Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Lisbon Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Lisbon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,677 in Montevideo versus $2,227 in Lisbon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,515 in Montevideo versus $3,305 in Lisbon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,353 in Montevideo versus $4,384 in Lisbon.

Living in Montevideo costs roughly 25% less than in Lisbon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montevideo 25% above, Lisbon 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.11 UYU 641

$16.17 €13.84

-0.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.9 UYU 2,185

$64.6 €55.3

-14.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.04 UYU 479

$10.38 €8.88

15.99%

Cappuccino

$4.26 UYU 170

$2.77 €2.37

53.79%

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

$2.20 UYU 87.4

$2.25 €1.92

-2.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 UYU 67.4

$1.57 €1.35

7.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.29 UYU 171

$3.49 €2.99

22.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 UYU 143

$4.00 €3.43

-10.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 UYU 50.0

$1.08 €0.93

16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 UYU 112

$1.74 €1.49

61.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 UYU 65.5

$1.74 €1.49

-5.17%

Eggs

$4.92 UYU 196

$3.18 €2.72

54.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 UYU 537

$13.43 €11.50

0.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.73 UYU 427

$7.99 €6.84

34.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.19 UYU 445

$16.09 €13.77

-30.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 UYU 124

$2.28 €1.95

36.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 UYU 98.5

$1.72 €1.48

44.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 UYU 61.7

$1.94 €1.66

-20.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.74 UYU 149

$2.54 €2.18

47.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 UYU 85.6

$1.83 €1.57

17.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 UYU 75.1

$2.04 €1.75

-7.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 UYU 54.2

$1.98 €1.69

-31.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 UYU 66.1

$0.85 €0.73

95.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.07 UYU 202

$6.85 €5.87

-25.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.18 UYU 405

$5.78 €4.94

76.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 UYU 93.8

$1.37 €1.18

72.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 UYU 117

$2.90 €2.48

1.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 UYU 51.1

$2.28 €1.95

-43.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.9 UYU 2,222

$46.84 €40.10

19.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 UYU 61.3

$4.08 €3.49

-62.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.48 UYU 138

$0.82 €0.70

324.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.29 UYU 489

$18.27 €15.64

-32.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 UYU 72.4

$2.01 €1.72

-9.45%

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

$33.7K UYU 1.3M

$35.3K €30.2K

-4.35%

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

$37.0K UYU 1.5M

$38.5K €32.9K

-3.79%

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

$173 UYU 6,863

$145 €124

18.65%

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

$16.74 UYU 666

$20.96 €17.94

-20.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.89 UYU 1,945

$40.05 €34.29

22.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.4 UYU 2,442

$48.79 €41.76

25.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.46 UYU 695

$18.69 €16.00

-6.58%

Cinema Ticket

$10.66 UYU 424

$9.06 €7.76

17.66%

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

$477 UYU 19.0K

$607 €519

-21.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,942 UYU 355.7K

$16.3K €14.0K

-45.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.9 UYU 3,737

$105 €89.6

-10.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.23 UYU 1,919

$40.95 €35.06

17.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 UYU 4,448

$93.6 €80.1

19.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 UYU 4,978

$119 €101

5.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 UYU 24.9K

$1,604 €1,373

-60.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$494 UYU 19.6K

$1,236 €1,058

-60.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,085 UYU 43.2K

$3,046 €2,607

-64.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$806 UYU 32.1K

$2,057 €1,761

-60.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,508 UYU 139.5K

$7,709 €6,599

-54.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,251 UYU 89.5K

$4,266 €3,652

-47.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,245 UYU 49.5K

$1,584 €1,356

-21.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.68

3.81

49.08%

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

Last update for Montevideo: April 26, 2026

Last update for Lisbon: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Montevideo and $1,604 in Lisbon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 27% 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 $65.0 in Lisbon. Groceries flip the comparison at $324 vs $271, with Lisbon 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 Lisbon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montevideo and Lisbon differ by about 33% in total monthly costs ($1,677 vs $2,227 including rent). Montevideo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lisbon earns 27% 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: $626 in Montevideo versus $1,604 in Lisbon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $477 in Montevideo versus $607 in Lisbon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Lisbon pay roughly 20% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,677 in Montevideo versus $2,227 in Lisbon, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Montevideo but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. 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 Lisbon 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 33% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.