Think of a sophisticated first world South American country. A country with modern infrastructure but without blasting car horns and people driving like maniacs. A country where drivers actually stop at pedestrian crosswalks. A country with a low level of government corruption and a low crime rate.

It’s Latin America all right, but with a twist. It looks and feels like Europe. Poverty levels are low, and the standard of living is high. Uruguay has the second-lowest level of corruption after Chile, and Latin America’s highest quality of life, according to International Living’s Quality of Life Index.

But despite this First Worldliness, one can still find fifty cent cheeseburgers, twenty thousand dollar apartments, four-dollar bottles of good local cabernet wine, and cigarettes for a buck. You’ll enjoy swimming in the South Atlantic Ocean and sunning yourself on the beach of South America’s most dazzling beach resort while looking forward to a mouth-watering seafood dinner along the water. Or you might prefer a visit to a high-rise casino, followed by a stroll through one of the most exclusive shopping districts in this part of the world. Whatever your pleasure, Uruguay probably can provide it in grand fashion.

Uruguay offers world class amenities, from old-world theaters and opera houses to jazz festivals and exquisite restaurants, with the look and feel of Europe's finest. Like Europe, that is, except for the cost. In Uruguay, the cost of luxury is much more in line with Third World prices.

But while the prices are low, the infrastructure is first rate. You can drink the water from any tap in the country. Telephone lines are available in less than 48 hours, and your high speed internet connection is just a phone call away in most cities.

Coastal Uruguay offers the same diversity in coastal living that the rest of Uruguay offers for other lifestyles. On the north coast near Brazil, you’ll find clean, wide, deserted beaches which see few tourists and still sport reasonable property values. At the other end of the spectrum, you’ll find the magnificent and world-famous Punta del Este, with its fine restaurants, high-rise apartments, and first-rate tourist infrastructure.