Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Uruguay Cost of Living Comparison Between Italy and Uruguay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,796 in Italy versus $1,154 in Uruguay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,739 in Italy versus $1,755 in Uruguay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,682 in Italy versus $2,355 in Uruguay.

Living in Italy is roughly 56% more expensive than in Uruguay on average.

Italy (30% above) and Uruguay (16% below) straddle the global median.

Italy ($1,152$2,626) and Uruguay ($47.00$1,956) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
Uruguay
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.24 €18.26
$16.22 UYU 652
30.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$80.8 €69.5
$53.2 UYU 2,139
51.99%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.41 €9.81
$12.34 UYU 496
-7.54%
Cappuccino
$2.08 €1.79
$4.28 UYU 172
-51.40%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.05 €2.62
$2.38 UYU 95.6
28.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 €1.19
$1.80 UYU 72.2
-23.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.79 €4.98
$4.03 UYU 162
43.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 €4.95
$3.64 UYU 146
57.97%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
Uruguay
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.70 €1.46
$1.18 UYU 47.39
44.07%
White Bread (500g)
$2.41 €2.07
$2.51 UYU 101
-3.98%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.01 €2.59
$1.68 UYU 67.5
79.17%
Eggs
$4.32 €3.71
$4.34 UYU 175
-0.46%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.93 €15.42
$13.27 UYU 534
35.12%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.67 €10.89
$10.52 UYU 423
20.44%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.57 €17.69
$11.42 UYU 459
80.12%
Apples (1kg)
$2.62 €2.25
$2.64 UYU 106
-0.76%
Banana (1kg)
$2.15 €1.84
$2.48 UYU 99.7
-13.31%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.80 €2.41
$1.61 UYU 64.6
73.91%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.32 €2.86
$3.20 UYU 129
3.75%
Potato (1kg)
$2.10 €1.80
$1.89 UYU 76.0
11.11%
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 €1.62
$2.07 UYU 83.1
-8.70%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.55 €1.33
$1.32 UYU 53.2
17.42%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 €0.48
$1.78 UYU 71.6
-68.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.16 €6.16
$5.38 UYU 216
33.09%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.35 €6.32
$7.55 UYU 304
-2.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 €1.55
$2.19 UYU 88.0
-17.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.41 €2.07
$2.69 UYU 108
-10.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
Uruguay
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.93 €1.66
$1.37 UYU 55.2
40.88%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$45.24 €38.90
$73.7 UYU 2,966
-38.65%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.74 €4.93
$1.90 UYU 76.4
202.11%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.70 €1.46
$1.71 UYU 68.9
-0.58%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.25 €30.30
$10.66 UYU 429
230.68%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.04 €1.75
$2.03 UYU 81.8
0.49%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.5K €32.3K
$27.2K UYU 1.1M
37.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.1K €31.9K
$37.5K UYU 1.5M
-1.18%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Uruguay
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$231 €199
$152 UYU 6,099
52.34%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.34 €10.61
$19.76 UYU 795
-37.55%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.17 €26.80
$39.60 UYU 1,593
-21.29%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Uruguay
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.2 €47.50
$46.15 UYU 1,856
19.70%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.91 €21.42
$19.44 UYU 782
28.14%
Cinema Ticket
$11.13 €9.57
$11.13 UYU 448
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
Uruguay
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$568 €489
$582 UYU 23.4K
-2.40%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.5K €10.8K
$9,004 UYU 362.2K
39.15%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Uruguay
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$93.0 €79.9
$85.6 UYU 3,444
8.57%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.82 €34.23
$51.1 UYU 2,053
-22.00%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 €89.6
$121 UYU 4,855
-13.65%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$135 €116
$111 UYU 4,471
21.50%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
Uruguay
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$852 €732
$664 UYU 26.7K
28.31%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$645 €554
$528 UYU 21.2K
22.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,449 €1,246
$1,072 UYU 43.1K
35.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,084 €932
$850 UYU 34.2K
27.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,813 €3,278
$3,370 UYU 135.5K
13.15%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,357 €2,027
$1,879 UYU 75.6K
25.43%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
Uruguay
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,933 €1,662
$1,058 UYU 42.5K
82.75%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.57
5.75
-37.91%

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

Last update for Italy: September 5, 2026

Last update for Uruguay: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $755 in Italy, $338 in Uruguay. Capital cities: $1,247 in Rome vs $762 in Montevideo.

National salary averages: $1,964 in Italy, $865 in Uruguay. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 123% higher in Italy.

Dining out costs 81% more in Italy.

Public transport is 231% more expensive in Italy.

Salaries are 127% higher in Italy, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Italy.

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
Italy vs Uruguay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Italy and Uruguay?
At $1,889 per month in Italy and $1,002 in Uruguay, there's a 89% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Uruguay: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Italy is consistently higher than in Uruguay across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget in Italy or in Uruguay?
In Uruguay, $2,500 covers most cities easily; in Italy it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Italy or to Uruguay?
It depends on what you're after: Uruguay wins on affordability; Italy may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

Italy vs other spots: cost of living compared

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