Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Johnson City, TN and Montevideo

For one person, living is cheaper in Montevideo: $1,771 a month against $2,099 in Johnson City, TN, rent and utilities included – about $3,900 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Johnson City, TN outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Johnson City, TN
🇺🇸 United States
$2,099
/mo nomad
Montevideo
🇺🇾 Uruguay
$1,771
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,099 per month in Johnson City, TN vs $1,771 in Montevideo, rent included.

  • Johnson City, TN $2,099
  • Montevideo $1,771

A couple spends around $3,126 per month in Johnson City, TN vs $2,740 in Montevideo, rent included.

  • Johnson City, TN $3,126
  • Montevideo $2,740

A family of three spends $4,153 per month in Johnson City, TN vs $3,708 in Montevideo, rent included.

  • Johnson City, TN $4,153
  • Montevideo $3,708

Johnson City, TN costs about 19% more than Montevideo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Johnson City, TN and Montevideo sit above the global median – Johnson City, TN by 55%, Montevideo by 31%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Johnson City, TN
Montevideo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.27 $14.27
$15.16 UYU 609
-5.87%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$54.1 $54.1
$69.2 UYU 2,776
-21.79%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.89 $9.89
$14.65 UYU 588
-32.49%
Cappuccino
$5.32 $5.32
$4.46 UYU 179
19.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.94 $2.94
$2.67 UYU 107
10.11%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.95 $1.95
$2.00 UYU 80.4
-2.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.90 $4.90
$4.83 UYU 194
1.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.86 $5.86
$3.80 UYU 152
54.21%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Johnson City, TN
Montevideo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.01 $1.01
$1.36 UYU 54.8
-25.74%
White Bread (500g)
$3.92 $3.92
$2.87 UYU 115
36.59%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.87 $3.87
$1.75 UYU 70.2
121.14%
Eggs
$3.20 $3.20
$4.68 UYU 188
-31.62%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.31 $7.31
$13.88 UYU 557
-47.33%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.57 $13.57
$11.98 UYU 481
13.27%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.99 $12.99
$11.97 UYU 480
8.52%
Apples (1kg)
$7.75 $7.75
$2.78 UYU 111
178.78%
Banana (1kg)
$1.79 $1.79
$2.74 UYU 110
-34.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.94 $3.94
$1.77 UYU 71.2
122.60%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.61 $3.61
$3.24 UYU 130
11.42%
Potato (1kg)
$3.50 $3.50
$1.97 UYU 79.2
77.66%
Onion (1kg)
$4.20 $4.20
$2.07 UYU 83.1
102.90%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.24 $2.24
$1.37 UYU 55.1
63.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.31 $2.31
$1.88 UYU 75.3
22.87%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.06 $8.06
$5.59 UYU 224
44.19%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.10 $13.10
$8.78 UYU 352
49.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 $1.70
$2.26 UYU 90.9
-24.78%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.42 $4.42
$2.75 UYU 110
60.73%
🚌 Getting Around
Johnson City, TN
Montevideo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.46 $2.46
$1.53 UYU 61.5
60.78%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$37.08 $37.08
$74.3 UYU 2,980
-50.07%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.37 $5.37
$1.91 UYU 76.7
181.15%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.48 $1.48
$0.40 UYU 16.18
270.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$15.07 $15.07
$10.33 UYU 415
45.89%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.88 $0.88
$2.13 UYU 85.6
-58.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.1K $32.1K
$27.1K UYU 1.1M
18.36%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.7K $21.7K
$36.3K UYU 1.5M
-40.25%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Johnson City, TN
Montevideo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$176 $176
$188 UYU 7,557
-6.46%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$52.0 $52.0
$20.54 UYU 824
153.36%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$63.3 $63.3
$44.81 UYU 1,798
41.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Johnson City, TN
Montevideo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$47.50 $47.50
$54.0 UYU 2,166
-11.97%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.61 $19.61
$19.75 UYU 793
-0.71%
Cinema Ticket
$11.77 $11.77
$11.95 UYU 480
-1.51%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Johnson City, TN
Montevideo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,224 $1,224
$634 UYU 25.5K
92.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.6K $14.6K
$11.1K UYU 443.6K
31.96%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Johnson City, TN
Montevideo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.93 $36.93
$102 UYU 4,099
-63.84%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.74 $30.74
$57.5 UYU 2,309
-46.57%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$86.9 $86.9
$127 UYU 5,079
-31.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$95.3 $95.3
$128 UYU 5,131
-25.45%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Johnson City, TN
Montevideo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,085 $1,085
$719 UYU 28.8K
51.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$912 $912
$568 UYU 22.8K
60.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,031 $2,031
$1,145 UYU 46.0K
77.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,583 $1,583
$1,023 UYU 41.1K
54.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,201 $2,201
$3,392 UYU 136.1K
-35.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,159 $2,159
$1,949 UYU 78.2K
10.78%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Johnson City, TN
Montevideo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,505 $3,505
$1,245 UYU 50.0K
181.63%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.49
5.74
13.07%

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

Last update for Johnson City, TN: October 11, 2026

Last update for Montevideo: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Johnson City, TN
$912
Montevideo
$568 37.7% $344
Groceries & Markets
Johnson City, TN
$389
Montevideo
$332 14.7% $57
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Johnson City, TN
$291
Montevideo
$254 13% $38
Eating Out
Johnson City, TN
$263
Montevideo
$269 2.2% $5.7
Clothing & Footwear
Johnson City, TN
$112
Montevideo
$186 65.7% $74
Sport & Entertainment
Johnson City, TN
$71
Montevideo
$78 9.6% $6.8
Getting Around
Johnson City, TN
$60
Montevideo
$84 41.2% $25

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,085 in Johnson City, TN versus $719 in Montevideo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 182% higher in Johnson City, TN, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Johnson City, TN versus $69.0 in Montevideo. Groceries tell a different story – $389 in Johnson City, TN vs $332 in Montevideo – so Montevideo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Johnson City, TN
🇺🇾 Montevideo
🕒 Local time
08:33 8:33 AM
09:33 9:33 AM
1 h ahead of Johnson City, TN
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
66,027
1,319,108 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

UYU, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Uruguayan Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 40.14 UYU (100 UYU = 2.49 USD). 1 EUR = 45.12 UYU (100 UYU = 2.22 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Johnson City, TN Montevideo 8,370 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Johnson City, TN
  • 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
Johnson City, TN vs Montevideo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Montevideo cheaper than Johnson City, TN?
Yes – Johnson City, TN is pricier by about 19%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,148 per month in Johnson City, TN and $2,656 in Montevideo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Montevideo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Johnson City, TN or in Montevideo?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Johnson City, TN and $69.0 in Montevideo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Johnson City, TN and in Montevideo?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,099 in Johnson City, TN and $1,771 in Montevideo. That's a gap of about 19%.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Johnson City, TN or in Montevideo?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Montevideo, where all-in costs run around $1,771, than in Johnson City, TN at $2,099. In Montevideo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Johnson City, TN it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Johnson City, TN or Montevideo more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Montevideo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Johnson City, TN or Montevideo?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Montevideo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Johnson City, TN makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Johnson City, TN vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?