Furniture and appliances/ electronics

[davudyfamilia]

Hi everyone,

So i was wondering just as far as price and quality comparison for furniture and appliances and electronics (computers and TV's) how do you compare the prices in Uruguay to US prices?

Thank you

[loei]

Compared with the UK I found it generally more expensive with lower quality especially the electricals and electronics. Coming from the US you have a further difficulty as we use 220 volt 50 Hz of none too clean a quality.

The one thing that I searched for but failed to find in 18 months was a comfortable sofa and chairs. Ditto thick curtains.

Patrick.

[Sara]

Everything here costs twice as much, and quality is nowhere near that of the US. I'd bring everything down with the possible exception of kitchen appliances - things that need spare parts and someone who understands them.

When we relocated to Argentina my husband's firm paid for the move, and we brought everything, even trash cans, curtain rods and kitchen cabinets - best decision we ever made. All the GE appliances we bought fifteen years ago are still going strong, but every time the refrigerator sneezes I panic.

Compared to the US, local household and hardware stuff is not even WalMart quality - more like Dollar Store. Nearby Argentina is marginally better, but not much.

When are you thinking of moving?

Sara

[clara]

Patrick and Sara are offering accurate info and very sound advice. If you are an antique collector or dealer you will find lovely things at reasonable prices. Beyond that you will find anything of quality outrageously priced if you can even find what you want.
As for appliances...there are many sources of 220 appliances in the US. Bring everything, especially kitchen appliances such as a Kitchenaide mixer and any specialty items. A crock pot will serve you well as they are not available here. I would also suggest bringing excellent knives, dishes and cutlery. There is some decent stuff here, principally Tramontina brand, but you will find a very limited selection. You will have little trouble selling any excess....much easier than finding the stuff you neglected to bring!!

[davudyfamilia]

Patrick, Sara and Clara;

Thank you so much for your advice. That is exactly what i was wondering, and you answered all my questions regarding those items.
So even big kitchen appliance is a good idea if the cost to bring it in and customs weren't too expensive, right?

We would like to be there in two months. We live in Portland Oregon, so the weather just got nice here, we need to take advantage of it for the next month or two or else we would hit two winters, two summers sounds much better. We are very much looking forward to it.
Sara, we considered Argentina as well, but just dealing with the embassy here trying to get some kind of long term visa, they weren't very helpful.

Seems like ( seems being the key word) Uruguay is more receptive to immigrants and there is a somewhat clear path to residency, whereas Argentina seems more difficult to even establish what we would need to do in order to become residents.

We have two daughters as you can see in the picture, the picture is a few years old, so the kids are older, but still in elementary school.
Do any of you have recommendations about what school would be good to go? With the exception of Europe (other than US) seems like private schools offer more reliable education, but Uruguay might be different in that regard. Of course good public schools are preferable. We know first hand about Dominican Republic , Costa Rica and Panama. Have you heard good things about the public schools there? Our kids speak some french and some spanish already, the older one more, the younger one less

Thanks again, your advice and input is much appreciated.
Fry family

[Sara]

Bring all towels and specially bedsheets...! Here they are either rough as sandpaper or so thin that you can read the paper through them. In fact, I can't think of a single thing I wouldn't bring. Tools are very poor quality here - it's hard to find a good pair of pliers or a sturdy screwdriver.

Argentina is my home I must admit immigrating to Uruguay is easier. On a tourist visa you can open a bank account, and buy a car and even a house.

Best of luck,

Sara

[davudyfamilia]

We lived in a beach town in Dominican Republic, it was very much like that, you couldn't find anything good quality,
when people would come to visit their friends, they would bring stuff all the time. It surprises me that Uruguay wouldn't have
more established import/ export than it does already. I can only imagine that the import tax is high, therefore not profitable for people
to go into the business of bringing stuff in from other places. Is that so?

By the way what about building material? If one was going to build a house, is it expensive to make a good sturdy house?

[davudyfamilia]

Sara, is Argentina the same way with regards to goods? and if not, is it expensive and difficult to bring things into Uruguay?

[Syd]

In spite of a posting suggesting you bring all towels and specially bedsheets. I would disagree. In fact, when we came we also listened and followed such advice only to find perfectly good towels and bedsheets available in Tienda Montevideo stores, at quite acceptable prices.

[Sara]

In spite of a posting suggesting you bring all towels and specially bedsheets. I would disagree. In fact, when we came we also listened and followed such advice only to find perfectly good towels and bedsheets available in Tienda Montevideo stores, at quite acceptable prices.

I was the one who posted the advice about sheets and towels.

When I moved to Uruguay I looked for linens all over Montevideo, and checked Tienda Montevideo, too. All I saw were cotton/polyester sheets with a 180 thread count. The towels were thin and small. That was at most WalMart quality then, not comparable to the luxurious stuff found in the US at half the price. Or less, when bought on sale.

It's the same in Argentina - WalMart quality towels sold at Bloomingdale's prices. I can't understand it, as Brazil makes wonderful towels, strong and thick. But I can't find them either in Uruguay or Argentina.

Even with an unlimited linen budget, good quality stuff is just not available in South America. Whenever I go to the States half of my friends ask me to bring them bedsheets. I finally found a good provider here, selling mostly to top hotels but also to the public. Prices are high, but the sheets are all-cotton and very soft. There is now a specialty linen seller in Montevideo and Punta del Este - I don't remember the name - but the quality is still poor, and prices are high. I checked their comforters and sheets, and again, not even WalMart quality.

I was recently in the States, and saw good quality bed SETS selling for US$40 at discount stores like TJMaxx. That kind of deal is hard to beat.

So, I stand by my advice: bring sheets, towels and comforters....!

Sara