LatAm Listings | Volume #1
3 properties I just vibe with, all in Latin America, each and every week...
When I first started living in Latin America over a dozen years ago, one of my main goals was to save up enough cash to buy a studio apartment around Parque del Perro in Cali, Colombia 🇨🇴
One with air conditioning — because I was so broke at the time I didn’t have AC in Cali, and that matters when conquistando.
The prices looked to be around $35,000-60,000 for the places I liked in that barrio. Studios, nice balconies overlooking the park. No pools or gyms. Just a comfortable space with a balcony view. Tons of restaurants and bars within walking distance.
I never pulled the trigger on one of these flats, however.
When that idea was interesting, I was flat broke. By the time I wasn’t broke, Cali just wasn’t in my plans.
But I’ve been investing in Latin America over the past couple of years.
I bought a beachfront place in Costa Rica — and sold it 18 months later, as the HOA and developer were the worst humans on God’s green earth. Life was simply too short to deal with them.
Then I purchased 3 pre-construction properties in Costa Rica, of which 2 should be delivered within the next 12 months — 3-bedroom, 3½-bath houses a 2-minute walk from the beach, an 8-minute walk to the super yacht marina.
Very excited for those.
Mi punto?
I’ve put my money where my mouth is. I’m actually pulling the trigger and putting a chunk of my net worth into the region.
But enough of me fluff, here’s the inaugural edition of…
LatAm Listings | Volume #1
3 properties I'd actually consider buying across Latin America.
No fluff, no sponsored posts, no affiliate links. Just real listings I found interesting this week — with my honest take on the upside, the downside, and who each one makes sense for.
¡Vamonos!
#1. The $40K Entry Ticket
Location: Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia
Neighborhood: Equipetrol
Price: $40,000
Size: Studio / 1 BA / 40 m²
Price/m²: $1,000/m²
Brand new studio in the Sky Moon building right off Av. San Martín on the 2nd ring — aka ideal location in the best barrio in the city.
Comes with AC, smart locks, equipped kitchen, and a small balcony. The building has a panoramic pool, jacuzzi, sauna, gym, and 24-hour security. What I love here is the amenities look fantastic — I would actually train in that gym.
Expensas (HOA fees) run about $64/month. At $1,000 per square meter, it’s sitting 22% below comparable listings in the zone.
Santa Cruz de la Sierra is the economic engine of Bolivia that nobody’s paying attention to — and Equipetrol is its best neighborhood. Bar none. This is a $40K entry ticket into one of the most underpriced cities on the continent.
Other benefits to investing in Bolivia include fast and easy residency process, often completed in one-week or less. Oh, and spending some time here will give you an idea of what Latin America was like pre-Covid.
Downsides?
Rental yields here are low — you’re not cash-flowing your way to freedom with a $40K studio in Bolivia.
And let’s not sugarcoat it: Bolivia has traditionally been a socialist country, which means property rights aren’t as ironclad as you’d get in Uruguay or Chile. Something to factor in before you wire money — which, by the way, isn't the easiest thing to do with Bolivia.
See the listing →
The $100K Bachelor Pad
Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Neighborhood: Palermo Hollywood
Price: $100,000
Size: Studio / 1 BA / 41 m²
Price/m²: $2,439/m²
Exposed concrete ceilings, hardwood floors, and floor-to-ceiling glass on Av. Fitz Roy in Palermo Hollywood — this thing has more character than most studios twice its price.
Comes with a balcony, parking space, and building amenities including a rooftop pool, BBQ area, and solarium. HOA runs about $200/month.
At roughly $227/sq ft, you’re buying into the best walkable neighborhood in Buenos Aires — bars, restaurants, and nightlife all at your doorstep.
If it were mine, I’d rip out that bar, build an island table that seats 4, and figure out a way to mount a drop-down TV from the ceiling. Small tweaks that would make this place feel twice its size. Probably add a nice work station too for the digital nomad crowd.
Downsides?
It’s 41 square meters — there’s no getting around that. This is a one-person or couple play, not a family move.
And while Argentina’s macro story is trending in the right direction under Milei, you’re still buying into a country with a long history of economic volatility. Eyes wide open, and often, a cash deal.
See the listing →
The “Playa” Penthouse Play
Location: Punta del Este, Uruguay
Neighborhood: Aidy Grill
Price: $390,000
Size: 4 BD / 3 BA / 205 m²
Price/m²: $1,902/m²
Ocean-view penthouse in Torre Marina, 100 meters from Playa Brava. Skylight in the living room, hardwood floors, wrap-around terrace with deck seating overlooking the Atlantic.
Every room has direct terrace access — the natural lighting in this place looks unreal. Building amenities include 24-hour reception, pool, gym, barbecue, playroom, beach service, and maid service, plus garage parking for two cars.
At $175/sq ft, this is a lot of penthouse for the money — especially in one of South America’s most prestigious beach towns. Walkable to 3 different beaches, dozens of restaurants and bars. I think there’s wiggle room on price here too.
This is the family play. 4 bedrooms, ocean views from multiple rooms, and a location that checks the boxes for safety, walkability, and lifestyle in a way very few LatAm beach cities can match.
Downsides?
Punta del Este is a seasonal town — it booms from December to March and goes quiet the rest of the year. Rental yield is tricky if you’re not there full-time. You’re looking at maybe 4 strong months of short-term rental demand, then crickets.
Uruguay is also not cheap — cost of living, property taxes, and monthly HOA fees on a building like this with full amenities and staff will add up fast. Something to pencil out before you fall in love with the terrace view.
See the listing →
Final Thoughts…
3 very different properties, 3 very different price points, 3 very different plays.
A $40K entry ticket in Bolivia’s most underrated city, errr, maybe the only city in Bolivia worth mentioning. A $100K bachelor pad in the best walkable neighborhood in the Southern Cone. And a family-sized penthouse on the Atlantic for less per square meter than a studio in Palermo Hollywood.
That’s the beauty of Latin America right now — the range is absurd. Whether you’ve got $40K or $400K, there’s something real on the table. Not theoretical. Not “someday.” Right now.
See you next week with 3 more.
Ya tú sabes,
Jake Nomada