in the Unites States and moving to Uruguay.

When I read your opinion, I'm not sure about my statement that we all moving up two or three step by just moving to Uruguay. Because I understand the level of the rich and how business careters to them. Now the question is, DO WE NEED THAT?

You mentioned Cars in Uruguay, I know how expensive they can be, also the gas. Well I'll be counting on the great Transportation. Buses and Taxis with the benefit of not looking or paying for Parking.

Also our thinking is to live in Pocitos around Bulevar Espana were transportation is very good and everything you need is around.

The good clothes I will bring them from here, but I will buy leather and shoes.

I know that I will find some small Restaurant with good home cooking.

What I expect in Uruguay is relaxing, enjoy the Beaches across the street or a block away (try that in the States). Eat a lot of good food. Drink good Wine at a good price (not 5 Dollar a glass). Go to see my favorite Soccer team NACIONAL and drink beer (not 3 - 7 Dollars a bottle)

The biggest problem right now is the old mighty Dollar is the lowest ever.

When I visited Uruguay three years ago, it was 23.50 now is low 19's. This situation is not unique to Uruguay, but to the rest of the world.

I know that when you are watching CNN, you learn that the house market in the USA went down 40%, retirement plans were hurt badly, business having big problems, A lot of qualifing people looking for jobs, Gas is high, also is food. Going to the Supermarket in the middle of the week for few items you will pay 70.00 for three or four bags. The sun is not shinning too much here.

About speaking Spanish, I came to New York with no English, the city is very diverse and I was able to live and work with only Spanish (hard work).

It took a while before I started to get the idea that if I make American money I should know the American language.

Few years later I married a good looking American girl with an Irish last name and love made me try harder to learn English. It's still not as good, as it should be, but enough to comunicate and enjoy what this great country has to offer, especially the people, and that is what a lot of you guys are missing.

Elaine and other expats, thank you again for all your answers that will help a lot of people.

keep up the good work.

Jorge it is lovely to have you on board, it will be very interesting to hear your opinions on how Montevideo has changed since you've been gone (how long has it been now?). Even in the year and a half that I have been here I have watch it change - and the changes seem very similar to those I saw take place in Ireland (although Ireland grew at a ridiculously fast rate, the process was the same - and unfortunately the end result isn't as great as people expect!). Do you plan to return soon or is this just a future "some day" plan?

"I understand the level of the rich and how business careters to them. Now the question is, DO WE NEED THAT?"

No, our course we don't "need" that kind of lifestyle, but business caters to where the money is, and in Uruguay the middle class is still struggling to meet the rising cost of living here, then there is a HUGE jump in income level to the upper class. As such the "good stuff" (good clothes, nice restaurants, good furniture etc) it is very expensive, with everything else being of mediocre standard.

What you said about transport is still very much the case. Taxis are affordable and the buses are of excellent quality with many routes and all running very frequently. A car is most definitely not "necessary" here, but being without one does limit your choices somewhat, as it does anywhere.

As for the other things you mentioned -

Clothes (yes, bring them from the US because general quality is very poor and just decent quality stuff is very expensive)

Food - personally I find Uruguayan food very limiting. The beef is fantastic, but the range of cuisine in restaurants is very limited (a million parillas of course but only 1 or 2 sushi places, I still haven't found any Mexican, Thai or Indian food) and restaurants of higher quality definitely could not be considered "cheap". I am NOT saying that nice restaurants with decent prices don't exist, a few do - but we are spoilt for choice and range up north and instead here we are more limited.

As for the supermarket prices - brace yourself for here, I find the prices in supermarkets expensive personally. Breakfast cereals are astronimically expensive, most condiments (and there aren't many available here, just soy sauce and a few other basics) are overpriced. You can get cheaper fruit and veg in the ferias, but you have to be able to go during the morning time (which many working people can't do).

"When I visited Uruguay three years ago, it was 23.50 now is low 19's."

Nobody can say what will happen with this. The current strength of the "mighty peso" doesn't really make much sense and many believe it is being manipulated by the government here and being artifically held at this price. Some big changes are due to come in the coming years with the dollar so I guess we are all just waiting to see what happens.

Many people considering a move here are constantly asking me for prices so they can see the cost of living, but in any country the cost of living fluctuates. Then add in the factor of living off dollars and the exchange rate affects you too. As such, the big "cost of living question" that people have is very hard to answer, but I really wish people would realise that these promises of "cheap" life in Uruguay are advertisements, not reality.

Here is another link discussing something similar:

• Cost of living coming from the US

I'm on a diet at the moment and have run out of All Bran... my staple diet food.

A tour of my local shops failed to reveal any and as most cereals come coated in sugar here, I decided to opt for plain cornflakes instead until I visit MVD next.

At Nelson's supermarket in Rosario a packet of Kelloggs cornflakes (350 gms) costs 96 pesos (5 U$S) but 350 grms of loose locally made "copos de maiz" (cornflakes) cost 14 pesos (0.70 U$S.)

350 grams = 12.345886682 ounces. So its, $3.79 vs $5.00. Really not a bad price different for an important product... those its probably made in Brazil and not really imported being a Mercosur product.

When the exchange rate was 23.5 pesos it would have been $4.08 for the box (assume it was still 96 pesos)... so not much of a different then.

Why not eat something else made of corn and save a lot of money and skip all the icky stuff they put in that:

"Milled Corn, Sugar, Malt Flavoring, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Salt, Vitamins and Iron, Iron, Niacinamide, Sodium Ascorbate, Ascorbate and Ascorbic Acid- Vitamin C, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride- Vitamin B6, Riboflavin- Vitamin B2, Thiamin Hydrochloride- Vitamin B1, Vitamin A Palmitate, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, BHT- to Maintain Quality"

"Why not eat something else made of corn and save a lot of money and skip all the icky stuff they put in that:"

Absolutely right. On seeing the cheaper locally made flakes on offer I asked the lady behind the counter if I could try a taste and they were fine. As I was returning the box of Kelloggs to its shelf I noticed that it had been made in Jan 08 and had expired in Jan 09 so my resolve to eat the locally produced flakes was further reinforced :-)

I'll have to do some research to see whether its possible to make a convincing copy of All Bran.

We're watching Latinoamerica TV on Direct TV, so I'm very informed of the good and the bad in my little Country. Friday night I watched Nacional & Penarol live.

When I moved here, to get the news from Uruguay I needed to get on the Subway, travel 45 minutes to `14th St in Manhattan to get on Tuesday el Pais from Sunday. A call to Montevideo was about 100 Dollars for 3 minutes.

Next summer we will be in a different Montevideo from the one where I grew up.

The biggest difference that I found would be the education to the lower level of the population I dont think Uruguay have those dedicated Teachers in poor areas like before, areas that were working poor and now are just poor.

The City grew to the Coast, before everything was on 18 de Julio, The London Paris - Yriart - Bars on every corner - Tea houses - Confiterias etc. All that is gone and el Centro is in need of help. Sarandi was just a regular street and Ciudad Vieja was the main business area, especially Banks. El Mercado was just that, a place to buy good fish and Roldos was the only Bar and the medio y medio is still the same.

The big difference is in Malvin , along the Rambla was just one story houses now all big buildings like Pocitos. El Buceo the same.

I understand that middle class in the USA can have better quality clothes, in Uruguay most clothes are made by hand and become labor intensive and more expensive. The quality here is not as good as we all think, clothes look good when new but the life expentacy is not that great, for American avid consumers that is ok and for me too.

Food - I'm a very simple eater (beef & potatoes - sound familiar?) now my Wife may need more variety. Italian food is how I grew up. Sunday, Pasta and Family. For Italian food Spezia in Pocitos, Want a good rabbit, the German Club in the Rambla was good. Now Mexican or Indian, sorry wrong country.

The Dollar is a problem for everybody in Uruguay, but the United States and the Stock Market needs a weak Dollar because they need the Companies to sell.

Now things are bad when Elaine calls the Peso (The mighty Peso).

One thing that everybody should understand is that the grass is not to greener overhere, prices are not cheap and jobs are missing.

Patrick from Colonia is a very good example of what is going on, smart, because he invested in Uruguay when the market was at the lowest. The problem is, part of his income comes from England and pobably Real estate.

My thinking is Usa and Europe are always going to be big and Countries like Uruguay small , so guess who will prevail.

Talking about big, lets talk about Nacional a 100 year Club with a very Uruguayan history. Creater to compete againts the teams from the British Rail Road companies, one good reason for the name and the Artigas colors.

The Parque Central was the Stadium were the USA played their first game for the first World Cup in 1930, that we all knew was played in Uruguay. The reason for that was that Uruguay won the last two Olympic Games 1924 and 1928. I'm guessing that you know that Uruguay was the Champion in 1930. Then later, because of World wars this little Country didn't participate for 20 years. Until 1950 and you all know the rest.

And now Cereals - My Wife loves it, but in Uruguay Cafe con Leche , croissants or toast or Mate that will do it for the morning because Almuerzo is right around the corner and that can be real good. That is the reason for hight prices, no demand.

I will keep reading your very interesting inputs and answer some with your permission.

Arriba Nacional and Uruguay que no ni no.

I'd have done better still if I'd pulled a finger out and moved here a year earlier but yes... my UK retirement income comes from property rentals and yes, a 50% rental income cut in peso terms hurts.

On the other hand I was one of those tedious prophets of doom who saw the northern collapse coming so I planned on the assumption that sterling would fall and was lucky enough to sell my UK farm and move the proceeds over here into dollars and pesos just before Sterling took a dive off the cliff.

I can still live well within my income but can no longer afford big ticket luxuries like flying light aircraft. Still, I view the financial reverse as part of the learning process in becoming a new Uruguayo... the lesson being that you really don't need pots of money to enjoy life here in the campo :-)

You will become a more complete person just by living with nature and sorrounding yourself by simple and good people.

About money and up north, everyone lost money, us too and we are trying to balance it out spending time in Uruguay. Which is cheaper than the United States, maybe not as cheap as we would like but cheaper in the long run.

The Markets will comeback and the rents would too.

What we had to learn is to substitute pleasure, because of money, age, sickness etc.

Adapt is the key and you are doing that because as you say "we don"t need pots of money to enjoy life in the Campo" or any place else.

I live always in a City , Montevideo, New York and now Florida. But when I watch Americando on TV I relate a lot to those farm people, patrones, peones all Gauchos.

Uruguay a country were a house becomes a home.

You are a lucky guy Patrick.

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