Answer
Many people stay because, over time, Uruguay offers a stable everyday life: a calm pace, a manageable daily routine, the coast, social ties, and a sense that life has become more predictable. The initial plan to “wait it out and leave” may change after adaptation.
This does not mean the country becomes ideal. People still face a high cost of living, slow service, the language barrier, damp winters, and a limited selection. But if income, housing, healthcare, school, and a social circle gradually fall into place, the disadvantages cease to be decisive.
The decision to stay often comes not from enthusiasm but from comparison: what has become easier, what remains difficult, and which alternatives are realistic. If a family builds an ordinary life, knows its way around, and has a backup plan, the urge to urgently look for the next country may disappear.