Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Columbia, TN

For one person, living is cheaper in Montevideo: $1,771 a month against $2,317 in Columbia, TN, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Columbia, TN outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Montevideo
🇺🇾 Uruguay
$1,771
/mo nomad
Columbia, TN
🇺🇸 United States
$2,317
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montevideo and in Columbia, TN

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 Columbia, TN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,771 in Montevideo versus $2,317 in Columbia, TN.

  • Montevideo $1,771
  • Columbia, TN $2,317

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,740 in Montevideo versus $3,477 in Columbia, TN.

  • Montevideo $2,740
  • Columbia, TN $3,477

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,708 in Montevideo versus $4,637 in Columbia, TN.

  • Montevideo $3,708
  • Columbia, TN $4,637

Living in Montevideo costs roughly 24% less than in Columbia, TN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montevideo 31% above, Columbia, TN 72% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Montevideo
Columbia, TN
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.16 UYU 609
$11.87 $11.87
27.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.2 UYU 2,776
$60.4 $60.4
14.47%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.65 UYU 588
$10.08 $10.08
45.34%
Cappuccino
$4.46 UYU 179
$3.95 $3.95
12.91%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 UYU 107
$2.22 $2.22
20.27%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.00 UYU 80.4
$1.58 $1.58
26.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.83 UYU 194
$6.38 $6.38
-24.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80 UYU 152
$7.27 $7.27
-47.73%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montevideo
Columbia, TN
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.36 UYU 54.8
$0.95 $0.95
43.16%
White Bread (500g)
$2.87 UYU 115
$2.96 $2.96
-3.04%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.75 UYU 70.2
$4.10 $4.10
-57.32%
Eggs
$4.68 UYU 188
$2.61 $2.61
79.31%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.88 UYU 557
$13.24 $13.24
4.83%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.98 UYU 481
$6.56 $6.56
82.62%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.97 UYU 480
$13.43 $13.43
-10.87%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 UYU 111
$5.57 $5.57
-50.09%
Banana (1kg)
$2.74 UYU 110
$1.21 $1.21
126.45%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.77 UYU 71.2
$5.75 $5.75
-69.22%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.24 UYU 130
$3.99 $3.99
-18.80%
Potato (1kg)
$1.97 UYU 79.2
$3.15 $3.15
-37.46%
Onion (1kg)
$2.07 UYU 83.1
$4.17 $4.17
-50.36%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.37 UYU 55.1
$2.43 $2.43
-43.62%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.88 UYU 75.3
$2.12 $2.12
-11.32%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.59 UYU 224
$10.61 $10.61
-47.31%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.78 UYU 352
$13.11 $13.11
-33.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.26 UYU 90.9
$1.76 $1.76
28.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 UYU 110
$1.57 $1.57
75.16%
🚌 Getting Around
Montevideo
Columbia, TN
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.53 UYU 61.5
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$74.3 UYU 2,980
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.91 UYU 76.7
$1.95 $1.95
-2.05%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.40 UYU 16.18
$1.41 $1.41
-71.63%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.33 UYU 415
$19.79 $19.79
-47.80%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.13 UYU 85.6
$0.76 $0.76
180.26%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.1K UYU 1.1M
$37.6K $37.6K
-27.90%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.3K UYU 1.5M
$27.4K $27.4K
32.40%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montevideo
Columbia, TN
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$188 UYU 7,557
$157 $157
20.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.54 UYU 824
$60.2 $60.2
-65.86%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$44.81 UYU 1,798
$74.9 $74.9
-40.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montevideo
Columbia, TN
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.0 UYU 2,166
$34.38 $34.38
56.95%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.75 UYU 793
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.95 UYU 480
$12.60 $12.60
-5.16%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montevideo
Columbia, TN
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$634 UYU 25.5K
$1,696 $1,696
-62.60%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.1K UYU 443.6K
$24.8K $24.8K
-55.49%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montevideo
Columbia, TN
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 UYU 4,099
$40.58 $40.58
151.68%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.5 UYU 2,309
$33.45 $33.45
71.99%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$127 UYU 5,079
$82.6 $82.6
53.24%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$128 UYU 5,131
$88.6 $88.6
44.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montevideo
Columbia, TN
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$719 UYU 28.8K
$1,476 $1,476
-51.31%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$568 UYU 22.8K
$1,265 $1,265
-55.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,145 UYU 46.0K
$2,490 $2,490
-54.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,023 UYU 41.1K
$2,343 $2,343
-56.32%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,392 UYU 136.1K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,949 UYU 78.2K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Montevideo
Columbia, TN
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,245 UYU 50.0K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.74
6.6
-13.03%

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

Last update for Montevideo: October 12, 2026

Last update for Columbia, TN: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Montevideo
$568
Columbia, TN
$1.3K 123% $697
Groceries & Markets
Montevideo
$332
Columbia, TN
$348 4.9% $16
Eating Out
Montevideo
$269
Columbia, TN
$234 13% $35
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montevideo
$254
Columbia, TN
$292 15% $38
Clothing & Footwear
Montevideo
$186
Columbia, TN
$110 40.8% $76
Getting Around
Montevideo
$84
Columbia, TN
$9 * 89.3% $75
Sport & Entertainment
Montevideo
$78
Columbia, TN
$60 23.5% $18

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $719 in Montevideo and $1,476 in Columbia, TN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $69.0 in Montevideo vs $60.0 in Columbia, TN. Groceries flip the comparison at $332 vs $348, with Montevideo cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇺🇾 Montevideo
🇺🇸 Columbia, TN
🕒 Local time
18:49 6:49 PM
16:49 4:49 PM
2 h behind Montevideo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,319,108 Capital
672,228
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to UYU – Uruguayan Peso Converter

Uruguayan Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 40.14 UYU (100 UYU = 2.49 USD). 1 EUR = 45.12 UYU (100 UYU = 2.22 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Montevideo Columbia, TN 8,470 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Montevideo
  • Columbia, TN

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 Columbia, TN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Columbia, TN cheaper than Montevideo?
Montevideo is cheaper overall, especially in groceries and utilities. The 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $2,656 in Montevideo and $3,476 in Columbia, TN 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.
What is the rent difference between Montevideo and Columbia, TN?
Rent for a central apartment: $719 in Montevideo versus $1,476 in Columbia, TN. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $634 in Montevideo versus $1,696 in Columbia, TN. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Montevideo or in Columbia, TN?
Dining out is cheaper in Montevideo – a meal for two runs $69.0 versus $60.0 in Columbia, TN. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Montevideo or in Columbia, TN?
At $1,771 in Montevideo versus $2,317 in Columbia, TN, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Montevideo but tight or insufficient in Columbia, TN. The gap between the two cities makes Montevideo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Montevideo or Columbia, TN more family-friendly?
For families, Montevideo is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Columbia, TN, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Montevideo or Columbia, TN?
Safety-wise, Montevideo and Columbia, TN are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Montevideo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Columbia, TN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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