Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hackensack, NJ and Montevideo

For one person, living is cheaper in Montevideo: $1,771 a month against $3,405 in Hackensack, NJ, rent and utilities included – about $19,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Hackensack, NJ
🇺🇸 United States
$3,405
/mo nomad
Montevideo
🇺🇾 Uruguay
$1,771
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,405 in Hackensack, NJ versus $1,771 in Montevideo.

  • Hackensack, NJ $3,405
  • Montevideo $1,771

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,132 in Hackensack, NJ versus $2,740 in Montevideo.

  • Hackensack, NJ $5,132
  • Montevideo $2,740

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,859 in Hackensack, NJ versus $3,708 in Montevideo.

  • Hackensack, NJ $6,859
  • Montevideo $3,708

Living in Hackensack, NJ is roughly 92% more expensive than in Montevideo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hackensack, NJ 152% above, Montevideo 31% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hackensack, NJ
Montevideo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$24.80 $24.80
$15.16 UYU 609
63.59%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$98.3 $98.3
$69.2 UYU 2,776
42.08%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.26 $13.26
$14.65 UYU 588
-9.49%
Cappuccino
$5.58 $5.58
$4.46 UYU 179
25.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 $2.37
$2.67 UYU 107
-11.24%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.60 $1.60
$2.00 UYU 80.4
-20.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.77 $7.77
$4.83 UYU 194
60.87%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.82 $7.82
$3.80 UYU 152
105.79%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hackensack, NJ
Montevideo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.34 $1.34
$1.36 UYU 54.8
-1.47%
White Bread (500g)
$4.21 $4.21
$2.87 UYU 115
46.69%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.98 $5.98
$1.75 UYU 70.2
241.71%
Eggs
$5.86 $5.86
$4.68 UYU 188
25.21%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.41 $12.41
$13.88 UYU 557
-10.59%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.77 $7.77
$11.98 UYU 481
-35.14%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.01 $17.01
$11.97 UYU 480
42.11%
Apples (1kg)
$5.33 $5.33
$2.78 UYU 111
91.73%
Banana (1kg)
$1.76 $1.76
$2.74 UYU 110
-35.77%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.32 $4.32
$1.77 UYU 71.2
144.07%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.41 $5.41
$3.24 UYU 130
66.98%
Potato (1kg)
$3.11 $3.11
$1.97 UYU 79.2
57.87%
Onion (1kg)
$3.02 $3.02
$2.07 UYU 83.1
45.89%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.84 $2.84
$1.37 UYU 55.1
107.30%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.84 $2.84
$1.88 UYU 75.3
51.06%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.53 $11.53
$5.59 UYU 224
106.26%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.74 $14.74
$8.78 UYU 352
67.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 $1.78
$2.26 UYU 90.9
-21.24%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.59 $3.59
$2.75 UYU 110
30.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Hackensack, NJ
Montevideo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.53 $3.53
$1.53 UYU 61.5
130.72%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$60.4 $60.4
$74.3 UYU 2,980
-18.70%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.93 $2.93
$1.91 UYU 76.7
53.40%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.00 $2.00
$0.40 UYU 16.18
400.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$23.94 $23.94
$10.33 UYU 415
131.75%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.11 $1.11
$2.13 UYU 85.6
-47.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.1K $35.1K
$27.1K UYU 1.1M
29.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.4K $25.4K
$36.3K UYU 1.5M
-29.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hackensack, NJ
Montevideo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$216 $216
$188 UYU 7,557
14.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$55.2 $55.2
$20.54 UYU 824
168.70%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$50.4 $50.4
$44.81 UYU 1,798
12.47%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hackensack, NJ
Montevideo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.14 $44.14
$54.0 UYU 2,166
-18.20%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.75 UYU 793
-
Cinema Ticket
$20.06 $20.06
$11.95 UYU 480
67.87%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hackensack, NJ
Montevideo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,394 $1,394
$634 UYU 25.5K
119.80%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.8K $15.8K
$11.1K UYU 443.6K
43.35%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hackensack, NJ
Montevideo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.94 $43.94
$102 UYU 4,099
-56.98%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.3 $57.3
$57.5 UYU 2,309
-0.43%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$87.0 $87.0
$127 UYU 5,079
-31.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$101 $101
$128 UYU 5,131
-21.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hackensack, NJ
Montevideo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,389 $2,389
$719 UYU 28.8K
232.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,988 $1,988
$568 UYU 22.8K
250.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,217 $4,217
$1,145 UYU 46.0K
268.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,633 $3,633
$1,023 UYU 41.1K
255.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,594 $3,594
$3,392 UYU 136.1K
5.95%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,354 $3,354
$1,949 UYU 78.2K
72.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hackensack, NJ
Montevideo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$6,238 $6,238
$1,245 UYU 50.0K
401.14%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.8
5.74
18.47%

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

Last update for Hackensack, NJ: October 11, 2026

Last update for Montevideo: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Hackensack, NJ
$2K
Montevideo
$568 71.4% $1.4K
Groceries & Markets
Hackensack, NJ
$418
Montevideo
$332 20.7% $86
Eating Out
Hackensack, NJ
$375
Montevideo
$269 28.3% $106
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hackensack, NJ
$322
Montevideo
$254 21.1% $68
Clothing & Footwear
Hackensack, NJ
$130
Montevideo
$186 43.2% $56
Getting Around
Hackensack, NJ
$87
Montevideo
$84 3.5% $3.1
Sport & Entertainment
Hackensack, NJ
$84
Montevideo
$78 7.6% $6.4

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,389 in Hackensack, NJ and $719 in Montevideo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hackensack, NJ pays 401% 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: $98.0 in Hackensack, NJ vs $69.0 in Montevideo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $418 vs $332 per month, with Montevideo cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Hackensack, NJ
🇺🇾 Montevideo
🕒 Local time
00:40 12:40 AM
01:40 1:40 AM
1 h ahead of Hackensack, NJ
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
44,756
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 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Uruguayan Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 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
  • Hackensack, NJ Montevideo 8,620 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Hackensack, NJ
  • 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
Hackensack, NJ vs Montevideo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Hackensack, NJ or Montevideo?
Montevideo wins on cost – living expenses run 92% lower than in Hackensack, NJ. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Montevideo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Hackensack, NJ or in Montevideo?
Average pay runs 401% higher in Hackensack, NJ, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Hackensack, NJ compared to Montevideo?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,389 in Hackensack, NJ 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 Hackensack, NJ and in Montevideo?
Childcare runs $1,394 in Hackensack, NJ 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 Hackensack, NJ or in Montevideo?
Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Hackensack, NJ. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $2,500/month in Hackensack, NJ or in Montevideo?
At $1,771 in Montevideo versus $3,405 in Hackensack, NJ, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Montevideo but tight or insufficient in Hackensack, NJ. The gap between the two cities makes Montevideo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Hackensack, NJ 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 Hackensack, NJ compared to Montevideo?
Safety-wise, Hackensack, NJ 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 92% less than in Hackensack, NJ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Hackensack, NJ vs other spots: cost of living compared

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