Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and El Paso, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Montevideo: $1,813 a month against $2,130 in El Paso, TX, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Montevideo
🇺🇾 Uruguay
$1,813
/mo nomad
El Paso, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,130
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montevideo and in El Paso, TX

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 Paso, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,813 per month in Montevideo vs $2,130 in El Paso, TX, rent included.

  • Montevideo $1,813
  • El Paso, TX $2,130

A couple spends around $2,782 per month in Montevideo vs $3,193 in El Paso, TX, rent included.

  • Montevideo $2,782
  • El Paso, TX $3,193

A family of three spends $3,750 per month in Montevideo vs $4,257 in El Paso, TX, rent included.

  • Montevideo $3,750
  • El Paso, TX $4,257

Montevideo is about 15% cheaper than El Paso, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Montevideo and El Paso, TX sit above the global median – Montevideo by 35%, El Paso, TX by 59%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Montevideo
El Paso, TX
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.26 UYU 613
$18.73 $18.73
-18.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$67.4 UYU 2,711
$77.0 $77.0
-12.37%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.37 UYU 578
$12.19 $12.19
17.88%
Cappuccino
$4.64 UYU 187
$6.19 $6.19
-25.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73 UYU 110
$2.30 $2.30
18.70%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.09 UYU 84.0
$1.54 $1.54
35.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.75 UYU 191
$5.87 $5.87
-19.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.67 UYU 147
$6.61 $6.61
-44.48%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montevideo
El Paso, TX
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 UYU 55.5
$0.87 $0.87
58.62%
White Bread (500g)
$2.77 UYU 112
$3.01 $3.01
-7.97%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.69 UYU 67.8
$2.45 $2.45
-31.02%
Eggs
$4.52 UYU 182
$3.61 $3.61
25.21%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.17 UYU 570
$11.94 $11.94
18.68%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.07 UYU 485
$11.76 $11.76
2.64%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.16 UYU 489
$13.07 $13.07
-6.96%
Apples (1kg)
$2.87 UYU 116
$3.59 $3.59
-20.06%
Banana (1kg)
$2.75 UYU 110
$1.48 $1.48
85.81%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.73 UYU 69.5
$2.58 $2.58
-32.95%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.24 UYU 130
$3.56 $3.56
-8.99%
Potato (1kg)
$2.07 UYU 83.1
$2.16 $2.16
-4.17%
Onion (1kg)
$2.07 UYU 83.1
$2.80 $2.80
-26.07%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.38 UYU 55.4
$1.76 $1.76
-21.59%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.85 UYU 74.5
$1.58 $1.58
17.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.57 UYU 224
$9.43 $9.43
-40.93%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.89 UYU 357
$9.54 $9.54
-6.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.29 UYU 92.2
$2.09 $2.09
9.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.70 UYU 109
$4.74 $4.74
-43.04%
🚌 Getting Around
Montevideo
El Paso, TX
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.52 UYU 61.3
$1.47 $1.47
3.40%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$73.7 UYU 2,962
$48.29 $48.29
52.54%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.82 UYU 73.4
$1.69 $1.69
7.69%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.40 UYU 16.05
$1.39 $1.39
-71.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.66 UYU 429
$27.39 $27.39
-61.08%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.22 UYU 89.2
$0.96 $0.96
131.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.7K UYU 1.1M
$36.7K $36.7K
-27.20%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.7K UYU 1.5M
$24.7K $24.7K
48.48%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montevideo
El Paso, TX
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$191 UYU 7,674
$163 $163
17.43%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.40 UYU 820
$70.4 $70.4
-71.00%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$44.14 UYU 1,775
$68.8 $68.8
-35.85%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montevideo
El Paso, TX
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.1 UYU 2,177
$18.42 $18.42
193.92%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.68 UYU 791
$8.56 $8.56
129.91%
Cinema Ticket
$12.33 UYU 496
$12.05 $12.05
2.32%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montevideo
El Paso, TX
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$613 UYU 24.7K
$579 $579
5.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.0K UYU 444.3K
$6,916 $6,916
59.77%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montevideo
El Paso, TX
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$103 UYU 4,134
$47.02 $47.02
118.65%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$56.1 UYU 2,255
$36.19 $36.19
54.93%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$124 UYU 5,000
$102 $102
21.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$130 UYU 5,214
$174 $174
-25.49%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montevideo
El Paso, TX
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$705 UYU 28.4K
$1,155 $1,155
-38.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$575 UYU 23.1K
$890 $890
-35.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,139 UYU 45.8K
$1,738 $1,738
-34.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,016 UYU 40.8K
$1,480 $1,480
-31.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,349 UYU 134.6K
$1,781 $1,781
88.00%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,942 UYU 78.1K
$1,746 $1,746
11.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Montevideo
El Paso, TX
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,229 UYU 49.4K
$3,336 $3,336
-63.16%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.74
6.51
-11.83%

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

Last update for Montevideo: October 5, 2026

Last update for El Paso, TX: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Montevideo
$575
El Paso, TX
$890 54.6% $314
Groceries & Markets
Montevideo
$332
El Paso, TX
$329 1% $3.5
Eating Out
Montevideo
$271
El Paso, TX
$319 17.5% $47
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montevideo
$255
El Paso, TX
$302 18.1% $46
Clothing & Footwear
Montevideo
$186
El Paso, TX
$162 13% $24
Getting Around
Montevideo
$84
El Paso, TX
$63 24.9% $21
Sport & Entertainment
Montevideo
$79
El Paso, TX
$43 46% $36

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $705 in Montevideo versus $1,155 in El Paso, TX. 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 171% higher in El Paso, TX, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Montevideo versus $77.0 in El Paso, TX. Groceries tell a different story – $332 in Montevideo vs $329 in El Paso, TX – so El Paso, TX wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇺🇾 Montevideo
🇺🇸 El Paso, TX
🕒 Local time
04:54 4:54 AM
01:54 1:54 AM
3 h behind Montevideo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,319,108 Capital
678,815
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to UYU – Uruguayan Peso Converter

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).

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

On the map
Between locations
  • Montevideo El Paso, TX 9,090 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Montevideo
  • El Paso, TX

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 Paso, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Montevideo or El Paso, TX?
El Paso, TX costs about 17% 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 Montevideo and in El Paso, TX?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,720 per month in Montevideo and $3,195 in El Paso, TX. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Montevideo or El Paso, TX?
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 much does it cost to live in Montevideo compared to El Paso, TX?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,813 in Montevideo and $2,130 in El Paso, TX. That's a gap of about 17%.
How expensive is transport in Montevideo compared to El Paso, TX?
Public transport costs about 53% less in Montevideo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $2,500/month in Montevideo or in El Paso, TX?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Montevideo, where all-in costs run around $1,813, than in El Paso, TX at $2,130. In Montevideo it covers expenses comfortably, while in El Paso, TX it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Montevideo or El Paso, TX?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montevideo costs $1,813 versus $2,130 in El Paso, TX. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Montevideo compared to El Paso, TX?
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 Montevideo or to El Paso, TX?
If budget matters most, go with Montevideo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, El Paso, TX makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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