Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Aiken, SC and Montevideo

For one person, living is cheaper in Montevideo: $1,771 a month against $2,427 in Aiken, SC, rent and utilities included – about $7,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Aiken, SC
🇺🇸 United States
$2,427
/mo nomad
Montevideo
🇺🇾 Uruguay
$1,771
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Aiken, SC and in Montevideo

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Aiken, SC and in Montevideo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,427 in Aiken, SC versus $1,771 in Montevideo.

  • Aiken, SC $2,427
  • Montevideo $1,771

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,379 in Aiken, SC versus $2,740 in Montevideo.

  • Aiken, SC $3,379
  • Montevideo $2,740

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,330 in Aiken, SC versus $3,708 in Montevideo.

  • Aiken, SC $4,330
  • Montevideo $3,708

Living in Aiken, SC is roughly 37% more expensive than in Montevideo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Aiken, SC 80% above, Montevideo 31% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Aiken, SC
Montevideo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.82 $14.82
$15.16 UYU 609
-2.24%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$59.7 $59.7
$69.2 UYU 2,776
-13.65%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.67 $10.67
$14.65 UYU 588
-27.17%
Cappuccino
$3.66 $3.66
$4.46 UYU 179
-17.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.21 $2.21
$2.67 UYU 107
-17.23%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.03 $2.03
$2.00 UYU 80.4
1.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.08 $6.08
$4.83 UYU 194
25.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.69 $8.69
$3.80 UYU 152
128.68%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Aiken, SC
Montevideo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.92 $0.92
$1.36 UYU 54.8
-32.35%
White Bread (500g)
$2.77 $2.77
$2.87 UYU 115
-3.48%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.32 $2.32
$1.75 UYU 70.2
32.57%
Eggs
$3.60 $3.60
$4.68 UYU 188
-23.08%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.26 $14.26
$13.88 UYU 557
2.74%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.28 $6.28
$11.98 UYU 481
-47.58%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.20 $18.20
$11.97 UYU 480
52.05%
Apples (1kg)
$8.81 $8.81
$2.78 UYU 111
216.91%
Banana (1kg)
$2.30 $2.30
$2.74 UYU 110
-16.06%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.82 $2.82
$1.77 UYU 71.2
59.32%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.89 $3.89
$3.24 UYU 130
20.06%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 $1.94
$1.97 UYU 79.2
-1.52%
Onion (1kg)
$2.70 $2.70
$2.07 UYU 83.1
30.43%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.93 $1.93
$1.37 UYU 55.1
40.88%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.03 $2.03
$1.88 UYU 75.3
7.98%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.34 $7.34
$5.59 UYU 224
31.31%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.12 $13.12
$8.78 UYU 352
49.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.98 $1.98
$2.26 UYU 90.9
-12.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.89 $2.89
$2.75 UYU 110
5.09%
🚌 Getting Around
Aiken, SC
Montevideo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.53 UYU 61.5
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$74.3 UYU 2,980
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.06 $5.06
$1.91 UYU 76.7
164.92%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$5.03 $5.03
$0.40 UYU 16.18
1157.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$49.12 $49.12
$10.33 UYU 415
375.51%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.78 $0.78
$2.13 UYU 85.6
-63.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.5K $37.5K
$27.1K UYU 1.1M
38.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.8K $25.8K
$36.3K UYU 1.5M
-28.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Aiken, SC
Montevideo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$225 $225
$188 UYU 7,557
19.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$66.4 $66.4
$20.54 UYU 824
223.37%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$83.5 $83.5
$44.81 UYU 1,798
86.28%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Aiken, SC
Montevideo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.2 $56.2
$54.0 UYU 2,166
4.08%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.75 UYU 793
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.84 $14.84
$11.95 UYU 480
24.18%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Aiken, SC
Montevideo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$943 $943
$634 UYU 25.5K
48.70%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.9K $17.9K
$11.1K UYU 443.6K
61.95%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Aiken, SC
Montevideo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$65.4 $65.4
$102 UYU 4,099
-35.97%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.48 $44.48
$57.5 UYU 2,309
-22.68%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 $115
$127 UYU 5,079
-9.32%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$64.3 $64.3
$128 UYU 5,131
-49.74%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Aiken, SC
Montevideo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,313 $1,313
$719 UYU 28.8K
82.64%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,184 $1,184
$568 UYU 22.8K
108.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,751 $1,751
$1,145 UYU 46.0K
52.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,709 $1,709
$1,023 UYU 41.1K
67.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,700 $1,700
$3,392 UYU 136.1K
-49.89%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,360 $1,360
$1,949 UYU 78.2K
-30.25%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Aiken, SC
Montevideo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,245 UYU 50.0K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.57
5.74
14.46%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Aiken, SC: October 12, 2026

Last update for Montevideo: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Aiken, SC
$1.2K
Montevideo
$568 52.1% $617
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Aiken, SC
$374
Montevideo
$254 32.3% $121
Groceries & Markets
Aiken, SC
$363
Montevideo
$332 8.7% $32
Eating Out
Aiken, SC
$259
Montevideo
$269 3.8% $9.9
Clothing & Footwear
Aiken, SC
$130
Montevideo
$186 43.3% $56
Sport & Entertainment
Aiken, SC
$86
Montevideo
$78 9.3% $8
Getting Around
Aiken, SC
$30 *
Montevideo
$84 179% $54

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,313 in Aiken, SC and $719 in Montevideo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $60.0 in Aiken, SC vs $69.0 in Montevideo. Groceries flip the comparison at $363 vs $332, with Montevideo cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Aiken, SC
🇺🇾 Montevideo
🕒 Local time
12:48 12:48 PM
13:48 1:48 PM
1 h ahead of Aiken, SC
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
28,829
1,319,108 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

UYU, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Uruguayan Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 40.14 UYU (100 UYU = 2.49 USD). 1 EUR = 45.12 UYU (100 UYU = 2.22 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Aiken, SC Montevideo 8,060 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Aiken, SC
  • Montevideo

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Aiken, SC vs Montevideo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Aiken, SC or Montevideo?
Montevideo wins on cost – living expenses run 37% lower than in Aiken, SC. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Montevideo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Aiken, SC and in Montevideo?
You'd need roughly $3,641 in Aiken, SC and $2,656 in Montevideo to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Aiken, SC compared to Montevideo?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,313 in Aiken, SC versus $719 in Montevideo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Aiken, SC and in Montevideo?
Childcare runs $943 in Aiken, SC versus $634 in Montevideo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Aiken, SC and in Montevideo?
Dining out is cheaper in Montevideo – a meal for two runs $69.0 versus $60.0 in Aiken, SC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $2,500/month in Aiken, SC or in Montevideo?
At $1,771 in Montevideo versus $2,427 in Aiken, SC, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Montevideo but tight or insufficient in Aiken, SC. The gap between the two cities makes Montevideo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Aiken, SC or Montevideo?
Both work as nomad bases, but Montevideo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,771 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Montevideo hard to pass up.
How safe is Aiken, SC compared to Montevideo?
Safety-wise, Aiken, SC and Montevideo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Montevideo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Aiken, SC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Aiken, SC vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?