Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lowell, MA and Montevideo

For one person, living is cheaper in Montevideo: $1,784 a month against $2,689 in Lowell, MA, rent and utilities included – about $10,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

129

Cost of Living Index in Lowell, MA
Learn more

Lowell, MA Living Index
86

Cost of Living Index in Montevideo
Learn more

Montevideo Living Index

Jump to prices

Lowell, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,689

/mo nomad

Montevideo

🇺🇾 Uruguay

$1,784

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,689 per month in Lowell, MA vs $1,784 in Montevideo, rent included.

Lowell, MA $2,689
Montevideo $1,784

A couple spends around $4,243 per month in Lowell, MA vs $2,756 in Montevideo, rent included.

Lowell, MA $4,243
Montevideo $2,756

A family of three spends $5,797 per month in Lowell, MA vs $3,728 in Montevideo, rent included.

Lowell, MA $5,797
Montevideo $3,728

Lowell, MA costs about 51% more than Montevideo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Lowell, MA and Montevideo sit above the global median – Lowell, MA by 98%, Montevideo by 32%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.09 $18.09

$14.82 UYU 595

22.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.0 $69.0

$69.7 UYU 2,797

-1.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.24 $9.24

$14.68 UYU 589

-37.06%

Cappuccino

$4.90 $4.90

$4.65 UYU 186

5.38%

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

$2.02 $2.02

$2.74 UYU 110

-26.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 $1.65

$2.07 UYU 82.9

-20.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.79 UYU 192

3.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.21 $8.21

$3.63 UYU 146

126.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.39 UYU 55.8

-41.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.89 UYU 116

-26.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.28 $5.28

$1.70 UYU 68.1

210.59%

Eggs

$4.11 $4.11

$4.62 UYU 185

-11.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.15 $11.15

$14.22 UYU 571

-21.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.94 $8.94

$11.62 UYU 466

-23.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.47 $17.47

$12.23 UYU 491

42.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.77 UYU 111

-1.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 $1.22

$2.85 UYU 114

-57.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.82 $6.82

$1.81 UYU 72.5

276.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.52 $5.52

$3.20 UYU 129

72.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.94 UYU 77.8

-13.92%

Onion (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$2.16 UYU 86.5

105.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.01 $3.01

$1.43 UYU 57.3

110.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.94 UYU 77.9

13.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.78 $13.78

$5.47 UYU 219

151.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.42 $13.42

$8.95 UYU 359

49.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$2.26 UYU 90.8

-23.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.81 UYU 113

49.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.56 UYU 62.6

16.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.2 $55.2

$73.8 UYU 2,962

-25.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.04 $4.04

$1.90 UYU 76.2

112.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 $1.75

$0.43 UYU 17.36

306.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.46 $29.46

$10.59 UYU 425

178.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$2.12 UYU 85.2

-60.38%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$26.8K UYU 1.1M

3.35%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$37.0K UYU 1.5M

-28.25%

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

$186 $186

$193 UYU 7,727

-3.43%

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

$51.6 $51.6

$20.91 UYU 839

146.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 $66.9

$44.89 UYU 1,802

49.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.07 $40.07

$50.8 UYU 2,038

-21.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.45 $12.45

$19.73 UYU 792

-36.90%

Cinema Ticket

$14.05 $14.05

$12.30 UYU 494

14.23%

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

$1,410 $1,410

$629 UYU 25.2K

124.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.5K $29.5K

$10.9K UYU 437.3K

171.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 $57.8

$104 UYU 4,166

-44.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.86 $37.86

$57.4 UYU 2,305

-34.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.2 $79.2

$125 UYU 5,010

-36.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.2 $70.2

$132 UYU 5,315

-47.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,620 $1,620

$713 UYU 28.6K

127.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,474 $1,474

$575 UYU 23.1K

156.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,728 $3,728

$1,164 UYU 46.7K

220.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,116 $3,116

$1,033 UYU 41.5K

201.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,460 $3,460

$3,418 UYU 137.2K

1.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,536 $3,536

$1,760 UYU 70.6K

100.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,963 $3,963

$1,244 UYU 49.9K

218.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

5.74

6.27%

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

Last update for Lowell, MA: October 18, 2026

Last update for Montevideo: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Lowell, MA

$1.5K 54.8%

Montevideo

$575 32.2% 61% $898

Groceries & Markets

Lowell, MA

$370 13.8%

Montevideo

$334 18.7% 9.8% $36

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lowell, MA

$304 11.3%

Montevideo

$258 14.5% 15.2% $46

Eating Out

Lowell, MA

$287 10.7%

Montevideo

$269 15.1% 6.4% $18

Clothing & Footwear

Lowell, MA

$110 4.1%

Montevideo

$188 10.6% 70.8% $78

Getting Around

Lowell, MA

$75 2.8%

Montevideo

$84 4.7% 11.9% $9

Sport & Entertainment

Lowell, MA

$68 2.5%

Montevideo

$75 4.2% 10.6% $7.2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,620 in Lowell, MA versus $713 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 218% higher in Lowell, MA, 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 $69.0 in Lowell, MA versus $70.0 in Montevideo. Groceries tell a different story – $370 in Lowell, MA vs $334 in Montevideo – so Montevideo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Lowell, MA

🇺🇾 Montevideo

🕒 Local time

03:33 3:33 AM

04:33 4:33 AM

1 h ahead of Lowell, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

106,519

1,319,108 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Uruguayan Peso UYU $U

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

100 UYU = 2.49 USD

100 UYU = 2.22 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

UYU, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇺🇾 Uruguayan Peso ($U)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Uruguayan Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 40.14 UYU (100 UYU = 2.49 USD). 1 EUR = 45.12 UYU (100 UYU = 2.22 EUR).

UYU to USD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Lowell, MA Montevideo 8,760 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Lowell, MA
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

Lowell, MA vs Montevideo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Lowell, MA is pricier by about 51%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,033 per month in Lowell, MA and $2,676 in Montevideo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Public transport costs about 34% less in Montevideo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,410 per month in Lowell, MA and $629 in Montevideo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Montevideo, where all-in costs run around $1,784, than in Lowell, MA at $2,689. In Montevideo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lowell, MA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Montevideo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lowell, MA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.