Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Marion, IL and Montevideo

For one person, living is cheaper in Montevideo: $1,784 a month against $2,437 in Marion, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Marion, IL outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Marion, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$2,437
/mo nomad
Montevideo
🇺🇾 Uruguay
$1,784
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,437 per month in Marion, IL vs $1,784 in Montevideo, rent included.

  • Marion, IL $2,437
  • Montevideo $1,784

A couple spends around $3,587 per month in Marion, IL vs $2,756 in Montevideo, rent included.

  • Marion, IL $3,587
  • Montevideo $2,756

A family of three spends $4,737 per month in Marion, IL vs $3,728 in Montevideo, rent included.

  • Marion, IL $4,737
  • Montevideo $3,728

Marion, IL costs about 37% more than Montevideo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Marion, IL and Montevideo sit above the global median – Marion, IL by 80%, Montevideo by 32%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Marion, IL
Montevideo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.67 $17.67
$14.82 UYU 595
19.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$76.3 $76.3
$69.7 UYU 2,797
9.40%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.15 $12.15
$14.68 UYU 589
-17.23%
Cappuccino
$5.73 $5.73
$4.65 UYU 186
23.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.36 $2.36
$2.74 UYU 110
-13.87%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.98 $1.98
$2.07 UYU 82.9
-4.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.89 $6.89
$4.79 UYU 192
43.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.96 $7.96
$3.63 UYU 146
119.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Marion, IL
Montevideo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.77 $0.77
$1.39 UYU 55.8
-44.60%
White Bread (500g)
$1.63 $1.63
$2.89 UYU 116
-43.60%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.94 $3.94
$1.70 UYU 68.1
131.76%
Eggs
$2.99 $2.99
$4.62 UYU 185
-35.28%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.34 $4.34
$14.22 UYU 571
-69.48%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.43 $11.43
$11.62 UYU 466
-1.64%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.99 $18.99
$12.23 UYU 491
55.27%
Apples (1kg)
$5.77 $5.77
$2.77 UYU 111
108.30%
Banana (1kg)
$1.74 $1.74
$2.85 UYU 114
-38.95%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.71 $5.71
$1.81 UYU 72.5
215.47%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.77 $4.77
$3.20 UYU 129
49.06%
Potato (1kg)
$3.27 $3.27
$1.94 UYU 77.8
68.56%
Onion (1kg)
$4.26 $4.26
$2.16 UYU 86.5
97.22%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.64 $2.64
$1.43 UYU 57.3
84.62%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.16 $2.16
$1.94 UYU 77.9
11.34%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.08 $9.08
$5.47 UYU 219
66.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.17 $10.17
$8.95 UYU 359
13.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71 $1.71
$2.26 UYU 90.8
-24.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59 $1.59
$2.81 UYU 113
-43.42%
🚌 Getting Around
Marion, IL
Montevideo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.82 $1.82
$1.56 UYU 62.6
16.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$73.8 UYU 2,962
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.01 $2.01
$1.90 UYU 76.2
5.79%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.39 $1.39
$0.43 UYU 17.36
223.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$20.20 $20.20
$10.59 UYU 425
90.75%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.99 $0.99
$2.12 UYU 85.2
-53.30%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.3K $28.3K
$26.8K UYU 1.1M
5.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6K $26.6K
$37.0K UYU 1.5M
-28.03%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Marion, IL
Montevideo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$150 $150
$193 UYU 7,727
-22.00%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$84.3 $84.3
$20.91 UYU 839
303.25%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$73.7 $73.7
$44.89 UYU 1,802
64.11%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Marion, IL
Montevideo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.51 $41.51
$50.8 UYU 2,038
-18.24%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.73 UYU 792
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.84 $9.84
$12.30 UYU 494
-20.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Marion, IL
Montevideo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,694 $1,694
$629 UYU 25.2K
169.39%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$24.4K $24.4K
$10.9K UYU 437.3K
123.91%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Marion, IL
Montevideo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$25.46 $25.46
$104 UYU 4,166
-75.47%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.36 $33.36
$57.4 UYU 2,305
-41.92%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.9 $74.9
$125 UYU 5,010
-40.04%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.1 $86.1
$132 UYU 5,315
-35.00%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Marion, IL
Montevideo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,576 $1,576
$713 UYU 28.6K
121.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,287 $1,287
$575 UYU 23.1K
123.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,503 $2,503
$1,164 UYU 46.7K
115.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,135 $2,135
$1,033 UYU 41.5K
106.61%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,461 $2,461
$3,418 UYU 137.2K
-28.00%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,586 $2,586
$1,760 UYU 70.6K
46.92%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Marion, IL
Montevideo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,244 UYU 49.9K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.6
5.74
14.98%

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

Last update for Marion, IL: 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
Marion, IL
$1.3K
Montevideo
$575 55.3% $712
Groceries & Markets
Marion, IL
$352
Montevideo
$334 5.1% $18
Eating Out
Marion, IL
$314
Montevideo
$269 14.5% $45
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Marion, IL
$308
Montevideo
$258 16.2% $50
Clothing & Footwear
Marion, IL
$99
Montevideo
$188 90.5% $89
Sport & Entertainment
Marion, IL
$61
Montevideo
$75 23.2% $14
Getting Around
Marion, IL
$16 *
Montevideo
$84 419% $68

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,576 in Marion, IL 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76.0 in Marion, IL versus $70.0 in Montevideo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $334 – making Montevideo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Marion, IL
🇺🇾 Montevideo
🕒 Local time
20:27 8:27 PM
22:27 10:27 PM
2 h ahead of Marion, IL
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
17,193
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 21, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Uruguayan Peso exchange rates as of October 21, 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
  • Marion, IL Montevideo 8,750 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Marion, IL
  • 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
Marion, IL vs Montevideo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Marion, IL or Montevideo?
Marion, IL costs about 37% more than Montevideo, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from utilities. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Marion, IL and in Montevideo?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,656 per month in Marion, IL and $2,676 in Montevideo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Marion, IL or 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.
How do dining costs compare in Marion, IL and in Montevideo?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $76.0 in Marion, IL and $70.0 in Montevideo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Marion, IL or in Montevideo?
Groceries cost about 5% more in Marion, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $2,500/month in Marion, IL or in Montevideo?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Montevideo, where all-in costs run around $1,784, than in Marion, IL at $2,437. In Montevideo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Marion, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Marion, IL or Montevideo?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montevideo costs $1,784 versus $2,437 in Marion, IL. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Marion, IL compared to 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.
Should I move to Marion, IL or to Montevideo?
If budget matters most, go with Montevideo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Marion, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Marion, IL vs other spots: cost of living compared

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