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"Your First 30 Days in Uruguay" — everything you need to know before and after you arrive, in a PDF you can take with you.
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You´re here. Take a deep breath. This checklist covers everything you need to do—in order of priority, with helpful links and numbers.
There are Antel and Claro stores in the arrivals area. A 30-day plan with unlimited data costs between $400–600 UYU (~$10–15 USD).
There´s a currency exchange booth at the airport. The exchange rate isn´t the best, but exchange enough for the taxi and your first few days (~$100 USD).
Uber works perfectly from Carrasco. An official taxi costs about $1,500 UYU (~$37 USD) to downtown/Pocitos. Bus 700 goes to Ciudad Vieja for about $50 UYU but takes 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Uber is reliable, cheaper than a taxi, and the driver already knows where you´re going. Download the app before you land.
Prex is the most widely used digital wallet in Uruguay. You can load it with cash at any RedPagos location and use it to pay at stores, for delivery, and for services.
The apps you´ll use every day in Uruguay:
The first things you´ll want to find near your accommodation are a supermarket (Tienda Inglesa, Disco, Ta-Ta), a pharmacy, an ATM, and a bakery.
Tienda Inglesa (premium), Disco/Devoto (mid-range), Ta-Ta (budget). All of them carry good products and accept credit cards.
If you plan to stay for more than 90 days, start the process of obtaining an ID card. You’ll need your passport and a proof of address. You can apply at Correo Uruguayo, and it takes 2–4 weeks.
Uruguay has a public-private healthcare system. If you are an employee, DISSE assigns you a health insurance provider. If you are a freelancer or remote worker, you can sign up for one directly.
You can sign up for private health insurance (Médica Uruguaya, CASMU, etc.) for about $80–120 USD per month. It covers doctors´ visits, emergency care, and basic tests.
The NomadUY community has WhatsApp groups organized by topic (housing, work, legal, social), a Q&A forum, and monthly events in Montevideo.