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: $1,718 in Italy versus $1,009 in Uruguay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,623 in Italy versus $1,611 in Uruguay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,528 in Italy versus $2,212 in Uruguay.

Living in Italy is roughly 70% more expensive than in Uruguay on average.

Italy (29% above) and Uruguay (24% below) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Italy
Uruguay
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.21 €15.13
$17.02 UYU 683
1.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$80.1 €70.4
$54.4 UYU 2,183
47.21%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.79 €10.37
$11.51 UYU 462
2.43%
Cappuccino
$1.98 €1.74
$4.14 UYU 166
-52.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 €2.53
$2.34 UYU 93.9
23.08%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37 €1.20
$1.84 UYU 73.8
-25.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.83 €5.12
$3.88 UYU 156
50.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.13 €4.51
$3.57 UYU 143
43.70%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Italy
Uruguay
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 €1.48
$1.16 UYU 46.38
44.83%
White Bread (500g)
$2.32 €2.04
$2.69 UYU 108
-13.75%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.91 €2.55
$1.67 UYU 66.9
74.25%
Eggs
$4.06 €3.57
$4.26 UYU 171
-4.69%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.45 €14.46
$13.40 UYU 538
22.76%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.56 €11.04
$10.70 UYU 430
17.38%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.18 €17.74
$11.09 UYU 445
81.97%
Apples (1kg)
$2.49 €2.18
$2.78 UYU 112
-10.43%
Banana (1kg)
$2.15 €1.89
$2.45 UYU 98.5
-12.24%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.63 €2.31
$1.45 UYU 58.4
81.38%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.23 €2.84
$3.28 UYU 132
-1.52%
Potato (1kg)
$2.04 €1.79
$2.05 UYU 82.4
-0.49%
Onion (1kg)
$1.81 €1.59
$2.01 UYU 80.6
-9.95%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.52 €1.34
$1.25 UYU 50.2
21.60%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 €0.47
$1.70 UYU 68.4
-68.82%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.97 €6.13
$5.06 UYU 203
37.75%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.27 €6.39
$7.49 UYU 301
-2.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.81 €1.59
$2.31 UYU 92.7
-21.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.52 €2.21
$2.93 UYU 118
-13.99%
🚌 Getting Around
Italy
Uruguay
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.93 €1.69
$1.24 UYU 49.83
55.65%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$42.56 €37.42
$43.79 UYU 1,758
-2.81%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.75 €5.05
$1.44 UYU 57.6
299.31%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.58 €1.39
$1.52 UYU 60.9
3.95%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$35.03 €30.79
$10.82 UYU 434
223.75%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.02 €1.78
$1.94 UYU 78.0
4.12%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.3K €28.4K
$38.6K UYU 1.6M
-16.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.3K €29.3K
$37.8K UYU 1.5M
-11.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Italy
Uruguay
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$219 €193
$143 UYU 5,745
53.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.33 €11.72
$17.93 UYU 720
-25.66%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.02 €27.27
$42.43 UYU 1,703
-26.89%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Italy
Uruguay
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.0 €50.1
$55.7 UYU 2,237
2.35%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.78 €22.66
$18.74 UYU 752
37.57%
Cinema Ticket
$10.25 €9.01
$10.09 UYU 405
1.59%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Italy
Uruguay
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$566 €498
$467 UYU 18.7K
21.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.3K €9,095
$8,602 UYU 345.3K
20.28%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Italy
Uruguay
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$91.8 €80.7
$92.2 UYU 3,702
-0.52%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.92 €35.97
$50.1 UYU 2,011
-18.32%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.5 €87.4
$114 UYU 4,582
-12.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$132 €116
$117 UYU 4,686
12.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Italy
Uruguay
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$857 €753
$601 UYU 24.1K
42.67%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$671 €590
$463 UYU 18.6K
45.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,474 €1,296
$1,025 UYU 41.2K
43.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,089 €957
$798 UYU 32.0K
36.46%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,667 €3,224
$3,373 UYU 135.4K
8.71%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,348 €2,065
$2,074 UYU 83.3K
13.23%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Italy
Uruguay
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,961 €1,723
$1,081 UYU 43.4K
81.39%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.41
6.45
-31.63%

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

Last update for Italy: July 21, 2026

Last update for Uruguay: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $742 in Italy, $286 in Uruguay. Capital cities: $1,354 in Rome vs $615 in Montevideo.

National salary averages: $1,917 in Italy, $857 in Uruguay. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 159% higher in Italy.

Dining out costs 68% more in Italy.

Public transport is 52% more expensive in Italy.

Salaries are 124% 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 $1,837 per month in Italy and $1,009 in Uruguay, there's a 82% 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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