Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Harlow

For one person, living is cheaper in Montevideo: $1,784 a month against $2,330 in Harlow, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Harlow outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Montevideo
🇺🇾 Uruguay
$1,784
/mo nomad
Harlow
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,330
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montevideo and in Harlow

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,784 in Montevideo versus $2,330 in Harlow.

  • Montevideo $1,784
  • Harlow $2,330

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,756 in Montevideo versus $3,407 in Harlow.

  • Montevideo $2,756
  • Harlow $3,407

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,728 in Montevideo versus $4,483 in Harlow.

  • Montevideo $3,728
  • Harlow $4,483

Living in Montevideo costs roughly 23% less than in Harlow, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montevideo 32% above, Harlow 72% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Montevideo
Harlow
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.82 UYU 595
$21.01 £15.76
-29.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.7 UYU 2,797
$91.7 £68.8
-24.00%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.68 UYU 589
$10.47 £7.86
40.21%
Cappuccino
$4.65 UYU 186
$5.47 £4.11
-14.99%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74 UYU 110
$2.63 £1.97
4.18%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07 UYU 82.9
$1.85 £1.39
11.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.79 UYU 192
$6.81 £5.11
-29.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 UYU 146
$6.87 £5.15
-47.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montevideo
Harlow
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.39 UYU 55.8
$1.30 £0.98
6.92%
White Bread (500g)
$2.89 UYU 116
$1.41 £1.06
104.96%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.70 UYU 68.1
$1.11 £0.84
53.15%
Eggs
$4.62 UYU 185
$2.38 £1.79
94.12%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.22 UYU 571
$6.83 £5.12
108.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.62 UYU 466
$6.05 £4.54
92.07%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.23 UYU 491
$6.45 £4.84
89.61%
Apples (1kg)
$2.77 UYU 111
$2.05 £1.54
35.12%
Banana (1kg)
$2.85 UYU 114
$1.23 £0.92
131.71%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.81 UYU 72.5
$1.15 £0.87
57.39%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.20 UYU 129
$2.02 £1.52
58.42%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 UYU 77.8
$1.63 £1.22
19.02%
Onion (1kg)
$2.16 UYU 86.5
$1.34 £1.01
61.19%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.43 UYU 57.3
$1.34 £1.01
6.72%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.94 UYU 77.9
$1.43 £1.07
35.66%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.47 UYU 219
$21.29 £15.97
-74.31%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.95 UYU 359
$9.33 £7.00
-4.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.26 UYU 90.8
$2.70 £2.02
-16.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.81 UYU 113
$2.04 £1.53
37.75%
🚌 Getting Around
Montevideo
Harlow
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.56 UYU 62.6
$2.73 £2.04
-42.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$73.8 UYU 2,962
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.90 UYU 76.2
$5.84 £4.38
-67.47%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.43 UYU 17.36
$1.68 £1.26
-74.40%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.59 UYU 425
$21.15 £15.87
-49.93%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.12 UYU 85.2
$1.92 £1.44
10.42%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K UYU 1.1M
$39.0K £29.2K
-31.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.0K UYU 1.5M
$40.1K £30.1K
-7.84%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montevideo
Harlow
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$193 UYU 7,727
$226 £169
-14.78%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.91 UYU 839
$11.95 £8.97
74.98%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$44.89 UYU 1,802
$28.54 £21.41
57.29%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montevideo
Harlow
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.8 UYU 2,038
$47.10 £35.34
7.79%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.73 UYU 792
$8.06 £6.05
144.79%
Cinema Ticket
$12.30 UYU 494
$12.56 £9.42
-2.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montevideo
Harlow
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$629 UYU 25.2K
$1,061 £796
-40.72%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.9K UYU 437.3K
$19.7K £14.8K
-44.77%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montevideo
Harlow
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104 UYU 4,166
$68.8 £51.6
50.79%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.4 UYU 2,305
$32.19 £24.15
78.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$125 UYU 5,010
$77.0 £57.8
62.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$132 UYU 5,315
$39.33 £29.51
236.71%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montevideo
Harlow
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$713 UYU 28.6K
$1,403 £1,053
-49.18%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$575 UYU 23.1K
$1,328 £996
-56.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,164 UYU 46.7K
$2,276 £1,708
-48.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,033 UYU 41.5K
$2,182 £1,637
-52.64%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,418 UYU 137.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,760 UYU 70.6K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Montevideo
Harlow
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,244 UYU 49.9K
$3,013 £2,260
-58.70%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.74
4.91
16.90%

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

Last update for Montevideo: October 19, 2026

Last update for Harlow: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Montevideo
$575
Harlow
$1.3K 131% $752
Groceries & Markets
Montevideo
$334
Harlow
$210 37.1% $124
Eating Out
Montevideo
$269
Harlow
$331 23.1% $62
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montevideo
$258
Harlow
$266 3.1% $8.1
Clothing & Footwear
Montevideo
$188
Harlow
$98 48.1% $91
Getting Around
Montevideo
$84
Harlow
$25 * 70.1% $59
Sport & Entertainment
Montevideo
$75
Harlow
$72 4.2% $3.2

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 $713 in Montevideo and $1,403 in Harlow. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Harlow pays 142% 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: $70.0 in Montevideo vs $92.0 in Harlow. Groceries flip the comparison at $334 vs $210, with Harlow cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇺🇾 Montevideo
🇬🇧 Harlow
🕒 Local time
16:52 4:52 PM
20:52 8:52 PM
4 h ahead of Montevideo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,319,108 Capital
86,191
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GBP, USD, EUR to UYU – Uruguayan Peso Converter

Uruguayan Peso exchange rates as of October 24, 2026: 1 USD = 40.14 UYU (100 UYU = 2.49 USD). 1 EUR = 45.12 UYU (100 UYU = 2.22 EUR).

British Pound exchange rates as of October 24, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Montevideo Harlow 11,080 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Montevideo
  • Harlow

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 Harlow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Montevideo and in Harlow?
Montevideo and Harlow differ by about 31% in total monthly costs ($1,784 vs $2,330 including rent). Montevideo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 142% lower in Harlow. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Montevideo and in Harlow?
Rent for a central apartment: $713 in Montevideo versus $1,403 in Harlow. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Harlow pay roughly 59% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more expensive overall: Montevideo or Harlow?
All in, you'll spend $1,784 per month in Montevideo versus $2,330 in Harlow – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,500 per month?
At $1,784 in Montevideo versus $2,330 in Harlow, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Montevideo but tight or insufficient in Harlow. The gap between the two cities makes Montevideo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Montevideo and Harlow?
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.
Is Montevideo or Harlow safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Montevideo and Harlow are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Montevideo or Harlow?
Expats usually find Montevideo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Harlow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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