Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Bluefields

For one person, living is cheaper in Bluefields: $116 a month against $1,813 in Montevideo, rent and utilities included – about $20,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Montevideo
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Montevideo Living Index

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Montevideo

🇺🇾 Uruguay

$1,813

/mo nomad

Bluefields

🇳🇮 Nicaragua

$116

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montevideo and in Bluefields

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Montevideo and in Bluefields actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,813 in Montevideo versus $116 in Bluefields.

Montevideo $1,813
Bluefields $116

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,782 in Montevideo versus $229 in Bluefields.

Montevideo $2,782
Bluefields $229

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,750 in Montevideo versus $343 in Bluefields.

Montevideo $3,750
Bluefields $343

Living in Montevideo is roughly 1460% more expensive than in Bluefields, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Montevideo is 35% above, Bluefields is 91% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.26 UYU 613

$5.14 NIO 188

196.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.4 UYU 2,711

$25.44 NIO 932

165.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.37 UYU 578

$9.90 NIO 362

45.15%

Cappuccino

$4.64 UYU 187

$2.23 NIO 81.6

108.07%

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

$2.73 UYU 110

$1.54 NIO 56.5

77.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 UYU 84.0

$1.08 NIO 39.43

93.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.75 UYU 191

$1.21 NIO 44.42

292.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 UYU 147

$1.47 NIO 54.0

149.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 UYU 55.5

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 UYU 112

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 UYU 67.8

Eggs

$4.52 UYU 182

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.17 UYU 570

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.07 UYU 485

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.16 UYU 489

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 UYU 116

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 UYU 110

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 UYU 69.5

Tomato (1kg)

$3.24 UYU 130

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 UYU 83.1

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 UYU 83.1

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 UYU 55.4

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 UYU 74.5

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.57 UYU 224

Wine (Bottle)

$8.89 UYU 357

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 UYU 92.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 UYU 109

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)

$1.82 UYU 73.4

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 UYU 16.05

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.66 UYU 429

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 UYU 89.2

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

$26.7K UYU 1.1M

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

$36.7K UYU 1.5M

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

$191 UYU 7,674

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

$20.40 UYU 820

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.14 UYU 1,775

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 UYU 2,177

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.68 UYU 791

Cinema Ticket

$12.33 UYU 496

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

$613 UYU 24.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K UYU 444.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 UYU 4,134

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 UYU 2,255

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 UYU 5,000

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 UYU 5,214

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$705 UYU 28.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$575 UYU 23.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,139 UYU 45.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,016 UYU 40.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,349 UYU 134.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,942 UYU 78.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,229 UYU 49.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.74

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

Last update for Montevideo: October 5, 2026

Last update for Bluefields: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Montevideo

$575 32.3%

Bluefields

–

Groceries & Markets

Montevideo

$332 18.7%

Bluefields

–

Eating Out

Montevideo

$271 15.2%

Bluefields

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montevideo

$255 14.3%

Bluefields

–

Clothing & Footwear

Montevideo

$186 10.4%

Bluefields

–

Getting Around

Montevideo

$84 4.7%

Bluefields

–

Sport & Entertainment

Montevideo

$79 4.4%

Bluefields

–

Cost Breakdown

Dining out at a mid-range restaurant: $67.0 in Montevideo vs $25.00 in Bluefields for two.

Good to know

🇺🇾 Montevideo

🇳🇮 Bluefields

🕒 Local time

01:50 1:50 AM

22:50 10:50 PM

3 h behind Montevideo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,319,108 Capital

56,618

💱 Currency

Uruguayan Peso UYU $U

Nicaraguan Córdoba NIO C$

📈 Exchange rate

100 UYU = 2.49 USD

100 UYU = 2.22 EUR

100 NIO = 2.73 USD

100 NIO = 2.43 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

NIO, USD, EUR to UYU – Uruguayan Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇺🇾 Uruguayan Peso ($U)

Uruguayan Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 40.21 UYU (100 UYU = 2.49 USD). 1 EUR = 45.1 UYU (100 UYU = 2.22 EUR).

Nicaraguan Córdoba exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 36.62 NIO (100 NIO = 2.73 USD). 1 EUR = 41.08 NIO (100 NIO = 2.43 EUR).

USD to UYU in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Montevideo Bluefields 5,970 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Montevideo
Bluefields

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

Montevideo vs Bluefields: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bluefields is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 1460% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,720 in Montevideo and $174 in Bluefields to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Dining out is cheaper in Bluefields – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $67.0 in Montevideo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,813 per month in Montevideo versus $116 in Bluefields – a 1460% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $116 in Bluefields versus $1,813 in Montevideo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bluefields but tight or insufficient in Montevideo. The gap between the two cities makes Bluefields the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bluefields is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Montevideo, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Montevideo and Bluefields are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bluefields gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1460% less than in Montevideo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.