Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kansas City, MO and Montevideo

For one person, living is cheaper in Montevideo: $1,813 a month against $2,394 in Kansas City, MO, rent and utilities included – about $7,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Kansas City, MO
🇺🇸 United States
$2,394
/mo nomad
Montevideo
🇺🇾 Uruguay
$1,813
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,394 per month in Kansas City, MO vs $1,813 in Montevideo, rent included.

  • Kansas City, MO $2,394
  • Montevideo $1,813

A couple spends around $3,547 per month in Kansas City, MO vs $2,782 in Montevideo, rent included.

  • Kansas City, MO $3,547
  • Montevideo $2,782

A family of three spends $4,701 per month in Kansas City, MO vs $3,750 in Montevideo, rent included.

  • Kansas City, MO $4,701
  • Montevideo $3,750

Kansas City, MO costs about 32% more than Montevideo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Kansas City, MO and Montevideo sit above the global median – Kansas City, MO by 79%, Montevideo by 35%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kansas City, MO
Montevideo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$24.96 $24.96
$15.26 UYU 613
63.56%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$80.5 $80.5
$67.4 UYU 2,711
19.41%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.61 $12.61
$14.37 UYU 578
-12.25%
Cappuccino
$6.08 $6.08
$4.64 UYU 187
31.03%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.04 $3.04
$2.73 UYU 110
11.36%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.51 $2.51
$2.09 UYU 84.0
20.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.92 $6.92
$4.75 UYU 191
45.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.61 $7.61
$3.67 UYU 147
107.36%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kansas City, MO
Montevideo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.21 $1.21
$1.38 UYU 55.5
-12.32%
White Bread (500g)
$3.34 $3.34
$2.77 UYU 112
20.58%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.29 $5.29
$1.69 UYU 67.8
213.02%
Eggs
$4.34 $4.34
$4.52 UYU 182
-3.98%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.39 $14.39
$14.17 UYU 570
1.55%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.85 $9.85
$12.07 UYU 485
-18.39%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.50 $13.50
$12.16 UYU 489
11.02%
Apples (1kg)
$4.46 $4.46
$2.87 UYU 116
55.40%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 $1.55
$2.75 UYU 110
-43.64%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.36 $4.36
$1.73 UYU 69.5
152.02%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.70 $5.70
$3.24 UYU 130
75.93%
Potato (1kg)
$3.24 $3.24
$2.07 UYU 83.1
56.52%
Onion (1kg)
$3.37 $3.37
$2.07 UYU 83.1
62.80%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.29 $2.29
$1.38 UYU 55.4
65.94%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.08 $2.08
$1.85 UYU 74.5
12.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.99 $7.99
$5.57 UYU 224
43.45%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.56 $15.56
$8.89 UYU 357
75.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.95 $1.95
$2.29 UYU 92.2
-14.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.99 $3.99
$2.70 UYU 109
47.78%
🚌 Getting Around
Kansas City, MO
Montevideo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.52 UYU 61.3
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$73.7 UYU 2,962
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.52 $2.52
$1.82 UYU 73.4
38.46%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.25 $1.25
$0.40 UYU 16.05
212.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$59.5 $59.5
$10.66 UYU 429
457.88%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.99 $0.99
$2.22 UYU 89.2
-55.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.5K $34.5K
$26.7K UYU 1.1M
29.03%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.9K $24.9K
$36.7K UYU 1.5M
-32.17%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kansas City, MO
Montevideo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$205 $205
$191 UYU 7,674
7.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$64.8 $64.8
$20.40 UYU 820
217.79%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.9 $69.9
$44.14 UYU 1,775
58.43%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kansas City, MO
Montevideo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.80 $44.80
$54.1 UYU 2,177
-17.25%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$31.53 $31.53
$19.68 UYU 791
60.21%
Cinema Ticket
$14.85 $14.85
$12.33 UYU 496
20.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kansas City, MO
Montevideo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,203 $1,203
$613 UYU 24.7K
96.16%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.1K $21.1K
$11.0K UYU 444.3K
91.18%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kansas City, MO
Montevideo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$60.2 $60.2
$103 UYU 4,134
-41.45%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.18 $43.18
$56.1 UYU 2,255
-22.99%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 $104
$124 UYU 5,000
-16.51%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$145 $145
$130 UYU 5,214
11.85%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kansas City, MO
Montevideo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,391 $1,391
$705 UYU 28.4K
97.23%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,040 $1,040
$575 UYU 23.1K
80.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,735 $2,735
$1,139 UYU 45.8K
140.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,695 $1,695
$1,016 UYU 40.8K
66.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,585 $2,585
$3,349 UYU 134.6K
-22.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,914 $1,914
$1,942 UYU 78.1K
-1.43%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kansas City, MO
Montevideo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,920 $3,920
$1,229 UYU 49.4K
218.90%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.56
5.74
14.29%

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

Last update for Kansas City, MO: October 5, 2026

Last update for Montevideo: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Kansas City, MO
$1K
Montevideo
$575 44.7% $464
Groceries & Markets
Kansas City, MO
$394
Montevideo
$332 15.6% $62
Eating Out
Kansas City, MO
$382
Montevideo
$271 29.1% $111
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kansas City, MO
$340
Montevideo
$255 24.8% $84
Clothing & Footwear
Kansas City, MO
$159
Montevideo
$186 17.2% $27
Sport & Entertainment
Kansas City, MO
$74
Montevideo
$79 5.8% $4.3
Getting Around
Kansas City, MO
$8.8 *
Montevideo
$84 851% $75

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,391 in Kansas City, MO versus $705 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 219% higher in Kansas City, MO, 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 $81.0 in Kansas City, MO versus $67.0 in Montevideo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $394 vs $332 – making Montevideo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Kansas City, MO
🇺🇾 Montevideo
🕒 Local time
09:17 9:17 AM
11:17 11:17 AM
2 h ahead of Kansas City, MO
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
463,202
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 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Uruguayan Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 40.21 UYU (100 UYU = 2.49 USD). 1 EUR = 45.06 UYU (100 UYU = 2.22 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Kansas City, MO Montevideo 9,130 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Kansas City, MO
  • 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
Kansas City, MO vs Montevideo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Kansas City, MO and in Montevideo compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,394 in Kansas City, MO, $1,813 in Montevideo – roughly 32% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Kansas City, MO compared to Montevideo?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,590 per month in Kansas City, MO and $2,720 in Montevideo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Kansas City, MO and Montevideo?
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.
Which city is more expensive overall: Kansas City, MO or Montevideo?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,394 in Kansas City, MO and $1,813 in Montevideo. That's a gap of about 32%.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Kansas City, MO and Montevideo?
Kindergarten costs $1,203 per month in Kansas City, MO and $613 in Montevideo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,500 per month?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Montevideo, where all-in costs run around $1,813, than in Kansas City, MO at $2,394. In Montevideo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kansas City, MO it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Kansas City, MO and Montevideo?
It depends on your priorities. Montevideo has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,813 in Montevideo to $2,394 in Kansas City, MO. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Kansas City, MO or Montevideo safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Kansas City, MO and Montevideo?
If budget matters most, go with Montevideo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kansas City, MO makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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