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Ann didn’t move to Uruguay for the beaches. She moved from Florida, USA because she and her partner were afraid he might not make it home from work at the end of work day.
Gustavo was born in Uruguay but left as a teenager, later becoming a naturalised US citizen. Working in the construction industry in Florida, he was constantly surrounded by immigration enforcement activity. Despite his legal status, the atmosphere intensified in 2025 around ICE raids at job sites. They were living in fear daily.
A year earlier, without telling him, Ann had spent six weeks researching living in Uruguay, reading everything she could find and of course discovered Guru’Guay’s guidebooks to Uruguay and Montevideo and the Guru’Guay website. We are the #1 independent source on life in Uruguay for foreigners.
A Guru’Guay consultation mid 2024 helped both, but especially Gustavo (we love it when Uruguayans love our work!), realise how a move would actually look and work.
In June 2025, they left Florida, moving to Uruguay. Eventually settling in Atlántida, one of the most well-serviced Uruguay beach towns along the coast.
In this episode of Living in Uruguay (as a foreigner), Karen A Higgs, Guru’Guay founder, speaks with Ann about living in Uruguay, especially in one of the smaller, quieter Uruguay beach towns. It’s an honest and practical perspective on what the transition can really feel like. And Ann is such a sweet person. Uruguay is lucky to have her.
Watch the full interview with Ann:
The couple had been thinking about retirement and a change of lifestyle. But the political climate in the United States—and concerns about immigration enforcement—became the turning point.
“Even though he was a naturalized citizen, it was very scary wondering if he would be able to come home from work,” Ann explains. “We didn’t want to live with that fear.”
Another factor was climate. Their Florida home had been hit hard during Hurricane Ian, which made them rethink their long-term plans. “We lived right where it came ashore,” Ann says. “After going through something like that, you start looking for somewhere more stable. Uruguay doesn’t have hurricanes.”
They moved in June 2025.
After initially staying in the capital—which Ann loved—, the couple chose one of the quieter Uruguay beach towns. Their new home is in Atlántida, a small seaside community about 45 minutes from Montevideo and half an hour from the international airport.
For people considering living in Uruguay, towns like Atlántida offer a mix of tranquility and practical services. Ann says she was surprised by how much is available locally. “There’s dental care, health care, accountants, restaurants and shops for everything you need,” she says. “And if we want to go to Montevideo, it’s an easy drive.”
Public transport also impressed her. Uruguay’s intercity buses run frequently and are modern and comfortable. “The buses are really clean and they even have Wi-Fi,” she says.
The slower pace of life was immediately noticeable. One of Ann’s first memories was walking along Atlántida’s beachfront promenade (the rambla) on Christmas Day. “There were families everywhere just sitting together and relaxing,” she says. “It felt peaceful.”
Many newcomers rent before buying property, but Ann and Gustavo decided to purchase a house after about five months in the country. Their property, a modest home in Atlántida, cost about $135,000.
For foreigners researching living in Uruguay, Ann says the property market works differently from the United States. Homes can appear on several websites at different prices, and appointments to view properties often need to be arranged a few days in advance.
“It’s not like the U.S. where you might see a listing online and go that afternoon,” she says. “You need to plan ahead.”
Another difference is the closing process. In Uruguay, documents are typically reviewed in person with a lawyer, and the attorney may read the contracts aloud to ensure everyone understands them.
Renovation costs were another surprise. Gustavo, who works as a finish carpenter, has been gradually renovating their home. Electrical work that might cost several thousand dollars in Florida cost only around $700 in Uruguay.
The couple intentionally chose a traditional Uruguayan house rather than one designed to resemble a North American home. “The rooms are smaller and the kitchen is different,” Ann says. “But we came here knowing we would adapt to the country.”
Health care has been one of the most positive aspects of living in Uruguay for Ann.
In Florida, she says, private health insurance was too expensive for the couple even though both had good jobs. When she needed vaccines and a health check for her residency paperwork, she was quoted more than $1,200.
After arriving in Uruguay, the process was much simpler. Her exam took place at Hospital Británico (possibly Uruguay’s most expensive hospital) and cost around $100. “I spent almost an hour with the doctor and they were very thorough,” she says. “It was calm and not rushed.”
Dental care has also been affordable. A routine cleaning in Atlántida cost about $40, and appointments were available quickly.
“For the first time in years we feel like we actually have access to health care,” she says.
Adjusting to everyday life in Uruguay has been relatively straightforward and Ann feels that Atlantida offers all the services that she and Gustavo need. When she uses MercadoLibre, Latin America’s largest online marketplace she says: “The driver messages you when they’re on their way and hands the package directly to you,” she says. “In the United States packages were often left outside and sometimes stolen.”
For people considering living in Uruguay, she also recommends supporting local businesses. Many of the tradespeople working on their home renovation live nearby in Atlántida and provide excellent, affordable service.
Ann arrived in Uruguay with only basic Spanish, something she says she would change if she were doing the move again. “I wish I had learned more before I came,” she says. “Trying to learn everything at once can be hard.”
She recommends studying some Spanish before moving and planning to continue learning after arrival. Local language schools such as Academia Uruguay offer immersion programs that many newcomers find helpful.
Despite the language barrier, she says Uruguayans have been patient and encouraging. “People see you trying and they help,” she says.
The biggest surprise for Ann has been the kindness of people she encounters in daily life. “Uruguayan people are the kindest people I have ever met,” she says.
On one occasion, a hardware store owner who didn’t have the item she needed walked her down the street to another shop and helped her find it. “That kind of thing just doesn’t happen where I lived before,” she says.
The only thing she doesn’t love? Barking dogs, which she says are common in many neighborhoods [Ed. note: I hear you, Ann. Dogs are also in my list of Things that frustrate me about living in Uruguay]. But compared with the anxiety she felt before moving, it feels like a small trade-off.
“I have more time to relax, and I don’t have the fear that Gustavo won’t come home,” she says. For Ann, that peace of mind sums up what living in Uruguay has brought to their lives. “It’s a simpler lifestyle,” she says. “But it’s a much better quality of life.”
Watch the Living in Uruguay (as a foreigner) series of interviews with people who are now living in Uruguay after making the move from their mainly English-speaking countries of origin
Watch the full interview with Ann
Learn more about living in Uruguay
Ann and Gustavo did a private consultation with Guru’Guay a year before their move. Book a private consultation
Note: $ in the article represents US dollar amounts
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4 responses
I seem to have much in common with Ann. My wife is a Uruguayan-born, naturalized U.S. citizen, and we also left last June for very similar reasons. I appreciate the fact that Guruguay eschews the label “expats.” I prefer a different word: exiles. As noted on Guruguay’s media page, U.S. migration to Uruguay broke all records last year, doubling from 2024. Karen, could I possibly send you a message on your personal email to ask you a question or two about my organizing efforts?
Hi Gabriel, sorry to read that. Sure. When you join our newsletter you have access to my email. All the best, Karen
May I inquire approximately what decade of life Ann and Gustavo are ? 50s, am60s? I curious about the initial cost of obtaining health care for an older couple.
Hi Kenneth, yes they are in their early 60s. — K