Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Hormigueros

For one person, living is cheaper in Hormigueros: $1,317 a month against $1,771 in Montevideo, rent and utilities included – about $5,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Montevideo
🇺🇾 Uruguay
$1,771
/mo nomad
Hormigueros
🇵🇷 Puerto Rico
$1,317
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montevideo and in Hormigueros

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

A single person spends $1,771 per month in Montevideo vs $1,317 in Hormigueros, rent included.

  • Montevideo $1,771
  • Hormigueros $1,317

A couple spends around $2,740 per month in Montevideo vs $2,079 in Hormigueros, rent included.

  • Montevideo $2,740
  • Hormigueros $2,079

A family of three spends $3,708 per month in Montevideo vs $2,842 in Hormigueros, rent included.

  • Montevideo $3,708
  • Hormigueros $2,842

Montevideo costs about 35% more than Hormigueros, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Montevideo sits 31% above the global median, while Hormigueros is 2% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Montevideo
Hormigueros
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.16 UYU 609
$18.91 $18.91
-19.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.2 UYU 2,776
$82.7 $82.7
-16.38%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.65 UYU 588
$9.12 $9.12
60.64%
Cappuccino
$4.46 UYU 179
$3.56 $3.56
25.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 UYU 107
$1.82 $1.82
46.70%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.00 UYU 80.4
$1.50 $1.50
33.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.83 UYU 194
$3.07 $3.07
57.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80 UYU 152
$4.96 $4.96
-23.39%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montevideo
Hormigueros
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.36 UYU 54.8
$2.14 $2.14
-36.45%
White Bread (500g)
$2.87 UYU 115
$3.60 $3.60
-20.28%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.75 UYU 70.2
$2.39 $2.39
-26.78%
Eggs
$4.68 UYU 188
$7.58 $7.58
-38.26%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.88 UYU 557
$12.51 $12.51
10.95%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.98 UYU 481
$9.74 $9.74
23.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.97 UYU 480
$13.50 $13.50
-11.33%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 UYU 111
$5.19 $5.19
-46.44%
Banana (1kg)
$2.74 UYU 110
$2.56 $2.56
7.03%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.77 UYU 71.2
$4.96 $4.96
-64.31%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.24 UYU 130
$4.80 $4.80
-32.50%
Potato (1kg)
$1.97 UYU 79.2
$3.88 $3.88
-49.23%
Onion (1kg)
$2.07 UYU 83.1
$3.91 $3.91
-47.06%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.37 UYU 55.1
$3.37 $3.37
-59.35%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.88 UYU 75.3
$1.64 $1.64
14.63%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.59 UYU 224
$12.17 $12.17
-54.07%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.78 UYU 352
$15.41 $15.41
-43.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.26 UYU 90.9
$3.08 $3.08
-26.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 UYU 110
$4.10 $4.10
-32.93%
🚌 Getting Around
Montevideo
Hormigueros
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
$2.52 $2.52
-24.21%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.40 UYU 16.18
$1.54 $1.54
-74.03%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.33 UYU 415
$42.84 $42.84
-75.89%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.13 UYU 85.6
$1.19 $1.19
78.99%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.1K UYU 1.1M
$40.4K $40.4K
-32.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.3K UYU 1.5M
$27.9K $27.9K
30.01%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montevideo
Hormigueros
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$188 UYU 7,557
$317 $317
-40.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.54 UYU 824
$68.9 $68.9
-70.18%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$44.81 UYU 1,798
$69.3 $69.3
-35.29%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montevideo
Hormigueros
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.0 UYU 2,166
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.75 UYU 793
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.95 UYU 480
$10.68 $10.68
11.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montevideo
Hormigueros
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$634 UYU 25.5K
$808 $808
-21.46%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.1K UYU 443.6K
$12.8K $12.8K
-13.34%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montevideo
Hormigueros
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 UYU 4,099
$55.2 $55.2
85.02%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.5 UYU 2,309
$62.3 $62.3
-7.72%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$127 UYU 5,079
$109 $109
16.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$128 UYU 5,131
$115 $115
10.95%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montevideo
Hormigueros
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$719 UYU 28.8K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$568 UYU 22.8K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,145 UYU 46.0K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,023 UYU 41.1K
-
-
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
Hormigueros
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,245 UYU 50.0K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.74
6.55
-12.37%

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

Last update for Montevideo: October 12, 2026

Last update for Hormigueros: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Montevideo
$568
Hormigueros
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Montevideo
$332
Hormigueros
$416 25.5% $85
Eating Out
Montevideo
$269
Hormigueros
$260 3.4% $9.2
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montevideo
$254
Hormigueros
$455 79.4% $201
Clothing & Footwear
Montevideo
$186
Hormigueros
$154 17.5% $33
Getting Around
Montevideo
$84
Hormigueros
$10 * 87.9% $74
Sport & Entertainment
Montevideo
$78
Hormigueros
$21 * 72.6% $57

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

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Montevideo versus $83.0 in Hormigueros. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $332 vs $416 – making Montevideo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇾 Montevideo
🇵🇷 Hormigueros
🕒 Local time
18:41 6:41 PM
17:41 5:41 PM
1 h behind Montevideo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,319,108 Capital
11,934
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to UYU – Uruguayan Peso Converter

Uruguayan Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 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 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Montevideo Hormigueros 6,010 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Montevideo
  • Hormigueros

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 Hormigueros: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Montevideo or Hormigueros?
Montevideo costs about 35% more than Hormigueros, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. 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 Hormigueros?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,656 per month in Montevideo and $1,975 in Hormigueros. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do dining costs compare in Montevideo and in Hormigueros?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Montevideo and $83.0 in Hormigueros. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Montevideo or in Hormigueros?
Interestingly, groceries are about 26% cheaper in Montevideo – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Montevideo or in Hormigueros?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Hormigueros, where all-in costs run around $1,317, than in Montevideo at $1,771. In Hormigueros it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montevideo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Montevideo or Hormigueros?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Hormigueros costs $1,317 versus $1,771 in Montevideo. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Montevideo compared to Hormigueros?
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 Hormigueros?
If budget matters most, go with Hormigueros. 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.

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