You should move to South America. In South America’s busy towns and beautiful beaches, we’ve spent much time traveling and working from home. For expats, these are the best places in South America to live in, whether you want to stay for a short time as a digital nomad or build a home to live in forever as an expat. It would help if you thought about moving to These nine towns in South America.
Things to think about before you move to South America
There are a few things you should think about before you book a plane ticket and pack your bags to move to South America. Before you go, study to find the best place for you. If you want to experience the rich cultures and traditions of Latin America fully, don’t just look in South America. Popular places like Panama, Belize, Costa Rica, and Mexico should also be on your list. Every Latin American country has its own customs and take on the way of life.
Look into the best places for expats once you know which country to move to. Some things that could affect your choice and quality of life are safety, cost of living, internet rates, the foreign community, weather, air quality, and how easy it is to get around on foot. Make sure you think about these things before you decide where to go.
Pros and Cons of Living in South America
South America is a large continent situated in the Earth’s Western Hemisphere. South America is from 12 degrees North to 55 degrees South and from 35 degrees to 81 degrees West. We all know about South America’s diverse terrain, rich cultural heritage, and distinctive communities. There are twelve countries in South America.
Pros of Living in South America:
Rich Culture
Rich cultural traditions, delicious food, music, and artwork are some of South America’s most well-known attributes.
The cost of living in South America
In South America, living expenses are significantly lower. Purchasing homes, eating out, and covering travel costs are all extremely inexpensive compared to other wealthy nations.
Appetizing Cuisine
It’s common knowledge that South American food has complex, rich flavors.
Delicious foods, including Brazilian feijoada, Peruvian ceviche, and Argentine steaks, are available.
Learning a Language
Learning Spanish or Portuguese is a great chance that South America offers. Participating in daily interactions and local culture will improve your language abilities.
Hospitality
Warmth and hospitality are characteristics of South Americans. It’s likely that everywhere you go, you’ll experience a friendly social atmosphere.
Opportunities for Education
South America is home to the top educational institutions with a wide range of programs. South America has thousands of excellent educational institutions at every educational level.
Innate beauty
South America is home to breathtaking mountain ranges, lush rainforests, and gorgeous beaches. There is no lack of breathtaking scenery for travelers to discover.
Cons of Living in South America:
Safety Issues
There are places in South America where one may worry for their safety. Before relocating to a particular city or neighborhood, gathering all the facts is crucial.
Language Disturbance
The two main languages spoken in South America are Spanish and Portuguese; if you are not proficient in any of them, you may find it difficult to communicate and go about your everyday life.
Infrastructure Difficulties
South America’s infrastructure, including its utilities, public transportation, and roadways, could be better.
Unrest in politics
A significant issue in several South American nations is social and political instability. It’s critical for one’s own security and stability to keep up with political developments.
Career Opportunities
South America offers fewer work options, especially for those without specialized expertise. Only foreigners may be able to find employment.
Medical Care
Access to and quality of healthcare can differ throughout South America. While there may be fewer possibilities in rural or isolated places, major cities often provide high-quality healthcare.
Best places to live in South America
South America has so many places for expats that we can’t fit them all on one list. But these are the towns we keep coming back to and highly recommend to independent workers looking for a place to live in South America for a short or long time.
1. Medellin, in Colombia
People who want to live in a Latin American city with modern conveniences and South America’s most prominent digital nomad community should go there.
Medellin, Colombia, is a great place to visit if you want to see real Latin America while also enjoying the comforts and wealth of a big city. There’s nothing quite like living in Medellin, with its lively dance bars, beautiful outdoor restaurants serving delicious food worldwide, and brightly colored streets.
It’s great for working for many expats because the WiFi is strong and stable, and there are many great coffee shops in the area. There are a lot of big-name brands and goods to choose from in Medellin’s shops. It’s been called “the city of eternal spring” for a good reason: the weather is almost always great, with just a few rainy days here and there.
- Our top picks are El Poblado and Laurales.
- The monthly cost of living is $1,000 to $2,000,
- The language spoken is Spanish (not much English).
2. Argentina’s Buenos Aires
This place is best for expats who want to live a fast-paced life in a European-style setting. In South America, Buenos Aires is one of the best places to live. It’s a huge city that takes its style and design from Europe. Nomads who love leaving their homes daily to try a new, exciting café or restaurant will love this city. The city is enormous, with many different bars, restaurants, and things to do.
The city has many co-working places and startup hubs where you can meet other expats and nomads. You can also connect with them on the local digital nomad’s Facebook page. Want to go out at night? This city has everything you could want: tango and salsa bars, reggaeton clubs, and secret speakeasies with lots of history.
Buenos Aires is a place for people who love meat, wine, culture, and getting out at night. It’s easy for people who work from home to live there because there are so many great coffee shops, and most public parks have free WiFi.
- Palermo or Recoleta are the best places to stay.
- $1,300 to $2,000 a month for rent.
- Language: Spanish (some English).
3. Peru’s Lima
Best for: Foodies who want to try different kinds of foreign mixed food. Many people would love living in Lima, but one group would love it the most: foodies. There will be delicious international food everywhere you look. This city has some of the world’s best food and most prestigious places. There are a lot of Peruvian products in many of these famous recipes, and they are cooked just right.
Lima is huge and full of people, like many of South America’s major towns. There are no limits to what kind of life you can live here. You can get lost in the food and music, explore neighborhoods with lots of character, or surf along the coast. We love Lima because getting to other parts of Peru from there is so easy. Getting out of the city is easy because there are cheap and regular buses that go to the dunes of Huacachina and planes that get you to Cusco.
- Places to go: Miraflores
- Monthly cost of living: $1,000 to $1,800
- Language: Spanish (not much English)
4. The city of Quito in Ecuador
Best for: People who want to live in a modern city where the weather is pleasant all year. Quito is a great place for expats to work and discover when they have free time. It is in the Andes mountains, not far from the Pacific Ocean. Many expats live there, mostly younger tourists and digital nomads. Because Ecuador is on the equator, the lovely temperatures stay stable all year, and the number of daylight hours doesn’t change.
It’s easy to get around the rest of Ecuador from Quito, the country’s central city. It only takes a few hours by bus to get to the beach and the jungle. You can also fly to famous places like Cuenca and Guayaquil. Quito has a perfect public transportation system that makes getting around easy and cheap. You may not be able to save as much in Quito as you could in other South American towns, but the city is modern, and the cost of living is still low.
- The best places to stay are La Floresta, La Carolina, and La Mariscal.
- $10,000 to $2,200 a month for cost.
- Language: Spanish (not much English).
5. Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro
This place is best for expats who want to live in a busy city but still have easy access to the beach. Rio de Janeiro is a unique city with beautiful beaches and busy streets. This beautiful city is full of life and is known for its love of Samba, sports, and the beach. Many digital nomads and expats love Rio because of its weather, beaches, nightlife, and lively Brazilian culture. It also has many of the modern city’s conveniences and comforts. This place has something for everyone.
The language spoken there is Portuguese, not Spanish, like in most other South American places. Some parts of the city are easy to get around in English, but most places will need you to know at least a little of the language spoken there. The city has a lot of cute coffee shops and places to work that have good WiFi. But be careful taking your laptop when you leave the house—crime is becoming more common in Rio, especially near the favelas.
- Copacabana, Ipanema, and Santa Teresa are the best places to stay.
- $1,500 to $2,500 a month for cost.
- Language: Portuguese.
Summary
South America has a rich cultural history, varied landscapes, and distinctive localities. Its cities have several advantages: lower living costs, mouthwatering food, chances to learn languages, warmth, and educational prospects. Cons include restricted job options, infrastructure problems, political instability, language barriers, and safety concerns.
Known for its vibrant dance bars, lovely outdoor dining establishments, and robust WiFi, Medellin, Colombia, is among the greatest cities in South America for foreigners to live in. Two well-liked options are El Poblado and Laurales, which have robust Spanish-speaking communities with monthly living expenses ranging from $1,000 to $2,000.
In conclusion, expats can explore and enjoy a rich and diversified environment in South America. When making a choice, it is critical to take into account aspects like weather, air quality, walking accessibility, international community, internet rates, cost of living, and safety.
Buenos Aires, Argentina, is a popular destination for foreigners looking for a South American lifestyle akin to that of Europe. It provides a range of dining alternatives, co-working spaces, bars, and nightlife. Lima, Peru, is renowned for both its upscale settings and mouthwatering foreign cuisine. Ecuador’s contemporary city of Quito has affordable housing and lovely weather. La Floresta, La Carolina, and La Mariscal are the greatest locations to stay. Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro is a bustling city with stunning beaches and a dynamic culture. The spoken language is Portuguese, but English can understand much of it. Santa Teresa, Ipanema, and Copacabana are the greatest areas to stay.
