So you’ve decided to move to Uruguay. You have a residency helper, your paperwork is all ready to go, and you’ve put your house up for sale or given notice that you’re moving out of your apartment.

Now, as you look around your home, you’re wondering what to take with you, and what to leave.

Personal items

In general, clothes available in Uruguay are not very sturdy. You can get the well known name brands, but they are expensive. I’d especially recommend you bring good shoes with you. The pair I bought in Uruguay had a hole in the sole within a month or two.

What you shouldn’t bring are leather items, like jackets. As a big cattle country, leather products are easily available at reasonable prices in Uruguay. If you want more fashionable clothes, you can always take an inexpensive ride to Buenos Aires on the Buquebus ferry, and get the latest styles at good prices.

For the women, pick up a little bit extra of your favorite makeup. It might take you a while to find something comparable.

Computer and electronics

Electronics are very expensive in Uruguay. You have the choice of either getting low-quality items, or paying very high prices for high-quality electronics. You’ll really notice the 60% import duty when you price computers and cell phones.

If you’re bringing your computer, get everything you think you’ll ever need for it and bring all of that with you. Before you leave for Uruguay, upgrade your memory, get an external hard drive (or two) for backups, and pick up a few USB thumb drives. If you think you might want an ebook reader, like a Kindle or Nook, get it now.

While you’re at it, get a good unlocked quad-band cell phone. You’re supposed to declare it with Customs when you bring it in. If you forget to do that, you may have trouble getting a SIM card with Antel, the government-run phone service. However, you can get service from Claro or Movistar (the competing cell phone services in Uruguay) without any problems.

Pick up the latest digital camera and a few extra memory cards before you leave. If you plan on driving, you might want to get a good GPS unit too.

Food and kitchen

The food in Uruguay is very good, but there isn’t much variety. Many of the items you’re used to from home, just aren’t available, or are very difficult to find.

Some things that many expats in Uruguay mention missing are; Peanut butter, Hot sauce, Asian spices and sauces, and cranberries (dried, so you can get them through Customs).

If you’re a home chef, bring your own pots and pans. Most of what you find in Uruguay is thin and cheap. Bring your good knives and other kitchen tools with you too.

Vitamins

Vitamins are almost treated like medicine in Uruguay. If you run out and ask a friend from back home to mail you vitamins or other supplements, your package may be stopped by Customs and you might be told that you need a prescription to import them.

Household items

If you’re applying for permanent residency, you can bring in a container of household items and not pay any duty for it.

Appliances need to be 220 volts, and 50 hz. If you try to use a transformer with 120V/60hz equipment, it will probably wear out faster than normal. You also need to worry about the different plugs. There are four “standard” types of outlets in Uruguay, and who knows what combination you’ll have in your home in Uruguay.

For those who love high thread count sheets, along with down comforters and pillows, bring a couple sets with you.

Miscellaneous

Bring a few of the latest hot novels with you. Even if you have a Kindle, it’s nice to have a paperback book to take with you to the beach. You’ll also be able to find a home for it with other expats looking for something to read in English.

What else?

If you forget anything, don’t worry. You’ll be able to find something in Uruguay that will work, at least temporarily. Buenos Aires is right next door, in case you need to do more serious shopping.

Also, once you get to Uruguay, you’ll probably meet other expats and start to develop an informal network of people who will bring something back from their trips home.

When Scott Lilly arrived in Uruguay, he had to visit the ATM 214 times (no, that’s not a typo) because he didn’t plan ahead properly. He wants to help you avoid the mistakes he made! He has a website where he provides tips to help yo plan your move to Uruguay.

“Vicki and I recently returned to Argentina after a six-month absence,” writes Intrepid Correspondent Paul Terhorst.

“The seasons are reversed here, and, like the song says, spring is ‘bustin’ out all over.’ We see new leaves on trees, migrant birds returning, more sunshine, better light.

“The Argentine economy is bustin’ out, too, doing very well. We hear a lot about a worldwide recession, but it seems to me that only the United States and a few other countries struggle. During our recent six-month trip to Asia, Vicki and I saw roaring growth. During our time in Thailand, that country was on the verge of a civil war. Yet Thai economic growth will come in at a healthy 9% this year. To keep inflation in check China has successfully slowed its economy, so growth will be ‘only’ 11%.

“In Latin America, we see the same story, including, in some countries, very strong growth rates. The southern cone countries–Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, and Paraguay–all enjoy the high soy and grain prices, along with new tourism from Brazil and the United States.

“Even Europe is doing well, led by Germany’s remarkable boom. Most of Scandinavia and northern Europe also enjoy solid growth.

“For sure, we see pockets of weakness. Japan never really recovered from the 1989 meltdown. Greece, Portugal, and other small European countries, along with Spain, have been hard hit. But the main problem continues to be the United States, now barely sneaking out of recession.

“We used to say that when the U.S. coughs the rest of the world catches cold. To a certain extent that may still be true today. The four BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) combined barely approach two-thirds of the U.S. economy. The U.S. consumer drives the worldwide export boom. The United States remains a huge factor.

“Still, I see most of Asia, Latin America, and Europe doing well. I went to China twice last year, and, in rural Yunnan province, saw new bridges, dams, roads, and sewers. China long ago learned that there was more to life than making toys for Wal-Mart.

“I was in the United States last month and flew on one of Jet Blue’s Brazilian-made planes. No longer do Boeing and Airbus split the market. I was in India for two months and saw an improved standard of living over what I saw just two years ago, when I was last there.

“I think we can expect the global boom to continue. Even Marxists these days look to trade and foreign investment to help grow their economies. We’ve all gotten hooked on the benefits of globalization.

“The newfound prosperity means locals go out more and travel more. Thai friends who reached their 40s without ever going abroad now travel to Laos, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Two Thai friends even plan to visit Vicki and me in Argentina. We see new restaurants, especially ethnic restaurants, opening in Argentina and India. Now in Buenos Aires and Chiang Mai we have several choices of Mexican places and Chinese food from different parts of China.

“As locals have more fun, Vicki and I do, too. We enjoy the new vitality, ambition, independence, and enthusiasm.

“Tired of the gloom and recession talk in the United States? Travel abroad. You’ll be surrounded by local prosperity. The challenges facing the U.S. will soon recede into a dim memory.”

Live and Invest Overseas’ publisher is Kathleen Peddicord, who’s been writing about expats and expatriation for 25 years. She also publishes a monthly e-zine called the Overseas Retirement Letter (which covers a lot more than just retirement), and is the author of the book, How to Retire Overseas: Everything You Need to Know to Live Well (for Less) Abroad , which I reviewed here.

photo by wirralwater on flickr

1. Costa Rica
2. Malaysia
3. Uruguay
4. Panama
5. Nicaragua

His top five picks for retirees with higher income:

photo by kokorowashinjin on flickr

1. France
2. Spain
3. Italy
4. Portugal
5. New Zealand

Note that four out of the five “lower income” destinations are in Latin America, while four out of the five “higher income” locations are in Europe.

You can read the entire article here.

Personal Blogs

1. Expat Alley. Tom Frost shares his expat knowledge and interviews other expats. Originally from Oregon, USA, Tom has lived in Japan, Mexico, Argentina and is currently establishing a farm in Uruguay.

2. Flavors of Ecuador author Carrie explores Ecuadorian culture and history through one of my favorite media, food. Yummy pictures throughout! (Warning — when I’ve visited, the site has loaded rather slowly, but it’s worth the wait.)
3. From LA to BA. Argentine native grew up in Los Angeles, then moved back to Buenos Aires.
4. Balanced Melting Pot. Haitian national grew up in the US, then went back to Haiti and now lives and raises her family in Caracas, Venezuela.
5. Living in Patagonia. US couple from Lake Tahoe moved to Patagonia, Argentina.
6. 2 Gringos in the Caribbean. Couple moved, with their child and dog, from the northeast US to Turks & Caicos Islands.

   Professional Blogs

7. Yucatan Living. Online magazine for expats in the Yucatan, and for those considering the Yucatan as a destination for retiring, starting a business or owning a second home.

8. Nomadas Globales Argentina. Intercultural training and coaching from Natalia Sarro.
9. Expat Daily News, with editions for Central America and South America.
10. Traveling4Health. Excellent resources for both medical tourists and expats.

Do you have a favorite expat blog (or blogs) that you would like to recommend? Just click the comment button below. We love new blog recommendations!

Back in the U.S. another winter storm threatens the east coast, stock prices are diving thanks to high unemployment rates, the painful health care debate continues to make us all sick, and Conan O’Brien is in the news. For joining Twitter.

Who cares…about any of it?

Nothing works back home any more…from health care to child care, from banks to politics, from cars to bars. OK, the bars still work. But who really wants to pay $8 for a draft beer these days? Not me, and especially not when I can get a 22-ounce bottle of Pilsener, a mighty fine beer, here in Ecuador for $1. (And a full four-course meal for $2. And a three-bedroom condo for less than $50,000.)

Wouldn’t it be nice to fall in love with your life again? To find a place with better views out your windows, better weather, a lower cost of living, and where things really work?

According to Lee Harrison, who has lived in Ecuador, Brazil and Uruguay:

“Everything [in Uruguay] runs like clockwork. All the roads are safe and well-kept, the parks are clean, the hardware stores and grocery stores are well-stocked, trains and buses run on time….”

And the cost of living is low. In Montevideo, Uruguay’s famous colonial city, Lee showed us photos of a two-bedroom apartment in a building offered for $65,000. “This is a nice apartment—I would happily live in it,” he said.

Glynna Prentice acknowledges that Mexico, where she lives, isn’t the least-expensive country. But, she says, in Mexico you can get government health insurance for $300 or less a year. And that includes all your prescription medications.

A private insurance plan, she says, is half the cost you pay at home, as are out-of-pocket expenses.

And this isn’t publicized, but Mexico offers a great retirement program for anyone living there as a resident. Lots of discounts on things like restaurants, cultural activities and medical care.

Glynna says Mexico may be the easiest country for a foreigner to get a resident visa in.

But Lee Harrison says that about Uruguay, where he plans to apply for permanent citizenship. And Dan Prescher says the same about Belize and its famous Qualified Retirement Program, which allows a host of benefits including importing your household goods, vehicle and boat duty-free and tax residency…whether you actually live there or not.

Belize may be the easiest country to relocate to—especially if you’re concerned about the difficulties of learning a foreign language.

There’s so much more to tell you! But of course, I can’t type up everything that’s happened here in Quito. In just two days so far, we’ve already spent 13 hours in presentations and workshops. And we have two days yet to go!

We’ve learned about the best countries for second citizenship, the best countries to obtain residency easily and at little cost, and which provide free or very low-cost health care to residents.

That definitely helps us know where to look to find the location of our dreams. And thanks to our speakers, we now have a very good idea of how much it will cost us to live in these countries, including the costs to buy a home, apartment, or acreage.

Would you like to learn more about all the countries and opportunities we’re discovering here at the Ultimate Event? Let me tell you how you can…

We’re putting together a complete package of nearly everything that’s happening at this event, with audio recordings of all 76 of the presentations.

We’re also making copies of all the speaker handouts, PowerPoint and visual presentations. And, of course, the complete dossier we give to each attendee when they showed up here at the Swissotel in Quito.

It’s the Ultimate Event 2010 Conference-at-Home Kit—and it covers every aspect of the 2010 Ultimate Event.

Would you be interested in attending a conference or workshop to learn more about living overseas? Have you ever attended one? Share your thoughts by clicking the comment link below.

Don’t miss another Future Expats update! Sign up for convenient email RSS delivery here.

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1. France (was #1 last year as well)
2. Australia (moved up from #5 in 2009)
3. Switzerland (down one spot)
4. Germany (up from the #8 spot in 2009)
5. New Zealand (up from #9)
6. Luxembourg (down from #4)
7. USA (down from #3)
8. Belgium (down from #6)
9. Canada (a big jump up, from #19)
10. Italy (down from #7)

Top Ten Retirement Havens from Live and Invest Overseas

1. Argentina
2. Belize
3. Chile
4. Croatia
5. Dominican Republic
6. France
7. Malaysia
8. Panama
9. Uruguay
10. Vietnam

Mercer’s Best Cities for 2009:

1. Vienna, Austria (1st)
2. Zurich, Switzerland (2nd)
3. Geneva, Switzerland (3rd )
4. Vancouver, Canada (tied 4th)
5. Auckland, New Zealand (tied 4th)

Forbes list of The World’s Most Expensive Cities to Live. According to Forbes, the 10 most expensive cities are:

1. Tokyo, Japan
2. Osaka, Japan
3. Moscow, Russia
4. Geneva, Switzerland
5. Hong Kong, China
6. Zurich, Switzerland
7. Copenhagen, Denmark
8. New York, USA
9. Beijing, China
10. Singapore

2009 Best Retirement Havens, according to International Living:

1. Cuenca, Ecuador
2. Merida, Mexico
3. Coronado, Panama
4. Punta del Este, Uruguay
5. Calitri, Italy

So there you have it. Some highly respected lists from 2009, and one for 2010.

Best wishes for a happy expat New Year!

Panama occupies the top spot, and Peddicord comments that “this country manages to become more appealing all the time.”

Vietnam

Her Top 10 picks include:

1. Panama
2. France “World’s best quality of life, world’s best health care, world’s best infrastructure, world’s most romantic city”
3. Uruguay for “The banking, residency, and tax advantages of Panama without the chaos or the construction dust.”
4. Dominican Republic. “Easy foreign residency, favorable approach to foreign taxation, and, right now, a down real estate market that has created great crisis buy opps”


5. Argentina, which has “the most cosmopolitan city in Central or South America. . . . If you want to live a life filled with art and history, culture and interesting company, but you can’t afford Paris and its euro, look to Buenos Aires.”
6. Malaysia, specifically Kuala Lumpur
7. Chile, a new addition, for beachfront, First World services, and lowest violent crime rate coupled with the highest GDP per capital in Latin America.
8. Belize, “safe stable and English speaking.”
9. Croatia, where “both nature and man have worked together over many centuries to create something very special, almost magical”
10. Vietnam, for its “temptingly low cost of living” and youthful population and energy.

Panama’s placement is no surprise, nor is France’s in the no. 2 spot. Uruguay, Malaysia, Belize, Croatia and Argentina have been in the forefront of expat retirement destinations for several years. Surprise additions — at least to me! — to the list were Chile and Vietnam. While I’ve been aware for several years that Vietnam’s economy was growing, and I’ve had a personal interest in the country, I was surprised to see it emerge on a “Top Ten” list. And, I have to admit, I’m not at all knowledgeable about Chile, although I feel as though I know a reasonable amount about most of the other South American countries.

I will watch the forthcoming information about those two countries with great interest.