Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hoffman Estates, IL and Montevideo

For one person, living is cheaper in Montevideo: $1,784 a month against $2,548 in Hoffman Estates, IL, rent and utilities included – about $9,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Hoffman Estates, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$2,548
/mo nomad
Montevideo
🇺🇾 Uruguay
$1,784
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,548 in Hoffman Estates, IL versus $1,784 in Montevideo.

  • Hoffman Estates, IL $2,548
  • Montevideo $1,784

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,650 in Hoffman Estates, IL versus $2,756 in Montevideo.

  • Hoffman Estates, IL $3,650
  • Montevideo $2,756

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,753 in Hoffman Estates, IL versus $3,728 in Montevideo.

  • Hoffman Estates, IL $4,753
  • Montevideo $3,728

Living in Hoffman Estates, IL is roughly 43% more expensive than in Montevideo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Hoffman Estates, IL 88% above, Montevideo 32% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hoffman Estates, IL
Montevideo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.29 $17.29
$14.82 UYU 595
16.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$66.6 $66.6
$69.7 UYU 2,797
-4.49%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.17 $10.17
$14.68 UYU 589
-30.72%
Cappuccino
$4.86 $4.86
$4.65 UYU 186
4.52%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76 $2.76
$2.74 UYU 110
0.73%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.01 $2.01
$2.07 UYU 82.9
-2.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.40 $6.40
$4.79 UYU 192
33.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.17 $6.17
$3.63 UYU 146
69.97%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hoffman Estates, IL
Montevideo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.01 $1.01
$1.39 UYU 55.8
-27.34%
White Bread (500g)
$3.43 $3.43
$2.89 UYU 116
18.69%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.29 $4.29
$1.70 UYU 68.1
152.35%
Eggs
$4.27 $4.27
$4.62 UYU 185
-7.58%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.41 $12.41
$14.22 UYU 571
-12.73%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.38 $11.38
$11.62 UYU 466
-2.07%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.28 $17.28
$12.23 UYU 491
41.29%
Apples (1kg)
$4.96 $4.96
$2.77 UYU 111
79.06%
Banana (1kg)
$1.59 $1.59
$2.85 UYU 114
-44.21%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.27 $4.27
$1.81 UYU 72.5
135.91%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.60 $4.60
$3.20 UYU 129
43.75%
Potato (1kg)
$2.72 $2.72
$1.94 UYU 77.8
40.21%
Onion (1kg)
$3.01 $3.01
$2.16 UYU 86.5
39.35%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.14 $2.14
$1.43 UYU 57.3
49.65%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.20 $2.20
$1.94 UYU 77.9
13.40%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.92 $8.92
$5.47 UYU 219
63.07%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.93 $14.93
$8.95 UYU 359
66.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.21 $2.21
$2.26 UYU 90.8
-2.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.87 $2.87
$2.81 UYU 113
2.14%
🚌 Getting Around
Hoffman Estates, IL
Montevideo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.05 $2.05
$1.56 UYU 62.6
31.41%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$73.8 UYU 2,962
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.37 $3.37
$1.90 UYU 76.2
77.37%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.52 $1.52
$0.43 UYU 17.36
253.49%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.23 $30.23
$10.59 UYU 425
185.46%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.22 $1.22
$2.12 UYU 85.2
-42.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.4K $26.4K
$26.8K UYU 1.1M
-1.47%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.1K $27.1K
$37.0K UYU 1.5M
-26.85%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hoffman Estates, IL
Montevideo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$222 $222
$193 UYU 7,727
15.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$59.5 $59.5
$20.91 UYU 839
184.31%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$68.7 $68.7
$44.89 UYU 1,802
52.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hoffman Estates, IL
Montevideo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.74 $41.74
$50.8 UYU 2,038
-17.79%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.73 UYU 792
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.87 $13.87
$12.30 UYU 494
12.76%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hoffman Estates, IL
Montevideo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,385 $1,385
$629 UYU 25.2K
120.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$25.3K $25.3K
$10.9K UYU 437.3K
132.59%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hoffman Estates, IL
Montevideo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.7 $58.7
$104 UYU 4,166
-43.48%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.85 $40.85
$57.4 UYU 2,305
-28.88%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.1 $90.1
$125 UYU 5,010
-27.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$122 $122
$132 UYU 5,315
-7.57%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hoffman Estates, IL
Montevideo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,618 $1,618
$713 UYU 28.6K
126.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,283 $1,283
$575 UYU 23.1K
123.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,803 $2,803
$1,164 UYU 46.7K
140.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,029 $2,029
$1,033 UYU 41.5K
96.35%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,652 $2,652
$3,418 UYU 137.2K
-22.42%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,396 $2,396
$1,760 UYU 70.6K
36.12%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hoffman Estates, IL
Montevideo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,390 $2,390
$1,244 UYU 49.9K
92.11%
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 Hoffman Estates, IL: October 17, 2026

Last update for Montevideo: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Hoffman Estates, IL
$1.3K
Montevideo
$575 55.2% $708
Groceries & Markets
Hoffman Estates, IL
$395
Montevideo
$334 15.5% $61
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hoffman Estates, IL
$350
Montevideo
$258 26.2% $92
Eating Out
Hoffman Estates, IL
$291
Montevideo
$269 7.5% $22
Clothing & Footwear
Hoffman Estates, IL
$140
Montevideo
$188 34.1% $48
Sport & Entertainment
Hoffman Estates, IL
$69
Montevideo
$75 8.5% $5.9
Getting Around
Hoffman Estates, IL
$19 *
Montevideo
$84 339% $65

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 $1,618 in Hoffman Estates, IL and $713 in Montevideo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hoffman Estates, IL pays 92% 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: $67.0 in Hoffman Estates, IL vs $70.0 in Montevideo. Groceries flip the comparison at $395 vs $334, with Montevideo cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Hoffman Estates, IL
🇺🇾 Montevideo
🕒 Local time
15:40 3:40 PM
17:40 5:40 PM
2 h ahead of Hoffman Estates, IL
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
51,895
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 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Uruguayan Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 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
  • Hoffman Estates, IL Montevideo 9,150 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Hoffman Estates, IL
  • 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
Hoffman Estates, IL vs Montevideo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Hoffman Estates, IL and in Montevideo?
Hoffman Estates, IL and Montevideo differ by about 43% in total monthly costs ($2,548 vs $1,784 including rent). Montevideo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Hoffman Estates, IL or Montevideo?
Average pay runs 92% higher in Hoffman Estates, IL, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Hoffman Estates, IL and in Montevideo?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,618 in Hoffman Estates, IL versus $713 in Montevideo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Hoffman Estates, IL and Montevideo?
Childcare runs $1,385 in Hoffman Estates, IL versus $629 in Montevideo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Montevideo – a meal for two runs $70.0 versus $67.0 in Hoffman Estates, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,500 per month?
At $1,784 in Montevideo versus $2,548 in Hoffman Estates, IL, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Montevideo but tight or insufficient in Hoffman Estates, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Montevideo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Hoffman Estates, IL and Montevideo?
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.
Is Hoffman Estates, IL or Montevideo safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Hoffman Estates, IL 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.
Where should expats move: Hoffman Estates, IL or Montevideo?
Expats usually find Montevideo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Hoffman Estates, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Hoffman Estates, IL vs other spots: cost of living compared

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