Own a Ranch in South America from $60,000

Where are the best places to buy a ranch and/or farmland overseas?

I’ve got a lot of emails from Your Overseas Dream Home readers keen to learn about this…

For example, Tom B. asked: Hi Ronan, I’m looking for a nice 1,000-plus square foot country home with some, maybe around 10 acres. As an old cowboy, I always want my horses and dogs around.

Many folks, like Tom, aren’t necessarily farmers, but people looking for space…land…a country retreat…

Well, the best places on my global beat for a ranch or farmland are in South America. I asked my team to find me some compelling listings that matched Tom’s criteria…

Here is what they found:

Find Your Home in the Farming Capital of South America

With wide open spaces and soil quality that’s some of the best in the world, Uruguay is top of the pile when it comes to looking for your own ranch overseas.

For a small country, Uruguay produces a remarkable amount of food. Enough for 30 million people, eight times its own population. Uruguay is the sixth largest exporter of soybeans, the fifth largest exporter of dairy and the fourth largest exporter of rice.

A big part of the reason is that the quality of soil in Uruguay is excellent. The climate brings plenty of rain and sunshine, but no snow. Conditions are so good that many farmers in Uruguay can grow two crops per year. (You can check the quality of the land with the country’s CONEAT system, a nationwide index with information on the soil quality of all rural land in the country.)

There’s not much you can’t farm in Uruguay. You could raise cattle or sheep…buy a timber plantation. You could invest in vineyards, olive groves, or blueberry farms or even grow hops and start brewing your own beer.

There are tax benefits to farming in Uruguay too. The income tax rate is a flat 25% of net income but small farms often pay less. Property taxes average just 0.2%.

A Ranch on 12 Acres for $250,000:

My team found this two-bedroom, two-bath home built on 12 acres of land listed for sale at $250,000.

Built in 2011, the house has 1,152 square feet of living space and includes a living/dining room with wooden ceiling beams and a natural stone fireplace, an open kitchen with a counter facing the living room, and two bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms.

A roofed, tiled porch with an outdoor barbecue area extends from the living room and kitchen, connecting to another porch on one side of the house. On the other side, there is a carport with ample space for at least two vehicles and storage for firewood.

The porch of this ranch home provides expansive views of the property and its surroundings. Listing here.

A small stream meanders through the middle of the land and has been dammed to create a pond which could be used as a water source for cattle or horses.

A small nearby town has stores, restaurants, and cafés but the larger town of San Carlos is 20 minutes away by car. Here you’ll find large supermarkets, schools, medical services, and a hospital.

13-Acre Ranch with B&B Potential for $395,000:

This ranch (or chacra as they are called in Spanish) features a solid wood house with three bedrooms, two bathrooms and has over 13 acres of land. It’s listed for $395,000.

The house, originally built in 2002, was expanded in 2010. The living room spans two floors, with an integrated kitchen and open gallery on the upper level. A conservatory with a grill extends along the entire front of the house, offering views of the surrounding landscape.

The master bedroom was extended to include an en-suite bathroom, and the terrace in front of it was enclosed to create a conservatory.

There are three stables and a granary which could be used for raising small livestock. A large barn provides storage space for machinery, tools, and supplies. The lands are fully fenced and divided into different pasture.

The chacra features stables, a granary and large barn for storing machinery. Listing here.

The ranch is located close to the busy Ruta Panoramica highway, 14 miles from the coast and 22 miles from the beaches of Punta del Este. This is at the heart of Uruguay’s tourism industry, giving the chacra B&B potential.

The property also includes a eucalyptus plantation of approximately 2.5 acres which serves as a shaded area for livestock.

Own a Farm in Argentina for Just $60,000

Argentina’s Mendoza region is most famous for its vineyards and you can own a piece of this rural paradise for less than you think.

Argentina is the world’s third largest food exporter. With a temperate climate, fertile soil, and abundance of rain and sunshine, livestock and crops both thrive here.

And thanks to the weak peso, Argentina offers low prices…

But perhaps the best reason to own a farm in Argentina is the mesmerizing countryside. You could own a ranch in the vast grassland of Pampas, or the rugged wilderness of Patagonia. Perhaps a winery in Mendoza, with the towering Andes Mountains as a backdrop.

If the countryside is diverse, so are the farming options. Soybeans, corn, and wheat thrive, as do citrus fruits, apples, and pears.

Argentina is renowned for producing some of the best steaks in the world. Livestock farming could give you a farmyard-to-table experience like no other.

And of course there’s the vineyards. Argentina has gained worldwide recognition for producing outstanding wines. If you want to try your hand at producing the next great Malbec, the affordable cost of land makes Argentina an ideal place to open a winery. Or simply plant a few vines as a hobby.

My team found this 14.8-acre farm in Rama Caida, a popular tourist area in the country’s Mendoza region, listed for $60,000. The property has a brick house in need of renovation, with an attached barn, water, and electricity.

This ranch is available for just $60,000 and comes with eco-tourism potential. Listing here.

The land includes 10 acres which was previously orchard and is now ready for new planting. A park area with mature trees surrounds the home. The remaining fallow land could be used for vegetable gardens, vineyards, orchards, or horse pastures.

The property is situated close to Valle Grande, where tourists come to enjoy hiking, climbing and horseback riding, in the stunning countryside. Nearby amenities include wineries, and restaurants.

A Ranch with a Private Riding Arena in Colombia for $208,200

Good coffee and a ranch for under $210,000 can both be found in Colombia’s Coffee Triangle.

Colombia probably isn’t the first place most folks think of when it comes to owning farmland. Cities like Medellin with its leafy suburbs and eternal spring climate and the colorful colonial buildings of Cartagena that overlook the sparkling Caribbean Sea tend to grab all the attention.

But the countryside shouldn’t be overlooked. Colombia is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world. It’s home to around 10% of the world’s species. In the countryside you’ll find lush rainforests, mountain ranges, and even deserts.

There are amazing possibilities in the Colombian countryside, often at incredible prices.

My team found this 5.3-acre property which features a spacious 10,750-square-foot main house with five bedrooms and three bathrooms. Built in a traditional Colombian style, it’s listed for sale at $208,200.

The property has a private riding arena which would be ideal for anyone looking to keep horses. The steady temperatures and mountain climate mean you could grow several different citrus fruit trees here, along with pineapples, bananas, and more. Vegetables would thrive here too, including tomatoes, maize, peppers, and other garden vegetables.

This five-bedroom house would suit anyone looking to own horses. Listing here

The home is set in a peaceful location in Vereda La Maria, El Zancudo, with the mountains providing a serene backdrop to the farm. The city of Manizales, part of the country’s famous Coffee Triangle, is just a 30-minute drive away, so you’ll be guaranteed an exquisite cup of coffee here.