South America: The Land of The Expat
Expats have been flocking to South America for years and recently even more so. South America is the new Europe for expats, with everything from unbridled adventure to savvy metropolitan cities. At some of the cheapest prices on the planet, it shouldn’t be a tough sell for eager college graduates and adventurous retirees to commit to this new expatriate stomping ground. After all, the beauty of South America is legendary, and with so much terrain to explore under such a wide geographical expanse, it is nearly impossible to say no.
Previously, Europe and Asia were the two most popularly traveled continents. However, recent trends have shown larger and larger numbers of expatriates relocating into South American countries.
Central American ones too. For instance, retirees have been building up home bases in Panama for nearly a decade. And now that there’s an influx of hostels and better accommodations for travelers there, eager wayfarers are flocking into South American countries too — except now, they’re staying.
Buenos Aires, Argentina has one of the largest expat communities in South America. It may only be rivaled by Santiago, Chile and Rio de Janiero, Brazil. And it is easy to see why expatriates are flocking to cities of this kind, as Argentina has some of the most affordable exchange rates against popular world currencies, and Brazil has some of the most gorgeous beaches (and women) in the world.
With expat communities becoming a growing force in these South American favorites, there’s more and more opportunity for work. Expatriate populations are starting to open businesses, and now they’re living for years in South America, whereas years ago only a handful remained.
The travel opportunities for expatriates in South America are also a huge driving force behind the relocation, where for pennies travelers can enjoy long weekends away from their home city. Punta del Este, Uruguay is only a few hours from the thriving Buenos Aires cityscape, and Ilha Grande is hours from Rio.
Although travel costs are increasing due to travel in the area, it is nearly impossible to ignore the growing expatriate populations that are beginning to accumulate in the south. Will you join them?