Cost of Living Comparison Between Arlington, WA and Montevideo Cost of Living Comparison Between Arlington, WA and Montevideo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,405 in Arlington, WA versus $1,667 in Montevideo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,480 in Arlington, WA versus $2,511 in Montevideo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,555 in Arlington, WA versus $3,354 in Montevideo.

Living in Arlington, WA is roughly 44% more expensive than in Montevideo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Arlington, WA 80% above, Montevideo 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.25 $16.25

$16.30 UYU 656

-0.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.4 $71.4

$55.4 UYU 2,228

28.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.56 $12.56

$12.19 UYU 490

3.04%

Cappuccino

$5.36 $5.36

$4.26 UYU 171

25.82%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.19 UYU 88.1

36.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.71 UYU 68.8

14.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.87 $4.87

$4.47 UYU 180

8.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.79 $11.79

$3.70 UYU 149

218.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.25 UYU 50.4

-16.00%

White Bread (500g)

$4.12 $4.12

$2.91 UYU 117

41.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.89 $4.89

$1.63 UYU 65.7

200.00%

Eggs

$4.97 $4.97

$4.96 UYU 199

0.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.80 $9.80

$13.31 UYU 535

-26.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.97 $7.97

$10.83 UYU 436

-26.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.26 $15.26

$10.96 UYU 441

39.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$3.08 UYU 124

-11.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 $1.63

$2.36 UYU 94.9

-30.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.88 $4.88

$1.50 UYU 60.4

225.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.89 $4.89

$3.58 UYU 144

36.59%

Potato (1kg)

$3.38 $3.38

$2.08 UYU 83.6

62.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.94 UYU 78.1

45.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.31 UYU 52.7

48.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 $3.01

$1.73 UYU 69.4

73.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.07 $11.07

$5.23 UYU 210

111.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.55 $18.55

$8.76 UYU 353

111.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.33 UYU 93.9

-27.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.53 $6.53

$2.90 UYU 117

125.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.30 UYU 52.1

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.3 UYU 2,265

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.54 UYU 62.1

70.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 $0.72

$3.63 UYU 146

-80.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.38 $30.38

$12.37 UYU 498

145.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.83 UYU 73.5

-44.26%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$37.4K $37.4K

$33.7K UYU 1.4M

10.92%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$23.8K $23.8K

$35.9K UYU 1.4M

-33.67%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$217 $217

$175 UYU 7,032

24.18%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$49.72 $49.72

$16.95 UYU 682

193.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.02 $45.02

$48.42 UYU 1,948

-7.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.98 $32.98

$61.7 UYU 2,480

-46.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.76 UYU 715

Cinema Ticket

$15.25 $15.25

$10.42 UYU 419

46.35%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$2,062 $2,062

$489 UYU 19.7K

321.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.2K $32.2K

$8,967 UYU 360.7K

259.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.60 $37.60

$95.6 UYU 3,847

-60.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.92 $39.92

$47.66 UYU 1,917

-16.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.3 $72.3

$115 UYU 4,608

-36.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.6 $99.6

$121 UYU 4,858

-17.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 $1,311

$611 UYU 24.6K

114.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 $1,180

$488 UYU 19.6K

142.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 $2,538

$1,107 UYU 44.5K

129.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,010 $2,010

$818 UYU 32.9K

145.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,598 UYU 144.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,274 UYU 91.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,808 $5,808

$1,332 UYU 53.6K

335.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.85

5.68

-14.61%

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

Last update for Arlington, WA: July 14, 2026

Last update for Montevideo: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,311 in Arlington, WA and $611 in Montevideo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Arlington, WA pays 336% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $71.0 in Arlington, WA vs $55.0 in Montevideo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $392 vs $319 per month, with Montevideo cheaper across the board.

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

Arlington, WA vs Montevideo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arlington, WA and Montevideo differ by about 44% in total monthly costs ($2,405 vs $1,667 including rent). Montevideo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 336% higher in Arlington, WA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,311 in Arlington, WA versus $611 in Montevideo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Arlington, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,405 per month in Arlington, WA versus $1,667 in Montevideo – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,667 in Montevideo versus $2,405 in Arlington, WA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Montevideo but tight or insufficient in Arlington, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Montevideo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Arlington, WA 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.

Expats usually find Montevideo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Arlington, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.