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: $1,632 in Montevideo versus $2,106 in Ilmenau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,480 in Montevideo versus $3,141 in Ilmenau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Montevideo versus $4,176 in Ilmenau.

Living in Montevideo costs roughly 23% less than in Ilmenau, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montevideo 22% above, Ilmenau 57% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.85 UYU 638

$15.28 €13.16

3.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.6 UYU 2,197

$70.5 €60.7

-22.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 UYU 488

$7.95 €6.85

52.45%

Cappuccino

$4.23 UYU 170

$3.42 €2.94

23.68%

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

$2.19 UYU 88.1

$3.65 €3.14

-40.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 UYU 68.2

$2.85 €2.45

-40.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.52 UYU 182

$4.65 €4.00

-2.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 UYU 145

$3.50 €3.01

2.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 UYU 51.3

$1.05 €0.91

20.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 UYU 112

$1.13 €0.98

145.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 UYU 63.8

$3.11 €2.67

-49.20%

Eggs

$4.79 UYU 193

$3.73 €3.21

28.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.41 UYU 540

$14.46 €12.45

-7.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.67 UYU 430

$13.27 €11.43

-19.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.24 UYU 452

$18.33 €15.78

-38.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 UYU 121

$2.92 €2.52

2.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.43 UYU 98.0

$1.53 €1.32

58.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 UYU 62.2

$2.63 €2.27

-41.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.66 UYU 148

$5.12 €4.41

-28.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 UYU 84.8

$0.85 €0.73

148.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 UYU 75.9

$1.59 €1.37

18.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 UYU 55.0

$1.82 €1.57

-24.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 UYU 68.9

$0.91 €0.79

87.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.10 UYU 205

$9.41 €8.10

-45.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.05 UYU 405

$6.37 €5.48

57.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 UYU 94.9

$0.96 €0.83

145.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 UYU 118

$1.56 €1.34

87.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 UYU 52.0

$3.51 €3.02

-63.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.8 UYU 2,247

$62.0 €53.4

-9.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.60 UYU 64.3

$5.58 €4.81

-71.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.63 UYU 146

$2.18 €1.88

66.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.43 UYU 500

$40.21 €34.62

-69.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 UYU 73.0

$2.03 €1.75

-10.84%

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

$34.5K UYU 1.4M

$31.2K €26.9K

10.58%

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

$36.0K UYU 1.4M

$35.1K €30.2K

2.54%

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

$170 UYU 6,864

$443 €381

-61.51%

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

$16.51 UYU 665

$30.12 €25.94

-45.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.77 UYU 2,004

$53.7 €46.23

-7.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 UYU 2,489

$39.31 €33.85

57.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.67 UYU 711

$22.94 €19.75

-22.97%

Cinema Ticket

$10.45 UYU 421

$14.09 €12.13

-25.83%

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

$482 UYU 19.4K

$455 €392

5.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,873 UYU 357.3K

$11.8K €10.1K

-24.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.9 UYU 3,821

$97.2 €83.7

-2.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.22 UYU 1,902

$32.92 €28.35

43.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 UYU 4,502

$124 €107

-9.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 UYU 4,964

$153 €131

-19.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$628 UYU 25.3K

$828 €713

-24.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$492 UYU 19.8K

$679 €584

-27.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,112 UYU 44.8K

$1,559 €1,342

-28.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$801 UYU 32.2K

$1,241 €1,069

-35.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,582 UYU 144.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,272 UYU 91.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,334 UYU 53.7K

$3,410 €2,936

-60.87%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ilmenau: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $628 in Montevideo and $828 in Ilmenau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ilmenau pays 156% 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 $71.0 in Ilmenau. Groceries flip the comparison at $321 vs $319, 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 29% in total monthly costs ($1,632 vs $2,106 including rent). Montevideo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Ilmenau earns 156% less. 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: $628 in Montevideo versus $828 in Ilmenau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,632 per month in Montevideo versus $2,106 in Ilmenau – a 29% 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 $1,632 in Montevideo versus $2,106 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 29% less than in Ilmenau. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.