Strong tenant protections: 2-year minimum term, annual increases capped to the lesser of URA or IPC, and a yearly winter freeze on eviction execution (1 Apr - 15 Dec)
Healthy furnished short-term market (Airbnb, serviced apartments) makes a soft landing easy before signing a long lease
Universal coverage through SNIS; even foreigners without a residency permit can affiliate with the public provider ASSE — free if they qualify on income, otherwise via a monthly quota (cuota)
Mutualista (IAMC) membership buys comprehensive private hospital care with no deductibles, no lifetime caps and medication discounts, for a fixed monthly cuota plus small per-service tickets

Watch out for

The garantía requirement is the main hurdle for foreigners with no local property-owning co-signer; expect to pay for institutional guarantees (ANDA ~3%/month) or surety insurance (roughly 50-90% of one month's rent per year)
The standard 2-year (+1) minimum lease is long for anyone unsure they will stay; the flexible LUC no-guarantee contract or a furnished short-term rental are the usual workarounds
FONASA's free/subsidised care is tied to formal Uruguayan employment or a local pension; a nomad on foreign income generally pays a mutualista directly or pays an ASSE quota rather than getting FONASA-funded care
Each mutualista sets its own acceptance rules on age and pre-existing conditions, so older nomads or those with chronic conditions may face higher premiums or refusal

Cost of living

Montevideo

€1,400–€2,000/mo