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: $1,806 in Montevideo versus $2,100 in Ilmenau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,668 in Montevideo versus $2,590 in Ilmenau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,530 in Montevideo versus $3,081 in Ilmenau.

Living in Montevideo costs roughly 14% less than in Ilmenau, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montevideo 31% above, Ilmenau 53% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.05 UYU 605

$11.78 €10.13

27.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.1 UYU 2,540

$69.1 €59.4

-8.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.11 UYU 527

$11.69 €10.05

12.15%

Cappuccino

$4.56 UYU 183

$3.42 €2.94

33.33%

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

$2.69 UYU 108

$4.31 €3.70

-37.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 UYU 78.7

$8.04 €6.91

-75.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.63 UYU 186

$4.52 €3.88

2.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 UYU 147

$5.17 €4.45

-29.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 UYU 54.0

$1.17 €1.00

14.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 UYU 115

$2.12 €1.82

35.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 UYU 70.6

$3.47 €2.98

-49.57%

Eggs

$4.79 UYU 193

$3.42 €2.94

40.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 UYU 579

$14.90 €12.81

-3.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.94 UYU 480

$10.58 €9.10

12.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 UYU 465

$18.51 €15.92

-37.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 UYU 114

$3.06 €2.63

-7.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 UYU 112

$1.48 €1.27

87.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 UYU 71.0

$3.69 €3.17

-52.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.00 UYU 121

$3.95 €3.40

-24.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 UYU 86.1

$2.19 €1.89

-2.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 UYU 87.4

$1.43 €1.23

51.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 UYU 58.6

$1.69 €1.46

-13.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 UYU 79.6

$0.89 €0.76

122.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.55 UYU 223

$9.71 €8.35

-42.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.31 UYU 334

$6.36 €5.47

30.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 UYU 90.2

$1.14 €0.98

96.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 UYU 116

$1.55 €1.34

86.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.55 UYU 62.3

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.6 UYU 3,042

$67.5 €58.0

12.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 UYU 72.7

$5.42 €4.66

-66.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 UYU 16.34

$4.29 €3.69

-90.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.35 UYU 417

$47.16 €40.54

-78.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 UYU 84.2

$2.08 €1.79

0.48%

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

$27.2K UYU 1.1M

$34.2K €29.4K

-20.51%

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

$37.6K UYU 1.5M

$40.1K €34.4K

-6.06%

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

$188 UYU 7,548

$683 €587

-72.53%

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

$16.86 UYU 678

$28.86 €24.81

-41.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.26 UYU 1,821

$35.79 €30.77

26.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.88 UYU 1,967

$51.8 €44.56

-5.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.99 UYU 764

Cinema Ticket

$12.33 UYU 496

$13.87 €11.92

-11.10%

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

$640 UYU 25.8K

$470 €404

36.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K UYU 433.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.5 UYU 3,804

$95.5 €82.1

-0.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.7 UYU 2,281

$33.13 €28.48

71.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 UYU 4,952

$124 €106

-0.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 UYU 5,296

$114 €98.0

15.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$760 UYU 30.6K

$497 €427

52.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$602 UYU 24.2K

$465 €400

29.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 UYU 48.0K

$869 €747

37.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$980 UYU 39.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,484 UYU 140.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,865 UYU 75.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,211 UYU 48.7K

$3,332 €2,864

-63.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.49

3.95

38.99%

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

Last update for Montevideo: August 31, 2026

Last update for Ilmenau: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $760 in Montevideo and $497 in Ilmenau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ilmenau pays 175% 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: $63.0 in Montevideo vs $69.0 in Ilmenau. Groceries flip the comparison at $333 vs $321, with Ilmenau cheaper for home cooking.

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 16% in total monthly costs ($1,806 vs $2,100 including rent). Montevideo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 175% 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: $760 in Montevideo versus $497 in Ilmenau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,806 per month in Montevideo versus $2,100 in Ilmenau – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Montevideo runs roughly 12% less than in Ilmenau. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,806 in Montevideo versus $2,100 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 16% less than in Ilmenau. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.