Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ibague and Montevideo

For one person, living is cheaper in Ibague: $1,115 a month against $1,771 in Montevideo, rent and utilities included – about $7,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

54

Cost of Living Index in Ibague
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Ibague Living Index
86

Cost of Living Index in Montevideo
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Montevideo Living Index

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Ibague

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,115

/mo nomad

Montevideo

🇺🇾 Uruguay

$1,771

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,115 in Ibague versus $1,771 in Montevideo.

Ibague $1,115
Montevideo $1,771

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,770 in Ibague versus $2,740 in Montevideo.

Ibague $1,770
Montevideo $2,740

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,426 in Ibague versus $3,708 in Montevideo.

Ibague $2,426
Montevideo $3,708

Living in Ibague costs roughly 37% less than in Montevideo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ibague is 17% below, Montevideo is 31% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.68 COP 24.3K

$15.16 UYU 609

-49.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.39 COP 134.4K

$69.2 UYU 2,776

-38.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 COP 24.7K

$14.65 UYU 588

-46.89%

Cappuccino

$1.60 COP 5,066

$4.46 UYU 179

-64.13%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 COP 3,527

$2.67 UYU 107

-58.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 COP 2,387

$2.00 UYU 80.4

-62.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.42 COP 4,513

$4.83 UYU 194

-70.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 COP 12.6K

$3.80 UYU 152

4.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 COP 3,412

$1.36 UYU 54.8

-20.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.50 COP 7,921

$2.87 UYU 115

-12.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 COP 3,664

$1.75 UYU 70.2

-33.71%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 6,957

$4.68 UYU 188

-53.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.03 COP 25.5K

$13.88 UYU 557

-42.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.63 COP 21.0K

$11.98 UYU 481

-44.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.69 COP 30.7K

$11.97 UYU 480

-19.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.42 COP 10.8K

$2.78 UYU 111

23.02%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 COP 2,911

$2.74 UYU 110

-66.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.41 COP 4,484

$1.77 UYU 71.2

-20.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.80 COP 5,722

$3.24 UYU 130

-44.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 COP 2,532

$1.97 UYU 79.2

-59.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 COP 2,363

$2.07 UYU 83.1

-63.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 COP 2,544

$1.37 UYU 55.1

-41.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,798

$1.88 UYU 75.3

-36.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.34 COP 13.8K

$5.59 UYU 224

-22.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.68 COP 40.2K

$8.78 UYU 352

44.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 COP 4,418

$2.26 UYU 90.9

-38.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,109

$2.75 UYU 110

4.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 COP 3,321

$1.53 UYU 61.5

-31.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.5 COP 198.0K

$74.3 UYU 2,980

-15.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 COP 4,340

$1.91 UYU 76.7

-28.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 COP 1,118

$0.40 UYU 16.18

-12.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.15 COP 6,802

$10.33 UYU 415

-79.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 COP 4,185

$2.13 UYU 85.6

-38.03%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$20.3K COP 64.5M

$27.1K UYU 1.1M

-24.94%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$36.1K COP 114.5M

$36.3K UYU 1.5M

-0.44%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$40.84 COP 129.5K

$188 UYU 7,557

-78.31%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.56 COP 30.3K

$20.54 UYU 824

-53.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.89 COP 44.0K

$44.81 UYU 1,798

-69.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.47 COP 87.1K

$54.0 UYU 2,166

-49.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.75 UYU 793

Cinema Ticket

$4.77 COP 15.1K

$11.95 UYU 480

-60.08%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$502 COP 1.6M

$634 UYU 25.5K

-20.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,436 COP 23.6M

$11.1K UYU 443.6K

-32.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.07 COP 79.5K

$102 UYU 4,099

-75.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.53 COP 153.9K

$57.5 UYU 2,309

-15.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 COP 249.2K

$127 UYU 5,079

-37.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 333.4K

$128 UYU 5,131

-17.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$651 COP 2.1M

$719 UYU 28.8K

-9.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$469 COP 1.5M

$568 UYU 22.8K

-17.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,007 COP 3.2M

$1,145 UYU 46.0K

-12.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$888 COP 2.8M

$1,023 UYU 41.1K

-13.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,965 COP 6.2M

$3,392 UYU 136.1K

-42.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,656 COP 5.2M

$1,949 UYU 78.2K

-15.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$616 COP 2.0M

$1,245 UYU 50.0K

-50.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.81

5.74

123.17%

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

Last update for Ibague: October 13, 2026

Last update for Montevideo: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Ibague

$469 42.1%

Montevideo

$568 32.1% 21% $99

Groceries & Markets

Ibague

$232 20.8%

Montevideo

$332 18.7% 42.8% $99

Eating Out

Ibague

$126 11.4%

Montevideo

$269 15.2% 113% $143

Clothing & Footwear

Ibague

$116 10.4%

Montevideo

$186 10.5% 60.9% $71

Getting Around

Ibague

$70 6.3%

Montevideo

$84 4.8% 20.8% $15

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ibague

$64 5.8%

Montevideo

$254 14.3% 295% $189

Sport & Entertainment

Ibague

$37 3.3%

Montevideo

$78 4.4% 110% $41

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $651 in Ibague and $719 in Montevideo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montevideo pays 102% 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: $42.00 in Ibague vs $69.0 in Montevideo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $332 per month, with Ibague cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Ibague

🇺🇾 Montevideo

🕒 Local time

07:26 7:26 AM

09:26 9:26 AM

2 h ahead of Ibague

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

530,000

1,319,108 Capital

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Uruguayan Peso UYU $U

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.15 USD

10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR

100 UYU = 2.49 USD

100 UYU = 2.22 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

UYU, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 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).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Ibague Montevideo 4,810 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Ibague
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

Ibague vs Montevideo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ibague is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 59% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 102% lower in Montevideo. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $651 in Ibague versus $719 in Montevideo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,115 per month in Ibague versus $1,771 in Montevideo – a 59% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ibague runs roughly 19% less than in Montevideo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,115 in Ibague versus $1,771 in Montevideo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ibague but tight or insufficient in Montevideo. The gap between the two cities makes Ibague the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ibague is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Montevideo, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ibague 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.

Expats usually find Ibague gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Montevideo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.