5 Best Countries to Live in South America
Let’s now focus on living, and not just visiting, the continent of South America. That takes additional consideration. This time, living in South America will be more permanent. Thus, it will tremendously affect the rest of your life. For that reason, more time and planning are needed before moving to South America in that regard. Also, we cannot focus on just the best city to live in South America because a city has to be in a particular country. Before thinking about cities, therefore, our focus should initially be on the 5 best countries to live in South America.
The laws and economy of a country will affect how life will be in the cities there. Therefore, it’s after choosing one of these countries that you can consider which of the cities in a country of your choice that you’ll love to live. In this video, I will show you the 5 best countries to live in South America.
- Uruguay
Let’s begin the search for the best countries to live in in South America in Uruguay a country in between Brazil and Argentina. The country has some of the greatest beaches in the world to gaze upon. It also has a lot of impressive lagoons and lakes that are pretty to brighten up one’s day. This country on the southwestern coast of South America is the second smallest country, after Suriname, in South America. The country has a warm, temperate climate. Due to its location at the south of the equator, the warmest months in Uruguay are January and February during which temperature averages 72°F.
If you choose Uruguay as the best country to live in South America, you may choose Montevideo, the capital city. If you do so, you will be living in the chief economic center and a coastal city, among a lot of lively and enlightened people. In that case, you will have access to a rich infrastructure. No wonder the country is a desire of retirees hoping to spend the rest of their lives on the beautiful continent of South America. If you can afford to buy a retirement home, consider buying one in Uruguay. It allows you to automatically obtain a temporary residency visa which you will need to obtain a permanent residency of the long-term relocation option.
The country prides itself on having breathtaking white sandy beaches and a wonderful landscape of forests and lakes. Another one of the benefits of choosing Uruguay as one of the best countries to live in is that it has a stable economy, affordable healthcare, low taxes, and a low crime rate. Uruguay is regarded as one of the safest places in South America.
Uruguayans are generally loyal to their government partly due to the fact that about 95% of them vote in democratic elections. Interestingly, Uruguay is at the least risk of natural disasters in South America.
- Chile
The next one of the best countries to live in South America is Chile, a country in the southwestern part of the continent. It is on a long, narrow ribbon of land adjacent to the Pacific Ocean stretching about 2,650 miles from north to south with an average width of less than 110 miles. Chilean landscapes range from arid desert in the north to glaciers and fjords in the south. With its luxurious lakes, coastal beach, spectacular mountain ranges, Chile is a wonderland of excitement for those who want to live in South America permanently.
If you choose Chile, you will be able to ski in the winter and live by the beach in the summer. These things are considered a luxury in most countries, if at all possible, there, there are plenty of opportunities to do so here such that those activities are taken for granted. You’ll soon discover so much in this city that you would find it hard to determine where to get started. Meanwhile, you will spend much less enjoying all those things.
If you want to feel like an urban dweller, choose Santiago the capital city of Chile. It’s one of the best cities to live in on the continent. Santiago is widely developed and advanced such that expatriates and retirees will love it. The cost of living is not too high as you can live on about $1,000 a month in a country with the highest standard of living. The Chilean economy is the strongest in entire South America and it’s the least corrupt country also with the lowest level of poverty there.
- Argentina
We are focusing next on Argentina or the Argentine Republic in South America. This too is a country in the south of the continent, occupying most of the southern half of its east and the Andes Mountains. After Brazil, Argentina is the second-largest country in South America and the eighth-largest in the world. Also, it is one of the best countries to live in South America. The country offers a diverse and vibrant landscape. Its towns are rich in culture. So also, is the wide variety for small quaint towns forming an inseparable part of the country.
If you are a retiree or expat, the country has a visa program that allows retirees to move to Argentina on a permanent residency visa. This requires proof of income of $1,600 a month. In case you’re no longer a regular earner, if you can buy a property there in Argentina, you can get a 90-day visa which can later be extended to a permanent residency. One of the things you’re bound to enjoy in Argentina is a higher degree of safety which makes living in South America more convenient.
Buenos Aires, the Argentine capital is one of the best cities to live in South America with its exciting urban life that many people crave. If you hope to start a business while moving to South America, Buenos Aires is one of the friendliest places to do so, making the country a very good place to live on the continent. The climate here is great and convenient. For most of the year, it’s hot or humid. The cost of living is also lower than what obtains in most parts of North America or Europe.
- Paraguay
We include Paraguay, a landlocked republic, in our list of best countries to live in South America because of the peace it has enjoyed in most recent years. Though the country is about the size of California, the population is about one-sixth of the state. Paraguay’s capital city, Asunción which is the largest city and the chief port on the Paraguay River has been in existence since 1537.
Securing a place for Paraguay on this list is its climate and economy, which is subtropical. You’ll enjoy warm winds blowing from the northeast in the summer while during the mild winters, cold winds blow from the south. The summer is blessed with heavy rainfall while winter goes with almost no rain. In the other part of the country, rainfall is evenly distributed.
- Ecuador
This is a northern country on our list of the best countries to live in South America. The country in the northwestern part of the continent borders the Pacific Ocean.
One reason for our inclusion of Ecuador on this list is its economic benefits. This come as the country changed its basic unit of currency to the US dollar. This controls inflation and stabilizes the economy. This stable economy is one of the many reasons why Ecuador is one of the best countries to live in South America. This makes international travel easier. To move to Ecuador as a retiree, you can get a permanent residency if you can provide proof of an income of $800 per month in the US or by investing in real estate. As an Ecuadorian, you can travel to over 65 countries on a discount program that reduces taxes and discounts transportation and electric, and water bills.
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One of the nice places to live there is Quito, the capital city. Located in the region of an active volcano, it’s an interesting city more than one mile above sea level. People who live in this city makes it interesting as it’s full of diverse culture and styles. Cuenca is another city in Ecuador that is really a mix of the old and new. Representing the old structures are colonial architectures that are still clearly visible. This turned the city into a mini-museum. Salinas is yet an Ecuadorian city giving another reason to choose Ecuador as one of the best countries to live in South America. This beach city has become something of a resort. You would love to live in Ecuador to enjoy the rest of your life there.
Indeed, South America has lots to offer for people of all walks of life looking to relocate, especially retirees who want to spend their golden years in the sun. You have the opportunity to explore the great cultural and geographical diversity of the continent. If you know other countries better than the ones we have mentioned here, please don’t hesitate to share what you know in the comment section.
