Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Ilmenau Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Ilmenau

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,667 in Montevideo versus $2,134 in Ilmenau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,511 in Montevideo versus $3,121 in Ilmenau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,354 in Montevideo versus $4,109 in Ilmenau.

Living in Montevideo costs roughly 22% less than in Ilmenau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montevideo 25% above, Ilmenau 60% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.30 UYU 655

$14.85 €13.01

9.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.4 UYU 2,226

$70.0 €61.3

-20.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.19 UYU 490

$8.32 €7.29

46.51%

Cappuccino

$4.26 UYU 171

$3.50 €3.06

21.71%

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

$2.19 UYU 88.0

$3.59 €3.14

-39.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 UYU 68.7

$2.80 €2.45

-38.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.47 UYU 180

$4.56 €3.99

-1.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 UYU 149

$3.44 €3.01

7.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 UYU 50.3

$1.01 €0.89

23.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.91 UYU 117

$1.13 €0.99

157.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 UYU 65.6

$3.21 €2.81

-49.22%

Eggs

$4.96 UYU 199

$3.68 €3.23

34.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.31 UYU 535

$14.57 €12.76

-8.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.83 UYU 435

$13.33 €11.67

-18.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.96 UYU 441

$18.71 €16.39

-41.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 UYU 124

$2.88 €2.53

6.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 UYU 94.8

$1.47 €1.29

60.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 UYU 60.3

$2.65 €2.32

-43.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.58 UYU 144

$4.89 €4.28

-26.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 UYU 83.5

$0.84 €0.74

147.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 UYU 78.1

$1.58 €1.38

22.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 UYU 52.7

$1.80 €1.58

-27.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 UYU 69.4

$0.95 €0.83

82.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.23 UYU 210

$9.59 €8.40

-45.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.76 UYU 352

$6.43 €5.63

36.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 UYU 93.8

$0.99 €0.87

135.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 UYU 117

$1.64 €1.44

76.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.30 UYU 52.1

$3.51 €3.08

-62.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.3 UYU 2,263

$62.4 €54.7

-9.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 UYU 62.0

$5.38 €4.71

-71.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.63 UYU 146

$2.25 €1.97

61.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.37 UYU 497

$40.61 €35.57

-69.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.83 UYU 73.4

$2.07 €1.82

-11.59%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$33.7K UYU 1.4M

$31.8K €27.8K

6.02%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$35.9K UYU 1.4M

$36.0K €31.5K

-0.30%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$175 UYU 7,025

$449 €394

-61.09%

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

$16.95 UYU 681

$29.40 €25.75

-42.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.42 UYU 1,946

$53.8 €47.09

-9.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 UYU 2,478

$40.23 €35.23

53.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.76 UYU 714

$22.91 €20.06

-22.48%

Cinema Ticket

$10.42 UYU 419

$14.10 €12.35

-26.10%

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

$489 UYU 19.6K

$472 €413

3.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,967 UYU 360.4K

$11.6K €10.2K

-22.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.6 UYU 3,844

$95.5 €83.6

0.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.66 UYU 1,915

$32.72 €28.66

45.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 UYU 4,603

$126 €110

-9.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 UYU 4,853

$153 €134

-20.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$611 UYU 24.5K

$847 €742

-27.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$488 UYU 19.6K

$669 €586

-27.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 UYU 44.5K

$1,557 €1,363

-28.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$818 UYU 32.9K

$1,209 €1,059

-32.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,598 UYU 144.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,274 UYU 91.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,332 UYU 53.5K

$3,357 €2,940

-60.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.68

3.87

46.77%

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

Last update for Montevideo: July 13, 2026

Last update for Ilmenau: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $611 in Montevideo and $847 in Ilmenau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ilmenau pays 152% 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: $55.0 in Montevideo vs $70.0 in Ilmenau for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $319 vs $319 per month, with Montevideo cheaper across the board.

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 Ilmenau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montevideo and Ilmenau differ by about 28% in total monthly costs ($1,667 vs $2,134 including rent). Montevideo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 152% lower in Ilmenau. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $611 in Montevideo versus $847 in Ilmenau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,667 per month in Montevideo versus $2,134 in Ilmenau – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Montevideo runs roughly 11% less than in Ilmenau. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,667 in Montevideo versus $2,134 in Ilmenau, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Montevideo but tight or insufficient in Ilmenau. The gap between the two cities makes Montevideo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Montevideo and Ilmenau are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Montevideo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Ilmenau. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.