Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Babahoyo and Montevideo

For one person, living is cheaper in Babahoyo: $739 a month against $1,771 in Montevideo, rent and utilities included – about $12,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Babahoyo
🇪🇨 Ecuador
$739
/mo nomad
Montevideo
🇺🇾 Uruguay
$1,771
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Babahoyo 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 Babahoyo and in Montevideo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $739 in Babahoyo versus $1,771 in Montevideo.

  • Babahoyo $739
  • Montevideo $1,771

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,243 in Babahoyo versus $2,740 in Montevideo.

  • Babahoyo $1,243
  • Montevideo $2,740

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,746 in Babahoyo versus $3,708 in Montevideo.

  • Babahoyo $1,746
  • Montevideo $3,708

Living in Babahoyo costs roughly 58% less than in Montevideo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Babahoyo is 45% below, Montevideo is 31% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Babahoyo
Montevideo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.01 $4.01
$15.16 UYU 610
-73.55%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.38 $32.38
$69.2 UYU 2,780
-53.17%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.72 $4.72
$14.65 UYU 589
-67.78%
Cappuccino
$2.52 $2.52
$4.46 UYU 179
-43.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 $0.83
$2.67 UYU 107
-68.91%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 $0.83
$2.00 UYU 80.5
-58.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.05 $2.05
$4.83 UYU 194
-57.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.57 $3.57
$3.80 UYU 153
-6.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Babahoyo
Montevideo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.14 $1.14
$1.36 UYU 54.9
-16.18%
White Bread (500g)
$1.63 $1.63
$2.87 UYU 115
-43.21%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.70 $1.70
$1.75 UYU 70.3
-2.86%
Eggs
$1.87 $1.87
$4.68 UYU 188
-60.04%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.32 $7.32
$13.88 UYU 558
-47.26%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.70 $5.70
$11.98 UYU 482
-52.42%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.93 $6.93
$11.97 UYU 481
-42.11%
Apples (1kg)
$1.80 $1.80
$2.78 UYU 112
-35.25%
Banana (1kg)
$0.95 $0.95
$2.74 UYU 110
-65.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.16 $1.16
$1.77 UYU 71.3
-34.46%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.20 $1.20
$3.24 UYU 130
-62.96%
Potato (1kg)
$1.37 $1.37
$1.97 UYU 79.3
-30.46%
Onion (1kg)
$1.04 $1.04
$2.07 UYU 83.2
-49.76%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.68 $0.68
$1.37 UYU 55.2
-50.36%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 $1.07
$1.88 UYU 75.4
-43.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.38 $5.38
$5.59 UYU 225
-3.76%
Wine (Bottle)
$9.09 $9.09
$8.78 UYU 353
3.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.55 $1.55
$2.26 UYU 91.0
-31.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.16 $3.16
$2.75 UYU 111
14.91%
🚌 Getting Around
Babahoyo
Montevideo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.34 $0.34
$1.53 UYU 61.6
-77.78%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$15.80 $15.80
$74.3 UYU 2,985
-78.72%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.44 $1.44
$1.91 UYU 76.8
-24.61%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.26 $1.26
$0.40 UYU 16.21
215.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$9.45 $9.45
$10.33 UYU 415
-8.52%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.82 $0.82
$2.13 UYU 85.7
-61.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.2K $19.2K
$27.1K UYU 1.1M
-29.28%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$29.3K $29.3K
$36.3K UYU 1.5M
-19.26%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Babahoyo
Montevideo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$37.52 $37.52
$188 UYU 7,570
-80.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.16 $13.16
$20.54 UYU 826
-35.93%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.46 $27.46
$44.81 UYU 1,801
-38.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Babahoyo
Montevideo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.83 $25.83
$54.0 UYU 2,169
-52.13%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.98 $14.98
$19.75 UYU 794
-24.15%
Cinema Ticket
$6.97 $6.97
$11.95 UYU 481
-41.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Babahoyo
Montevideo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 $207
$634 UYU 25.5K
-67.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,116 $5,116
$11.1K UYU 444.3K
-53.71%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Babahoyo
Montevideo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.1 $50.1
$102 UYU 4,106
-50.96%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.24 $37.24
$57.5 UYU 2,313
-35.27%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$114 $114
$127 UYU 5,088
-10.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$61.9 $61.9
$128 UYU 5,139
-51.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Babahoyo
Montevideo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$318 $318
$719 UYU 28.9K
-55.69%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$184 $184
$568 UYU 22.8K
-67.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$789 $789
$1,145 UYU 46.0K
-31.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$455 $455
$1,023 UYU 41.1K
-55.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,153 $1,153
$3,392 UYU 136.4K
-66.01%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$681 $681
$1,949 UYU 78.4K
-65.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Babahoyo
Montevideo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,245 UYU 50.0K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.05
5.74
75.09%

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

Last update for Babahoyo: October 12, 2026

Last update for Montevideo: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Babahoyo
$193
Montevideo
$332 72.1% $139
Accommodation & Living
Babahoyo
$184
Montevideo
$568 208% $383
Clothing & Footwear
Babahoyo
$118
Montevideo
$186 57.4% $68
Eating Out
Babahoyo
$101
Montevideo
$269 168% $169
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Babahoyo
$78
Montevideo
$254 225% $176
Sport & Entertainment
Babahoyo
$40
Montevideo
$78 95.9% $38
Getting Around
Babahoyo
$25
Montevideo
$84 239% $59

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $318 in Babahoyo and $719 in Montevideo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Babahoyo vs $69.0 in Montevideo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $332 per month, with Babahoyo cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇪🇨 Babahoyo
🇺🇾 Montevideo
🕒 Local time
13:58 1:58 PM
15:58 3:58 PM
2 h ahead of Babahoyo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
84,164
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 15, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.893 EUR).

Uruguayan Peso exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 40.2 UYU (100 UYU = 2.49 USD). 1 EUR = 45.02 UYU (100 UYU = 2.22 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Babahoyo Montevideo 4,400 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Babahoyo
  • 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
Babahoyo vs Montevideo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Babahoyo or Montevideo?
Babahoyo wins on cost – living expenses run 140% lower than in Montevideo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Babahoyo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Babahoyo and in Montevideo?
You'd need roughly $1,108 in Babahoyo 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 Babahoyo compared to Montevideo?
Rent for a central apartment: $318 in Babahoyo 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 Babahoyo and in Montevideo?
Childcare runs $207 in Babahoyo versus $634 in Montevideo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Babahoyo or in Montevideo?
Supermarket bills run roughly 72% higher in Montevideo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Babahoyo or in Montevideo?
At $739 in Babahoyo versus $1,771 in Montevideo, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Babahoyo but tight or insufficient in Montevideo. The gap between the two cities makes Babahoyo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Babahoyo or Montevideo?
Both work as nomad bases, but Babahoyo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $739 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Babahoyo hard to pass up.
How safe is Babahoyo compared to Montevideo?
Safety-wise, Babahoyo 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 Babahoyo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 140% less than in Montevideo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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