😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,548 in Houghton, MI versus $1,632 in Montevideo.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,554 in Houghton, MI versus $2,480 in Montevideo.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,560 in Houghton, MI versus $3,329 in Montevideo.
😐Living in Houghton, MI is roughly 56% more expensive than Montevideo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities are pricier than the global median: Houghton, MI90% above, Montevideo22% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Houghton, MI
Montevideo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.82$12.82
$15.85UYU 640
-19.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$40.42$40.42
$54.6UYU 2,202
-25.90%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.88$9.88
$12.12UYU 489
-18.48%
Cappuccino
$4.20$4.20
$4.23UYU 171
-0.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.81$2.81
$2.19UYU 88.3
28.31%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.62$1.62
$1.69UYU 68.4
-4.14%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$6.04$6.04
$4.52UYU 183
33.63%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.17$7.17
$3.60UYU 145
99.17%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Houghton, MI
Montevideo
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.09$1.09
$1.27UYU 51.4
-14.17%
White Bread(500g)
$3.54$3.54
$2.77UYU 112
27.80%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$4.30$4.30
$1.58UYU 64.0
172.15%
Eggs
$4.01$4.01
$4.79UYU 193
-16.28%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.42$12.42
$13.41UYU 541
-7.38%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$11.39$11.39
$10.67UYU 431
6.75%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.24$15.24
$11.24UYU 453
35.59%
Apples(1kg)
$4.99$4.99
$3.00UYU 121
66.33%
Banana(1kg)
$1.63$1.63
$2.43UYU 98.2
-32.92%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.17$4.17
$1.54UYU 62.4
170.78%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.75$4.75
$3.66UYU 148
29.78%
Potato(1kg)
$2.78$2.78
$2.11UYU 85.0
31.75%
Onion(1kg)
$2.91$2.91
$1.89UYU 76.1
53.97%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.01$2.01
$1.37UYU 55.2
46.72%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.10$2.10
$1.71UYU 69.1
22.81%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$9.61$9.61
$5.10UYU 206
88.43%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.96$14.96
$10.05UYU 406
48.86%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79$1.79
$2.36UYU 95.1
-24.15%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.29$3.29
$2.92UYU 118
12.67%
🚌 Getting Around
Houghton, MI
Montevideo
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.98$1.98
$1.29UYU 52.2
53.49%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$55.8UYU 2,253
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.46$3.46
$1.60UYU 64.4
116.25%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.63$1.63
$3.63UYU 147
-55.10%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$28.71$28.71
$12.43UYU 502
130.97%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.86$0.86
$1.81UYU 73.1
-52.49%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.7K$29.7K
$34.5KUYU 1.4M
-13.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.8K$25.8K
$36.0KUYU 1.5M
-28.13%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Houghton, MI
Montevideo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$184$184
$170UYU 6,880
8.18%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$52.7$52.7
$16.51UYU 666
219.26%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$68.2$68.2
$49.77UYU 2,009
37.05%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Houghton, MI
Montevideo
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$43.57$43.57
$61.8UYU 2,494
-29.50%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.67UYU 713
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.24$13.24
$10.45UYU 422
26.70%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Houghton, MI
Montevideo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,321$1,321
$482UYU 19.5K
173.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$23.1K$23.1K
$8,873UYU 358.1K
160.91%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Houghton, MI
Montevideo
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.4$51.4
$94.9UYU 3,830
-45.79%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.70$39.70
$47.22UYU 1,906
-15.93%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$85.1$85.1
$112UYU 4,512
-23.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$114$114
$123UYU 4,975
-7.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Houghton, MI
Montevideo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,574$1,574
$628UYU 25.3K
150.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,340$1,340
$492UYU 19.8K
172.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,632$2,632
$1,112UYU 44.9K
136.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,201$2,201
$801UYU 32.3K
174.90%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,556$1,556
$3,582UYU 144.6K
-56.56%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,587$1,587
$2,272UYU 91.7K
-30.16%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Houghton, MI
Montevideo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,568$2,568
$1,334UYU 53.9K
92.44%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.51
5.68
14.61%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Houghton, MI: June 2, 2026
Last update for Montevideo: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,574 in Houghton, MI and $628 in Montevideo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Houghton, MI 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: $40.00 in Houghton, MI vs $55.0 in Montevideo. Groceries flip the comparison at $388 vs $321, with Montevideo cheaper for home cooking.
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
Houghton, MI vs Montevideo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Montevideo cheaper than Houghton, MI?
Montevideo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 56% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Houghton, MI or Montevideo?
Houghton, MI pays 92% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Houghton, MI and Montevideo?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,574 in Houghton, MI versus $628 in Montevideo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Houghton, MI and Montevideo?
Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Houghton, MI. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Houghton, MI vs Montevideo?
All in, you'll spend $2,548 per month in Houghton, MI versus $1,632 in Montevideo – a 56% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for Houghton, MI or Montevideo?
At $1,632 in Montevideo versus $2,548 in Houghton, MI, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Montevideo but tight or insufficient in Houghton, MI. The gap between the two cities makes Montevideo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Houghton, MI or Montevideo more family-friendly?
For families, Montevideo is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Houghton, MI, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Houghton, MI or Montevideo?
Safety-wise, Houghton, MI 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 easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Montevideo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Houghton, MI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Houghton, MI vs other spots: cost of living compared