๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,494 in Houghton, MI versus $1,619 in Montevideo.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,605 in Houghton, MI versus $2,483 in Montevideo.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,716 in Houghton, MI versus $3,348 in Montevideo.
๐Living in Houghton, MI is roughly 54% more expensive than Montevideo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
๐Both cities are pricier than the global median: Houghton, MI85% above, Montevideo20% above.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Houghton, MI
Montevideo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.77$12.77
$16.22UYUย 646
-21.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$39.89$39.89
$54.5UYUย 2,172
-26.79%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.17$10.17
$12.09UYUย 482
-15.88%
Cappuccino
$4.08$4.08
$4.11UYUย 164
-0.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73$2.73
$2.15UYUย 85.8
26.98%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.56$1.56
$1.70UYUย 67.9
-8.24%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.96$5.96
$4.28UYUย 171
39.25%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.88$6.88
$3.61UYUย 144
90.58%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Houghton, MI
Montevideo
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.09$1.09
$1.26UYUย 50.4
-13.49%
White Bread(500g)
$3.60$3.60
$2.76UYUย 110
30.43%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$4.48$4.48
$1.65UYUย 65.7
171.52%
Eggs
$4.07$4.07
$4.76UYUย 190
-14.50%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.41$12.41
$13.47UYUย 537
-7.87%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$11.49$11.49
$10.87UYUย 433
5.70%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.28$15.28
$11.00UYUย 438
38.91%
Apples(1kg)
$5.04$5.04
$3.10UYUย 123
62.58%
Banana(1kg)
$1.56$1.56
$2.45UYUย 97.5
-36.33%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.36$4.36
$1.50UYUย 59.9
190.67%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.82$4.82
$3.70UYUย 148
30.27%
Potato(1kg)
$2.76$2.76
$2.08UYUย 82.9
32.69%
Onion(1kg)
$2.80$2.80
$1.89UYUย 75.1
48.15%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.03$2.03
$1.37UYUย 54.5
48.18%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.18$2.18
$1.71UYUย 68.2
27.49%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$9.32$9.32
$5.08UYUย 202
83.46%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.07$15.07
$9.98UYUย 398
51.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78$1.78
$2.28UYUย 91.0
-21.93%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.42$3.42
$3.06UYUย 122
11.76%
๐ Getting Around
Houghton, MI
Montevideo
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.96$1.96
$1.35UYUย 53.6
45.19%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$56.2UYUย 2,241
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.49$3.49
$1.55UYUย 61.9
125.16%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.59$1.59
$3.56UYUย 142
-55.34%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$28.62$28.62
$12.28UYUย 489
133.06%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.84$0.84
$1.90UYUย 75.8
-55.79%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.1K$30.1K
$33.6KUYUย 1.3M
-10.37%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1K$26.1K
$36.8KUYUย 1.5M
-29.25%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Houghton, MI
Montevideo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$186$186
$169UYUย 6,723
10.17%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$53.5$53.5
$16.96UYUย 676
215.51%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$66.7$66.7
$49.22UYUย 1,962
35.55%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Houghton, MI
Montevideo
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$42.63$42.63
$60.5UYUย 2,411
-29.53%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.60UYUย 701
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.27$13.27
$10.51UYUย 419
26.26%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Houghton, MI
Montevideo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,322$1,322
$493UYUย 19.6K
168.50%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$23.2K$23.2K
$8,991UYUย 358.4K
158.41%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Houghton, MI
Montevideo
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.8$51.8
$96.0UYUย 3,827
-46.07%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.51$40.51
$47.00UYUย 1,874
-13.81%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$87.0$87.0
$115UYUย 4,588
-24.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110$110
$121UYUย 4,809
-8.93%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Houghton, MI
Montevideo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,612$1,612
$620UYUย 24.7K
160.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,340$1,340
$494UYUย 19.7K
171.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,600$2,600
$1,102UYUย 43.9K
135.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,266$2,266
$806UYUย 32.1K
180.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,552$1,552
$3,532UYUย 140.8K
-56.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,586$1,586
$2,258UYUย 90.0K
-29.76%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Houghton, MI
Montevideo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,606$2,606
$1,261UYUย 50.3K
106.67%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.51
5.68
14.61%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Houghton, MI: April 12, 2026
Last update for Montevideo: April 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,612 in Houghton, MI and $620 in Montevideo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
๐ฐHoughton, MI pays 107% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
๐Dining out: $40 in Houghton, MI vs $54 in Montevideo. Groceries flip the comparison at $392 vs $322, 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 54% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Houghton, MI or Montevideo?
Houghton, MI pays 107% 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: $1,612 in Houghton, MI versus $620 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 22% 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 $2,494 per month in Houghton, MI versus $1,619 in Montevideo โ a 54% 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 $1,619 in Montevideo versus $2,494 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 โ expenses run 54% 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