Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hays, KS and Montevideo

For one person, living costs are similar in Hays, KS and in Montevideo: $1,737 and $1,784 a month, rent and utilities included.

Hays, KS
🇺🇸 United States
$1,737
/mo nomad
Montevideo
🇺🇾 Uruguay
$1,784
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,737 per month in Hays, KS vs $1,784 in Montevideo, rent included.

  • Hays, KS $1,737
  • Montevideo $1,784

A couple spends around $2,467 per month in Hays, KS vs $2,756 in Montevideo, rent included.

  • Hays, KS $2,467
  • Montevideo $2,756

A family of three spends $3,198 per month in Hays, KS vs $3,728 in Montevideo, rent included.

  • Hays, KS $3,198
  • Montevideo $3,728

Hays, KS is about 3% cheaper than Montevideo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Hays, KS and Montevideo sit above the global median – Hays, KS by 28%, Montevideo by 32%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hays, KS
Montevideo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.33 $13.33
$14.82 UYU 595
-10.05%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.87 $43.87
$69.7 UYU 2,797
-37.06%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.11 $8.11
$14.68 UYU 589
-44.75%
Cappuccino
$3.98 $3.98
$4.65 UYU 186
-14.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.39 $2.39
$2.74 UYU 110
-12.77%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.02 $1.02
$2.07 UYU 82.9
-50.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.85 $3.85
$4.79 UYU 192
-19.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.33 $4.33
$3.63 UYU 146
19.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hays, KS
Montevideo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.76 $0.76
$1.39 UYU 55.8
-45.32%
White Bread (500g)
$2.26 $2.26
$2.89 UYU 116
-21.80%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.46 $4.46
$1.70 UYU 68.1
162.35%
Eggs
$2.06 $2.06
$4.62 UYU 185
-55.41%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.46 $4.46
$14.22 UYU 571
-68.64%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.93 $8.93
$11.62 UYU 466
-23.15%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.33 $13.33
$12.23 UYU 491
8.99%
Apples (1kg)
$6.04 $6.04
$2.77 UYU 111
118.05%
Banana (1kg)
$1.64 $1.64
$2.85 UYU 114
-42.46%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.06 $5.06
$1.81 UYU 72.5
179.56%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.42 $4.42
$3.20 UYU 129
38.12%
Potato (1kg)
$2.93 $2.93
$1.94 UYU 77.8
51.03%
Onion (1kg)
$2.17 $2.17
$2.16 UYU 86.5
0.46%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.97 $1.97
$1.43 UYU 57.3
37.76%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.03 $2.03
$1.94 UYU 77.9
4.64%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.68 $9.68
$5.47 UYU 219
76.97%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.15 $12.15
$8.95 UYU 359
35.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.23 $2.23
$2.26 UYU 90.8
-1.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.85 $3.85
$2.81 UYU 113
37.01%
🚌 Getting Around
Hays, KS
Montevideo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.01 $2.01
$1.56 UYU 62.6
28.85%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$73.8 UYU 2,962
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.43 $2.43
$1.90 UYU 76.2
27.89%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.57 $1.57
$0.43 UYU 17.36
265.12%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$39.71 $39.71
$10.59 UYU 425
274.98%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.92 $0.92
$2.12 UYU 85.2
-56.60%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.1K $28.1K
$26.8K UYU 1.1M
4.79%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.0K $26.0K
$37.0K UYU 1.5M
-29.85%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hays, KS
Montevideo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$269 $269
$193 UYU 7,727
39.56%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$34.85 $34.85
$20.91 UYU 839
66.67%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$68.8 $68.8
$44.89 UYU 1,802
53.33%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hays, KS
Montevideo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.17 $45.17
$50.8 UYU 2,038
-11.03%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.73 UYU 792
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.21 $15.21
$12.30 UYU 494
23.66%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hays, KS
Montevideo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$922 $922
$629 UYU 25.2K
46.71%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.7K $15.7K
$10.9K UYU 437.3K
44.45%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hays, KS
Montevideo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$23.68 $23.68
$104 UYU 4,166
-77.18%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.82 $31.82
$57.4 UYU 2,305
-44.60%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$110 $110
$125 UYU 5,010
-12.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$138 $138
$132 UYU 5,315
4.19%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hays, KS
Montevideo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$793 $793
$713 UYU 28.6K
11.24%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$589 $589
$575 UYU 23.1K
2.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,034 $1,034
$1,164 UYU 46.7K
-11.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$895 $895
$1,033 UYU 41.5K
-13.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,386 $2,386
$3,418 UYU 137.2K
-30.19%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,615 $2,615
$1,760 UYU 70.6K
48.58%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hays, KS
Montevideo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,386 $2,386
$1,244 UYU 49.9K
91.75%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.65
5.74
15.85%

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

Last update for Hays, KS: October 18, 2026

Last update for Montevideo: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Hays, KS
$589
Montevideo
$575 2.3% $13
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hays, KS
$372
Montevideo
$258 30.6% $114
Groceries & Markets
Hays, KS
$325
Montevideo
$334 2.6% $8.3
Eating Out
Hays, KS
$220
Montevideo
$269 22.1% $49
Clothing & Footwear
Hays, KS
$136
Montevideo
$188 38.1% $52
Sport & Entertainment
Hays, KS
$76
Montevideo
$75 0.3% $0.2
Getting Around
Hays, KS
$18 *
Montevideo
$84 359% $66

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $793 in Hays, KS versus $713 in Montevideo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 92% higher in Hays, KS, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Hays, KS versus $70.0 in Montevideo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $325 vs $334 – making Hays, KS the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Hays, KS
🇺🇾 Montevideo
🕒 Local time
04:28 4:28 AM
06:28 6:28 AM
2 h ahead of Hays, KS
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
19,726
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 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Uruguayan Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 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
  • Hays, KS Montevideo 9,330 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Hays, KS
  • 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
Hays, KS vs Montevideo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Montevideo cheaper than Hays, KS?
Yes – Montevideo is pricier by about 3%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,605 per month in Hays, KS and $2,676 in Montevideo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Hays, KS, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Hays, KS or in Montevideo?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Hays, KS and $70.0 in Montevideo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Hays, KS and in Montevideo?
Groceries cost about 3% more in Montevideo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Hays, KS or in Montevideo?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Hays, KS, where all-in costs run around $1,737, than in Montevideo at $1,784. In Hays, KS it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montevideo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Hays, KS or Montevideo more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Hays, KS – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Hays, KS or Montevideo?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Hays, KS. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Montevideo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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