Summary
At October 2026 asking prices, USD 100,000 buys about a 30 m² studio in central Montevideo, USD 300,000 a 70 to 80 m² 2-bedroom in Pocitos or Malvín, and USD 500,000 a 115 to 125 m² 3-bedroom in Pocitos or Punta Carretas, or a 3-bedroom house in Punta del Este (median USD 500,000, TuLugar). Everything is priced in dollars.
USD 100,000 is a tight budget: it is below the median 1-bedroom asking price in Montevideo (USD 149,000). Your best bet is an older studio, or a 45 to 60 m² older flat in barrios like Unión or La Comercial. Still, the median registered deed in Uruguay was USD 90,000 in July 2026 (INE), so plenty of real sales happen at this level.
A comfortable 1- or 2-bedroom flat in a decent Montevideo barrio takes about USD 180,000 to 280,000, closer to USD 300,000 in Pocitos or Punta Carretas.
USD 200,000 is "normal buyer" territory: it is above the city's median 2-bedroom asking price (USD 192,000) and buys about 60 to 65 m² in Cordón or Centro, or 50 m² in Pocitos.
USD 300,000 gets you a median 2-bedroom in Pocitos (USD 297,000), Malvín or Buceo, or about 90 m² on the Península in Punta del Este. A typical 2-bedroom in Punta Carretas (USD 341,000) or Carrasco (USD 410,000) is still above it.
USD 500,000 opens the premium barrios: about a 150 m² house in Carrasco (where a typical 3-bedroom house lists at USD 690,000), a 220 m² family house in Malvín, or a 130 m² apartment near the sea in Punta del Este.
Luxury starts around USD 700,000 in Montevideo, by our estimate. The very top, from USD 1.5 million to more than USD 6 million, means big houses in Carrasco and seafront homes in Punta del Este, La Barra, Manantiales or José Ignacio, where new premium projects ask USD 6,000 to 9,000 per m².
Add about 6% for buying costs without an agency, 9.5% with one and 10% to 13% with a mortgage (INGAR). If USD 300,000 is your total budget and you go through an agency, look at properties priced around USD 274,000.
Yearly taxes are low, often USD 400 to 1,000 for a USD 200,000 flat, but building fees (gastos comunes) cost more: UYU 3,000 to 12,000 a month for most 2-bedroom flats in Montevideo.
A mortgage is possible for non-residents but expensive: Santander charges 6.75% a year in dollars for a main home, and you should plan on putting about 40% down.
A USD 500,000 home doesn't get you tax residency: that takes property above UI 3.5 million (about USD 580,000) plus 60 days a year, and since Law 20.446 the 11-year tax holiday through property needs more than UI 12.5 million (about USD 2.1 million). Buying never gives you a residence permit.
Small, well-placed apartments resell fastest, usually in 3 to 6 months by our estimate. Prices rose 6.3% in dollars over the year to April 2026 but fell 1.3% in real terms (ANV), so don't count on appreciation.
Our advice: work out the size you need, divide your budget (minus 9.5% for costs) by the barrio's price per m², and offer about 10% below the asking price on anything that has been listed for a while.
What can you really buy with $100k in Uruguay?
Are there any decent properties for $100k in Uruguay, or is it all scams?
Yes, there are decent properties, but the choice is thin. With USD 100,000 (about UYU 4.01 million) you are below the median asking price of a 1-bedroom apartment almost everywhere: USD 135,000 in Centro or Ciudad Vieja, USD 149,000 across Montevideo and USD 158,000 for Uruguay as a whole (TuLugar, October 2026).
You are not alone at this level, though. The median value of all registered sale deeds in Uruguay was USD 90,000 in July 2026 (INE). That figure includes land, garages and homes in interior towns, but it shows that many real sales happen around this price.
Your money goes further in Montevideo's "value belt": Unión, La Comercial, Goes, La Figurita, Brazo Oriental, Jacinto Vera, Atahualpa, Reducto and Malvín Norte. No portal publishes a reliable price per m² for these barrios. Our estimate for Unión and La Comercial is USD 1,400 to 2,200 per m², which gives you a 45 to 60 m² older flat that may need work.
In Pocitos or Punta Carretas, USD 100,000 buys only about 25 m² at the median asking price (USD 3,956 and USD 4,184 per m², INGAR, September 2026). That's a studio (monoambiente) at best, usually in an older building with high building fees, or one that needs updating.
It is not a scam market. Every sale goes through an escribano (notary), who checks 30 years of title and any unpaid property taxes or building charges before the deed. At this price, the real risks are ordinary ones: damp, old wiring and high gastos comunes.
What property types can I afford for $100k in Uruguay (studio, land, old house)?
In Montevideo, USD 100,000 (about UYU 4.01 million) buys roughly a 30 to 35 m² studio in Centro or Cordón (USD 3,026 and USD 3,228 per m²) or a 40 to 45 m² older 1-bedroom in Ciudad Vieja (USD 2,157 per m²). These are asking prices from INGAR (September 2026), so the sizes are what the median price per m² gives you, not a guarantee.
On the coast, Punta del Este apartments list at a median of USD 3,638 per m² (TuLugar), so USD 100,000 means about 27 m², typically a studio in an older tower. In interior towns like Salto, Paysandú, Rivera or Melo, where older homes often go for USD 900 to 1,500 per m² by our estimate, the same money buys a 60 to 90 m² apartment or small house.
At this price, expect at least cosmetic work: paint, a bathroom refresh or a new kitchen. Our estimate for light renovation is USD 400 to 800 per m², so USD 14,000 to 28,000 on a 35 m² studio.
Apartments usually make more sense than land or an old house at this level. They are easier to rent, faster to resell and simpler to buy, especially if you don't know local building rules.
What's a realistic budget to get a comfortable property?
For a comfortable 1- or 2-bedroom flat in a decent Montevideo barrio, plan on about USD 180,000 to 280,000 (about UYU 7.22 million to 11.2 million, or EUR 160,000 to 250,000). That's what most buyers need for a central location without big compromises.
"Comfortable" here means 50 to 80 m² in good condition, in a building with an elevator and reasonable building fees, close to shops, buses and services.
The barrio changes the bill a lot. At the median asking price, 50 to 80 m² costs about USD 161,000 to 258,000 in Cordón (USD 3,228 per m²) but USD 198,000 to 316,000 in Pocitos (USD 3,956 per m²). A median 2-bedroom lists at USD 177,000 in Cordón, USD 297,000 in Pocitos and USD 341,000 in Punta Carretas (TuLugar, October 2026).
Uruguay Property Prices
What can I get with a $200k budget in Uruguay?
What "normal" homes become available at $200k?
With USD 200,000 (about UYU 8.02 million) you move from compromises to "normal buyer" territory. You are above the median asking price for a 2-bedroom in Montevideo (USD 192,000) and well above the national 1-bedroom median (USD 158,000) (TuLugar, October 2026).
At median asking prices per m², that buys about 60 to 65 m² in Cordón or Centro, 55 m² in Buceo, 50 m² in Pocitos and 48 m² in Punta Carretas (INGAR, September 2026). In La Blanqueada or Tres Cruces, where our estimate is USD 2,000 to 2,900 per m², you get about 70 to 100 m². In Punta del Este, it's about 55 m² at the city median, or 60 m² on the Península.
What places are the smartest $200k buys?
The smartest buys at around USD 200,000 (about UYU 8.02 million) are Cordón, Tres Cruces, La Blanqueada and the edges of Parque Batlle in Montevideo. If you care more about space than about being in the city, look at Ciudad de la Costa (Solymar, Lagomar, El Pinar), where our estimate is a 90 to 130 m² small house for this money.
These central barrios rent and resell easily without the price of the coast. A median 2-bedroom in Cordón lists at USD 177,000, and gross yields there are about 6.2%, against 5.3% in Pocitos (INGAR, September 2026).
Cordón also has the most new building: 26.4% of all promoted-housing (vivienda promovida) sales in Montevideo since the scheme began (ANV, May 2026). The bus-rapid-transit plan for 18 de Julio, with works planned over 2026-2029, should help Centro and Cordón further.
What can I buy with $300k in Uruguay?
What quality upgrade do I get at $300k?
Going from USD 200,000 to USD 300,000 (about UYU 12 million) usually gets you one of three things: a newer building, a spot closer to the coast, or an extra bedroom.
Yes, USD 300,000 can buy a new flat. By our estimate, new apartments cost about 15% more per m² than older ones in the same area, so about USD 3,700 per m² in Cordón: that's roughly 80 m² new. New promoted-housing flats in Montevideo actually sold at an average of USD 2,411 per built m² over the 12 months to April 2026 (ANV), mostly in Cordón, Tres Cruces, Centro and La Blanqueada.
In newer buildings you get better insulation, modern elevators, a parking space and up-to-date kitchens. Check the gastos comunes, though: a pool, a gym or a doorman push them up, often well past what an older building charges.
Can $300k buy a 2-bedroom in Uruguay in good areas?
Often, yes. USD 300,000 (about UYU 12 million, EUR 267,000) covers the median 2-bedroom asking price in Pocitos (USD 297,000), Malvín (USD 257,000) and Buceo (USD 246,000), and comes close in Parque Rodó (USD 307,000) (TuLugar, October 2026).
It doesn't reach a typical 2-bedroom in Punta Carretas (USD 341,000) or Carrasco (USD 410,000). There you'll be looking at smaller units, older buildings or streets further from the water.
At median prices per m², USD 300,000 gives about 75 m² in Pocitos, 70 m² in Parque Rodó, 80 m² in Malvín and 82 m² in Buceo (INGAR, September 2026). So plan on 70 to 80 m² (about 750 to 860 sq ft) for a 2-bedroom.
Which places become "accessible" at $300k?
At USD 300,000 (about UYU 12 million), Punta Carretas, Parque Rodó and parts of Carrasco become possible, just with less space: about 72 m² in Punta Carretas and 69 m² in Carrasco at the median price per m². In Punta del Este, the Península lists 2-bedrooms at a median of USD 250,000, and USD 300,000 buys about 90 m² there or 83 m² on Playa Mansa (Santiago Pereyra, October 2026).
People pay for these areas because of the beach and the Rambla, walkable streets, safety and an address that locals and foreigners both know.
For this money, expect a well-kept 1- or 2-bedroom with modern finishes, or a smaller unit in a newer building with a pool, a gym or a rooftop terrace.
70+pagesWhat does a $500k budget unlock in Uruguay?
What's the typical size and location for $500k?
USD 500,000 (about UYU 20.1 million, EUR 446,000) puts you in the top part of the market. At median asking prices, it buys a 115 to 125 m² 3-bedroom apartment in Pocitos, Punta Carretas or Carrasco (INGAR, September 2026).
It can also buy a family house with outdoor space. In Carrasco, houses list at a median of USD 3,272 per m², so about 150 m², smaller or older than the typical 3-bedroom house there (USD 690,000). In Malvín, a 3-bedroom house lists at USD 404,000 and USD 500,000 buys about 220 m² at the median price per m² (USD 2,234). Ciudad de la Costa has bigger houses with gardens for the money, but no reliable price per m².
In Punta del Este, USD 500,000 is exactly the median asking price of a 3-bedroom house (TuLugar, October 2026). It also buys a 120 to 130 m² apartment near the sea, or a 3-bedroom house of about 215 m² in Pinares (USD 2,300 per m² for houses, Santiago Pereyra).
At this level, the typical home has 2 or 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a terrace or small garden, parking and good security.
Which "premium" neighborhoods open up at $500k?
At USD 500,000 (about UYU 20.1 million), the top of Montevideo opens up: Carrasco (including parts of Carrasco Sur), Punta Gorda, the Golf area of Punta Carretas and Villa Biarritz. A median 2-bedroom lists at USD 410,000 in Carrasco and USD 341,000 in Punta Carretas, so you have room to choose.
In Punta Gorda, where our estimate is USD 3,500 to 4,800 per m², USD 500,000 buys about 105 to 145 m².
These barrios are premium because of their tree-lined streets, private schools, beach clubs, low density and safety.
For this money, expect a spacious 2- or 3-bedroom apartment with high-end finishes and building amenities, or an older house that needs updating on a good street.
What counts as "luxury" in Uruguay?
At what amount does "luxury" start in Uruguay right now?
In Montevideo, luxury starts around USD 700,000 (about UYU 28.1 million, EUR 624,000) by our estimate: a large renovated apartment or penthouse in Punta Carretas, Puerto Buceo or prime Pocitos, or a big house in Carrasco.
What gets you there: a top address in Carrasco Sur or the Golf area, high-spec finishes, sea views from big terraces, several parking spaces, private security, and buildings with a pool and concierge.
The Uruguayan luxury market as a whole runs from about USD 1.5 million to more than USD 6 million (about UYU 60.1 million to 241 million). That's renovated houses in Carrasco and seafront villas in Punta del Este, La Barra, Manantiales or José Ignacio. New premium projects on the Punta del Este seafront list at USD 6,000 to 9,000 per m² (El Cronista, October 2026), so USD 1.5 million buys about 165 to 250 m² there.
Uruguay is not cheap by South American standards: the peso has been strong in real terms since 2023, so prices are high for anyone earning in dollars or euros.
Which areas are truly high-end in Uruguay right now?
The truly high-end areas are Carrasco Sur and the Golf area in Montevideo, Punta Gorda's waterfront streets, and in Punta del Este the Península, the Playa Mansa seafront, Manantiales and José Ignacio. Manantiales apartments list at USD 5,650 per m² and José Ignacio houses at USD 3,900 per m², the top of the coast (Santiago Pereyra, October 2026).
What makes them high-end: big plots, direct beach access or sea views, mature gardens, country clubs and top schools nearby, and 24-hour security.
Buyers are mostly wealthy Argentine and Brazilian families, European retirees, tech entrepreneurs and Uruguayan business owners. On the coast, Argentines alone make up an estimated 50% to 55% of buyers in the Maldonado resort market (broker estimates, June 2026).
70+pagesHow much does it really cost to buy, beyond the price, in Uruguay?
What are the total closing costs in Uruguay as a percentage?
On top of the price, a buyer pays about 6% in taxes and fees for a cash purchase without an agency, about 9.5% with an agency, and 10% to 13% with a mortgage (INGAR, October 2026).
In money: on USD 100,000 (about UYU 4.01 million), that's about USD 6,000 without an agency or USD 9,500 with one. On USD 300,000, it's USD 18,000 or USD 28,500, and on USD 500,000, USD 30,000 or USD 47,500.
If your budget is the total you can spend, take the costs off first. With USD 300,000 all-in and an agency, look at properties priced around USD 274,000; with USD 100,000, around USD 91,000.
Even with the money in hand, you can't pay it all in cash: since Decree 238/026 (October 2026), cash is capped at UI 200,000 (about USD 33,000), so two thirds of a USD 100,000 flat goes by bank transfer. Open a Uruguayan account early and keep proof of where the money comes from.
The cost lines are the notary (escribano), the transfer tax (ITP), the agency commission if there is one, registry fees, and the certificates and stamps needed for the deed.
How much are notary, registration, and legal fees?
The escribano usually charges 3% of the price plus 22% VAT (IVA), so about 3.66%. Certificates and registration add a few hundred dollars (INGAR quotes USD 200 to 500 for a typical sale). That makes about USD 3,900 to 4,200 (about EUR 3,480 to 3,740) on a USD 100,000 flat and about USD 18,500 to 18,800 on a USD 500,000 home.
The transfer tax (ITP) is separate: 2% for the buyer and another 2% for the seller, both on the cadastral value, not on the price. Since cadastral values are usually below market prices, your 2% often works out at 1% to 2% of what you pay (DGI).
The escribano is the biggest line because one person does the whole legal job: title search, certificates, the deed and registration, and they answer for the deed's legality. Ask for a written quote with every line before you sign a reservation.
What annual property taxes should I expect?
Yearly property taxes are low: often USD 400 to 1,000 (about EUR 355 to 890) for a USD 200,000 apartment. They are based on the cadastral value, which is usually well below the market price.
There are two main taxes. Contribución Inmobiliaria goes to the municipality: in Montevideo, the 2026 bands run from 0.25% to 1.80% of the taxable cadastral value. Impuesto de Primaria (a national school tax) adds 0.15% to 0.30%. Above a wealth threshold (UYU 6.65 million for fiscal 2025, about USD 166,000 of taxable net wealth), Impuesto al Patrimonio adds 0.10% a year.
Building fees cost more than the taxes: UYU 3,000 to 12,000 a month (about USD 75 to 300) for most 2-bedroom flats in Montevideo, and UYU 18,000 to 40,000 (about USD 450 to 1,000) in Punta del Este towers with pools and a concierge.
Promoted-housing (vivienda promovida) units have real breaks for investors under Law 18.795: no Impuesto al Patrimonio and no tax on the rent for 10 years.
Is mortgage a viable option for foreigners in Uruguay right now?
Yes, but only a few banks lend to non-residents, and on stricter terms. Santander charges non-residents 6.75% a year in dollars for a main home and 6.95% for an investment, or 4.75% and 5.72% in UI (tariff of 7 August 2026). BTG Pactual (ex HSBC) finances up to 60% of the price but doesn't let you rent out the mortgaged home.
Plan on putting about 40% down as a non-resident. Dollar loans run 10 to 25 years, and the monthly payment on a dollar loan is usually capped at 15% to 20% of your net income.
Santander asks for a household income of at least UI 10,000 (about UYU 66,500, or USD 1,660 a month); Scotiabank's bar is UYU 50,000. Expect apostilled, translated proof of income, ID and bank statements. Private banks take 30 to 45 days from application to signing, BHU 50 to 70 (INGAR, October 2026).
70+pagesThis is just a preview page. Prices and rents move fast: your guide is refreshed every month, and you always get the latest version.
Does a $500k property still get you tax residency in Uruguay?
No, because it's below UI 3.5 million (about USD 580,000). Above that, property plus at least 60 days a year in Uruguay still makes you a tax resident, but since Law 20.446 took effect on January 1, 2026, it no longer opens the tax holiday on foreign income for newcomers.
For the holiday, new residents now need property above UI 12.5 million (about USD 2.1 million), bought since September 2025, or more than 183 days a year in the country, or about UI 625,000 a year into the innovation fund, and no Uruguayan tax residency in the 2 previous years. People who entered the old regime before the end of 2025 keep their conditions, and the tax holiday on foreign income lasts 11 years (the year you get it plus 10). Without it, a resident's foreign dividends and interest can be taxed at 12% in Uruguay.
Buying a home never gives you a residence permit: Uruguay has no golden visa, and legal residence is a separate process with Migración. If residency is part of why you buy, check your case with a local contador (accountant) before you sign.
What resells fastest in Uruguay, and how much growth should you expect?
What property types resell fastest in Uruguay?
Studios and 1-bedroom apartments in busy Montevideo barrios like Cordón, Tres Cruces, Pocitos and Centro resell fastest, because both local buyers and investors want them.
Nobody publishes a real time-to-sell figure. Our estimate is 3 to 6 months for a well-priced, well-located apartment, 6 to 12 months for a house, and 9 months or more for a high-end villa on the coast. For reference, the median listing still online had been up for 147 days in Montevideo and 339 days in Punta del Este in October 2026 (TuLugar), but that's the age of unsold listings, not the time a sale takes.
What sells fast matches the main buyers: young professionals and investors who want ready-to-use units near buses, universities and a solid rental market.
The slowest to sell are big houses in inland barrios with weak rental demand, oversized luxury flats with high building fees, and homes far from jobs and public transport.
How much will prices grow?
Slowly. Promoted-housing prices rose 6.3% in dollars over the year to April 2026, but fell 1.3% when measured in UI, which follows Uruguayan inflation (ANV). In real terms, prices are about flat.
No institution publishes a price forecast. Our estimate is a rise of 3% to 6% in dollars over the next 12 months. With inflation at 4.68% (INE, September 2026), that's not a real gain.
Also count the cost of getting out: selling costs about 5% with an agency, so buying and reselling eats about 13% to 15% of the price. Buy for the use or the rent, not for a quick resale.
Our methodology
This article estimates what different budgets buy in Uruguay, from USD 100,000 to the luxury market: sizes and locations in Montevideo and Punta del Este, the buying and yearly costs, financing, the 2026 rules on cash and tax residency, and how fast homes resell.
We start with official data: INE's registered sales (median deed value, July 2026) and ANV's price report on promoted housing, which gives real sale prices and their change in dollars and in UI over the 12 months to April 2026. Since there is no official price data by barrio, we then use listing portals and brokers: TuLugar (October 2026) for prices by number of bedrooms, INGAR (September 2026) for Montevideo barrio prices per m² and Santiago Pereyra (October 2026) for Punta del Este zones. Every size in this article is the budget divided by those median prices per m², before buying costs.
For the rules and costs, we used the DGI (transfer tax, wealth tax, tax-residency criteria, 2026 tax-holiday conditions), IMPO (Decree 238/026), the Intendencia de Montevideo (Contribución Inmobiliaria), INGAR's 2026 guides for notary, buyer and mortgage costs, the Santander tariff for non-resident loans, RSM Uruguay (2026) on the tax-residency criteria and Forvis Mazars on Law 20.446.
We checked these figures in October 2026. Peso amounts are converted at about 40.1 pesos per US dollar and 45 pesos per euro (BCU, October 2026). Property in Uruguay is listed and paid for in US dollars, so the dollar figures are the ones to use; peso and euro amounts are only there to help you compare.
Limits: portal and broker figures are asking prices, not sale prices; expect to pay around 10% less (8% to 12%, our estimate). Real listings vary a lot with the building's age, the view, the floor and the garage. Where no source exists (outer barrios, Ciudad de la Costa, luxury thresholds, selling times, renovation costs), we give our own estimate and say so.
Key sources used for this analysis include INE, real estate sales July-August 2026, ANV, price report no. 50, TuLugar Datos, INGAR, Montevideo September 2026, Santiago Pereyra Inmobiliaria, INGAR, buyer costs, DGI, transfer tax, Intendencia de Montevideo, Contribución Inmobiliaria 2026, Santander Uruguay, mortgage tariff, IMPO, Decree 238/026, Forvis Mazars, tax residency, RSM Uruguay, tax residency 2026 and BCU exchange rates.
