The country entered the top 10 according to the 2022 Annual Global Retirement Index.
The international magazine Condé Nast Traveler, which is published by Condé Nast and specializes in luxury tourism and lifestyle, ranked Uruguay among the 10 best places in the world to settle down after retirement.
The article, entitled ‘The Best Places in the World to Retire, from Malta to Uruguay’, gathers the results of the 2022 Annual Global Retirement Index that quantifies the countries in 10 categories: housing, benefits and discounts, visas and residence, adaptation/entertainment, development, climate, health, government, opportunity and cost of living.
The goal, the publication reports, “is to find places where retirees can spend less money, live happily and healthily, and experience a new country without straying too far from all that is familiar to them.”
Condé Nast describes Uruguay as a country that is “relaxed, easy to get around and offers a great mix of vibrant cities and natural beauty.” It adds that it is, in short, “an excellent place to retire.
In addition to its extensive coastline with river and ocean beaches, he recalls the cattle ranches in the interior of the country and the pleasant temperatures, which “rarely drop below freezing in the whole country”.
About Montevideo, the country’s capital, he highlights its parks and public squares, fashionable cafés and varied bars and restaurants along the rambla, a 13-kilometer coastal promenade. Meanwhile, Punta del Este, one of the most sophisticated and glamorous tourist attractions in the region, is already chosen by foreign nationals as a second home or retirement place, which is why it has a thriving expatriate community.
Uruguay offers English-speaking specialists who will help foreigners relocate and guide them through the process of obtaining visas, enrolling in the health care system and opening a bank account, the publication lists. “But the best thing about retiring in Uruguay? Your social security and pension will not be taxed,” it notes.
On the cost of living, it adds that “an expat couple can live very comfortably for US$3,000 a month, taking into account healthcare, transportation, food and entertainment.” While on healthcare, he recalls that Uruguay offers an affordable private hospital affiliation plan.
“To become a legal resident, you have to pass a criminal background check and have a monthly pension of about $1,500. You must first enter Uruguay on a tourist visa and then apply for residency in person at the national immigration office in Montevideo. It can take up to a year to process a residency application, but you don’t have to wait for approval to get a driver’s license, open a bank account or buy real estate,” Condé Nast Traveler summarizes.
Uruguay is part of the top 10 together with European countries such as Spain, France and Portugal, the archipelago of Malta and the American countries Mexico, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Colombia and Panama.
