Looking to buy property
in Uruguay?

Yes. Uruguay places no restrictions on foreign ownership. Non-residents buy with the same full property rights as citizens, hold title directly in their own name, and need no special permit or local partner. You do not need residency, or even a Uruguayan tax ID, to purchase.

No. The entire purchase can be completed remotely through a power of attorney granted to a notary (escribano) you appoint. Many of our international clients reserve a property after a video tour and sign the final deed without flying down, though most choose to visit once for in-person viewings.

Yes. Every property transfer in Uruguay is led by an independent public notary (escribano) who verifies clean title, checks for liens, and holds the deposit in custody under the reservation agreement. Funds are released only at closing, so your capital is protected at every step.

Uruguay's rules are clear and predictable — though not zero. Budget roughly 7–10% in closing costs, rental income tax of 12% on net rent (or an optional definitive 10.5% withholding on gross rent — see the rental-tax question below), a flat 12% on capital gains for non-residents, and a modest annual property tax (typically 0.1–0.4% of cadastral value). There is no inheritance tax. Every situation is different, so we prepare the exact numbers for your case before you commit to anything.

There are two routes. One: make the 10.5% withholding on gross accrued rent definitive (residents under IRPF, non-residents under IRNR), with no annual filing. Two: file at 12% on net rental income, deducting the admitted expenses (management fee, lease-contract fees with their VAT, the municipal property tax and the primary-education tax). The break-even is deductible expenses of ≈12.5% of gross rent: below that, the definitive 10.5% wins; above it, the 12% on net income does.

More detail in our guide →

Yes — on Uruguayan assets, with the property assessed at its cadastral value, which is usually well below market price. The rate hinges on a detail almost nobody mentions: if you rent the property out, you pay IRNR on that income, which places you under the general 0.10% rate, charged only on the amount above the non-taxable minimum (UYU 6,653,000 for individuals, 2025). The higher 0.70%–1.50% scale applies only to non-residents who do NOT pay IRNR — for instance, an apartment kept empty or for personal use — and it is assessed from the first peso of taxable wealth, with no such minimum. In Vivienda Promovida projects the wealth tax can be exempt while the benefit lasts. Source: DGI's official rate table and art. 53, Title 14.

More detail in our guide →

Yes. Uruguay has a fully open capital account — no exchange controls, no restrictions on moving funds in or out — and property is bought and resold in US dollars. Your bank will ask you to document the origin of the funds, the same anti-money-laundering standard you would face in the US or Europe; we help you prepare that paperwork from day one, so your capital moves when you need it to.

Honest answer: the purchase and eventual resale are in US dollars, but long-term residential leases are typically set in Uruguayan pesos and adjusted by inflation indexes — while short-term and seasonal rentals usually run in dollars. Which mix suits you depends on your strategy; it's one of the first numbers we model with you before you buy.

According to the INGAR Index (June 2026), gross rental yields for apartments in Montevideo range from around 5% a year in premium neighbourhoods like Pocitos and Punta Carretas to over 11% in peripheral areas like Piedras Blancas; the estimated net yield deducts 35.16% of rent for management, taxes, maintenance and vacancy (see the methodology). Uruguay is not a speculative play: it is a dollar-denominated, capital-preservation asset — South American exposure without the region's typical volatility.

Explore the INGAR Index by neighbourhood →

It can support your application. A property purchase is solid evidence of ties and economic solvency, two factors Uruguayan immigration weighs for legal residency. One nuance: legal residency (the immigration permit) and tax residency (determined by the tax authority, DGI) are different processes with different requirements — a purchase can help with both, through separate routes (see the next question). We connect you with trusted immigration advisors to run the process alongside your purchase.

More detail in our guide →

Yes — it is one of the current qualifying routes: a real-estate investment above 3,500,000 UI (~USD 578,000) plus at least 60 days of physical presence in the year. These criteria did not change in 2026. The famous “USD 2 million” threshold is a myth born of a mix-up: 12,500,000 UI (~USD 2,066,000) is the bar for the Law 20.446 tax holiday — the benefit on foreign income — not for tax residency itself. One important nuance: tax residency (determined by DGI, the tax authority) and legal residency (the immigration permit) are separate processes with different requirements.

More detail in our guide →

A temporary exemption from Uruguayan income tax (IRPF) on foreign-source income — capital and investments held abroad — for new tax residents. It runs for 11 years (the year you obtain tax residency plus the following 10). Since January 1, 2026 you qualify by meeting at least one of these conditions: more than 183 days a year in Uruguay, a real-estate investment above 12,500,000 UI (~USD 2,066,000), or contributions of at least 625,000 UI a year to productive-investment or innovation funds. Those who obtained it before 2026 keep their original terms. Implementing regulations are still pending; this is general information, not tax advice.

More detail in our guide →

We work fluently in English, Português and Español, and coordinate the notary, due diligence and translation so nothing is lost between languages.