Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Busto Arsizio Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Busto Arsizio

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,806 in Montevideo versus $1,936 in Busto Arsizio.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,668 in Montevideo versus $2,985 in Busto Arsizio.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,530 in Montevideo versus $4,034 in Busto Arsizio.

Living in Montevideo costs roughly 7% less than in Busto Arsizio, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montevideo 31% above, Busto Arsizio 41% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.05 UYU 605

$22.41 €19.29

-32.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.1 UYU 2,541

$94.5 €81.4

-33.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.11 UYU 527

$11.55 €9.94

13.51%

Cappuccino

$4.56 UYU 183

$2.30 €1.98

98.26%

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

$2.69 UYU 108

$3.80 €3.27

-29.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 UYU 78.7

$1.42 €1.22

38.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.63 UYU 186

$7.04 €6.06

-34.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 UYU 147

$6.23 €5.36

-41.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 UYU 54.0

$1.64 €1.41

-18.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 UYU 115

$2.54 €2.19

12.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 UYU 70.6

$3.59 €3.09

-51.25%

Eggs

$4.79 UYU 193

$5.04 €4.34

-4.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 UYU 579

$17.90 €15.41

-19.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.94 UYU 480

$14.05 €12.10

-15.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 UYU 465

$23.54 €20.27

-50.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 UYU 114

$2.90 €2.50

-2.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 UYU 112

$1.88 €1.62

47.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 UYU 71.0

$2.54 €2.19

-30.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.00 UYU 121

$4.16 €3.58

-27.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 UYU 86.1

$1.75 €1.51

22.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 UYU 87.4

$2.17 €1.86

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 UYU 58.6

$1.16 €1.00

25.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 UYU 79.6

$0.71 €0.61

178.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.55 UYU 223

$7.95 €6.84

-30.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.31 UYU 334

$5.26 €4.53

57.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 UYU 90.2

$1.53 €1.32

46.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 UYU 116

$1.65 €1.42

75.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.55 UYU 62.3

$1.70 €1.47

-8.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.6 UYU 3,042

$44.79 €38.56

68.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 UYU 72.7

$4.15 €3.57

-56.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 UYU 16.34

$2.27 €1.96

-81.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.35 UYU 417

$40.35 €34.73

-74.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 UYU 84.2

$2.04 €1.76

2.45%

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

$27.2K UYU 1.1M

$37.5K €32.3K

-27.50%

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

$37.6K UYU 1.5M

$36.3K €31.3K

3.65%

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

$188 UYU 7,548

$200 €172

-6.28%

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

$16.86 UYU 678

$12.03 €10.35

40.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.26 UYU 1,821

$28.46 €24.50

59.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.88 UYU 1,967

$32.38 €27.87

50.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.99 UYU 764

Cinema Ticket

$12.33 UYU 496

$12.02 €10.34

2.58%

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

$640 UYU 25.8K

$936 €806

-31.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K UYU 433.7K

$7,274 €6,262

48.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.5 UYU 3,804

$94.9 €81.7

-0.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.7 UYU 2,281

$28.76 €24.76

97.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 UYU 4,952

$138 €119

-10.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 UYU 5,296

$142 €122

-7.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$760 UYU 30.6K

$1,325 €1,140

-42.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$602 UYU 24.2K

$666 €573

-9.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 UYU 48.0K

$2,063 €1,775

-42.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$980 UYU 39.4K

$1,117 €961

-12.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,484 UYU 140.2K

$2,601 €2,239

33.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,865 UYU 75.0K

$1,620 €1,394

15.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,211 UYU 48.7K

$2,249 €1,936

-46.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.49

3.4

61.47%

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

Last update for Montevideo: August 31, 2026

Last update for Busto Arsizio: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $760 in Montevideo and $1,325 in Busto Arsizio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Busto Arsizio pays 86% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $63.0 in Montevideo vs $95.0 in Busto Arsizio for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $333 vs $372 per month, with Montevideo cheaper across the board.

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 Busto Arsizio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montevideo and Busto Arsizio differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($1,806 vs $1,936 including rent). Montevideo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 86% lower in Busto Arsizio. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $760 in Montevideo versus $1,325 in Busto Arsizio. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Montevideo – a meal for two runs $63.0 versus $95.0 in Busto Arsizio. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,806 per month in Montevideo versus $1,936 in Busto Arsizio – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,806 in Montevideo versus $1,936 in Busto Arsizio, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Montevideo but tight or insufficient in Busto Arsizio. The gap between the two cities makes Montevideo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Montevideo and Busto Arsizio 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 Montevideo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Busto Arsizio. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.