Uruguay water crisis: how did we get here?
Uruguay has some of the most abundant water sources in the world. But the capital was told we had water supplies for just 18 days.
After years of reasonable stability, the Uruguay peso weakened significantly against the dollar in the last week. It’s not great news for your average Uruguayan, but if you have US dollars to spend, then you’re going to find that they are going to go much further than in previous years.
The exchange rate at the time of writing is 42 Uruguayan pesos to the US dollar.
Here is an unscientific list to give you an idea what you are likely to spend while on holiday in Montevideo. Prices in the interior are lower the further north you go. Prices at certain beach resorts will be (significantly) higher during high season.
These prices are typical of any number of great little lunch-time restaurants with gourmand intentions at affordable prices.
Epicureans can delight that top end restaurants have pricing that is pretty similar. I’ve had readers from New York tell me that they would have paid five times the price for similar offerings in their home town.
Budget travellers should note that cheap restaurants are not much cheaper.
[Article first published: May 1, 2017, last updated at the date above]
Uruguay water crisis: how did we get here?
Uruguay has some of the most abundant water sources in the world. But the capital was told we had water supplies for just 18 days.
Is Uruguay a developed country? Harvard moves Latin America HQ to Uruguay
Harvard University Business School opens Latin American research centre, praising Uruguay living standard and freedom of expression.
Montevideo Carnival 2024 dates
Hot off the press! The world’s longest carnival is in Montevideo Uruguay and we’ve got the dates.
Salón No. 3 – La Barra gourmet cuisine, cafe & deli
Gourmet lunches, speciality coffee & pastries, out of an antiques store. Smoked hams, artisanal cheese & local produce from the Expendio.
Casa Flor – live the Uruguay coast like a local (VIP)
One of the very best hotels in Punta del Este. Casa Flor’s well-connected owners give you access to the secrets of Uruguay’s coast most can only dream of.
Uruguay offers new digital nomad residency
Digital nomads and remote workers can now obtain a residency permit to work legally from Uruguay for six to twelve months.
Big Bang Nature Stays – Bohemian beach domes
Unique ocean-front location to reconnect with nature—with luxury touches—on one of Uruguay’s most deserted beaches in Maldonado.
8% of Uruguay is black—and maybe more
Afro-Uruguayans play a huge part in Uruguay’s cultural identity. Are they really just 8% of the population? The new census may correct the stats.
Gaucho week in Montevideo – Easter
Traditional food, handmade goods, and South American cowboys riding wild horses. It’s the Semana Criolla – Montevideo’s Easter gaucho festival.
Travel to Uruguay: Medical insurance mandatory
There’s been some confusion around whether it’s necessary to have health insurance to enter Uruguay since recent changes to travel requirements. We explain.
Some beaches are just so darn popular. Tips for when & how to get best rates on hotels and rentals in Uruguay.
A full half of all of the wineries in Uruguay are located in Canelones. These were founded often 4-5 generations ago by European immigrants.
We check out recent prices for the ferry between Buenos Aires, Argentina and the Uruguay capital, Montevideo.
Car hire, restaurant drinks and meals are tax free when you use your international credit card in Uruguay. Big savings.
Following a textbook harvest, experts and winemakers are heralding Uruguay wines of 2020 as some of the best in decades, reports sommelier Adriana Rossi.
One in every three bottles of wine produced in Uruguay is a Tannat. What does Uruguay’s flagship wine taste like? Here’s a guide to get started, by locals.
Proudly made in Uruguay
Follow us
Subscribe
To receive two emails a month about travel, life and sometimes investment opportunities in Uruguay
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
What’s your interest in Uruguay?
Travel interests
Store
About us
Guru’Guay is part of UruguayNatural, the official country brand of Uruguay
Proudly made in Uruguay
Follow us
Subscribe
To receive two emails a month about travel, life and sometimes investment opportunities in Uruguay
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
© Guru’Guay 2013 – 2023. All rights reserved. No part of this site may be reproduced without our written permission.
Language
0 Responses
HI lInda –
Do you have any spa recomendations? How much do facials and massages cosy comapred to the US?
Hi Jill, that’s a great question. Unfortunately I don’t have any answers. Do you use Facebook? If so, I’d recommend you take your question to our Discover Uruguay group. I’m sure there someone will have some up to date info for you. Best, Karen
Hi Linda, thank you for the useful tips and your effort for this amazing page! I just wondering about 1+1 apartment prices for sale ( aprx) ! You have any idea more or less about the costs? Does not matter an old one as long as in a safe and social area. Thank you so much. Take care.
Hi Cagatay, departments can cost any amount, depending on what you want. But to give you an idea, a studio apartment in a new building in a nice neighbourhood could cost anything from 90,000 USD. Hope that helps, Karen
I have lived in Uruguay off and on since 2006 …. it is VERY expensive to live there ! A Used car that would cost $ 500 in U. S. Will cost you $5000! If you want a regular McDonald’s hamburger … it will cost you $2.50 … compared to the $ .99. – $1.29 in US And forget buying gas at almost $8.00 a gal !
Oh and I had to buy a queen size mattress … I got a regular foam mattress covered in a thin material ( that lasted 6 months ) and it cost $300 dollars …. the same one in the States would cost maybe $60 !
Hi Linda, the focus of my article is for holiday-makers so I didn’t look at the price of cars and household goods. Totally agree that comparatively Uruguay is more expensive – and that you really have to fork out for quality. The US is really very cheap for most stuff – I come from the UK and all the things you quote would be more expensive there. And then perhaps some things should really cost more (for the survival of the planet) and are cheaper than they should be. What I like about Uruguay (looking for the good side 🙂 ) is that people are much less consumerist, even if it is forced, rather than by choice!