Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and El Congo

For one person, living is cheaper in El Congo: $576 a month against $1,813 in Montevideo, rent and utilities included – about $14,800 less a year.

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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

El Congo

🇸🇻 El Salvador

$576

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montevideo and in El Congo

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 El Congo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,813 per month in Montevideo vs $576 in El Congo, rent included.

Montevideo $1,813
El Congo $576

A couple spends around $2,782 per month in Montevideo vs $598 in El Congo, rent included.

Montevideo $2,782
El Congo $598

A family of three spends $3,750 per month in Montevideo vs $621 in El Congo, rent included.

Montevideo $3,750
El Congo $621

Montevideo costs about 215% more than El Congo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Montevideo sits 35% above the global median, while El Congo is 57% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.26 UYU 613

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.4 UYU 2,707

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.37 UYU 577

Cappuccino

$4.64 UYU 186

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

$2.73 UYU 110

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 UYU 83.9

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.75 UYU 191

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 UYU 147

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 UYU 55.4

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 UYU 111

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 UYU 67.7

Eggs

$4.52 UYU 182

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.17 UYU 569

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.07 UYU 485

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.16 UYU 488

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 UYU 115

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 UYU 110

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 UYU 69.4

Tomato (1kg)

$3.24 UYU 130

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 UYU 83.0

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 UYU 83.0

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 UYU 55.4

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 UYU 74.4

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.57 UYU 224

Wine (Bottle)

$8.89 UYU 357

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 UYU 92.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 UYU 108

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 UYU 61.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.7 UYU 2,958

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.82 UYU 73.3

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 UYU 16.02

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.66 UYU 428

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 UYU 89.0

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 7,662

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

$20.40 UYU 819

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.14 UYU 1,772

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 UYU 2,174

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.68 UYU 790

Cinema Ticket

$12.33 UYU 495

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

$613 UYU 24.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K UYU 443.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 UYU 4,128

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 UYU 2,251

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 UYU 4,993

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 UYU 5,207

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$705 UYU 28.3K

$706 $706

-0.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$575 UYU 23.1K

$570 $570

0.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,139 UYU 45.7K

$964 $964

18.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,016 UYU 40.8K

$626 $626

62.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,349 UYU 134.4K

$4,281 $4,281

-21.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,942 UYU 78.0K

$1,283 $1,283

51.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,229 UYU 49.4K

$964 $964

27.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.74

5.72

0.35%

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

Last update for Montevideo: October 5, 2026

Last update for El Congo: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Montevideo

$575 32.3%

El Congo

–

Groceries & Markets

Montevideo

$332 18.7%

El Congo

–

Eating Out

Montevideo

$271 15.2%

El Congo

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montevideo

$255 14.3%

El Congo

–

Clothing & Footwear

Montevideo

$186 10.4%

El Congo

–

Getting Around

Montevideo

$84 4.7%

El Congo

–

Sport & Entertainment

Montevideo

$79 4.4%

El Congo

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $705 in Montevideo versus $706 in El Congo. 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 28% higher in Montevideo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇺🇾 Montevideo

🇸🇻 El Congo

🕒 Local time

23:47 11:47 PM

20:47 8:47 PM

3 h behind Montevideo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,319,108 Capital

8,905

💱 Currency

Uruguayan Peso UYU $U

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 UYU = 2.49 USD

100 UYU = 2.22 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to UYU – Uruguayan Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇺🇾 Uruguayan Peso ($U)

Uruguayan Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 40.15 UYU (100 UYU = 2.49 USD). 1 EUR = 45.03 UYU (100 UYU = 2.22 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to UYU in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Montevideo El Congo 6,470 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Montevideo
El Congo

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 El Congo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,813 in Montevideo, $576 in El Congo – roughly 215% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,720 per month in Montevideo and $864 in El Congo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in El Congo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in El Congo, where all-in costs run around $576, than in Montevideo at $1,813. In El Congo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montevideo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Montevideo has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $576 in El Congo to $1,813 in Montevideo. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 El Congo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Montevideo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.