Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Urbandale, IA

For one person, living is cheaper in Montevideo: $1,784 a month against $2,310 in Urbandale, IA, rent and utilities included – about $6,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Urbandale, IA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

86

Cost of Living Index in Montevideo
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Montevideo Living Index
113

Cost of Living Index in Urbandale, IA
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Urbandale, IA Living Index

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Montevideo

🇺🇾 Uruguay

$1,784

/mo nomad

Urbandale, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,310

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montevideo and in Urbandale, IA

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

A single person spends $1,784 per month in Montevideo vs $2,310 in Urbandale, IA, rent included.

Montevideo $1,784
Urbandale, IA $2,310

A couple spends around $2,756 per month in Montevideo vs $3,374 in Urbandale, IA, rent included.

Montevideo $2,756
Urbandale, IA $3,374

A family of three spends $3,728 per month in Montevideo vs $4,437 in Urbandale, IA, rent included.

Montevideo $3,728
Urbandale, IA $4,437

Montevideo is about 23% cheaper than Urbandale, IA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Montevideo and Urbandale, IA sit above the global median – Montevideo by 32%, Urbandale, IA by 70%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.82 UYU 595

$14.86 $14.86

-0.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 UYU 2,797

$50.9 $50.9

36.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.68 UYU 589

$9.96 $9.96

47.39%

Cappuccino

$4.65 UYU 186

$4.97 $4.97

-6.44%

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

$2.74 UYU 110

$1.21 $1.21

126.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 UYU 82.9

$0.99 $0.99

109.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.79 UYU 192

$5.15 $5.15

-6.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 UYU 146

$7.58 $7.58

-52.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 UYU 55.8

$1.01 $1.01

37.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 UYU 116

$3.25 $3.25

-11.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 UYU 68.1

$3.84 $3.84

-55.73%

Eggs

$4.62 UYU 185

$2.05 $2.05

125.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.22 UYU 571

$14.07 $14.07

1.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.62 UYU 466

$9.88 $9.88

17.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.23 UYU 491

$13.88 $13.88

-11.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 UYU 111

$3.21 $3.21

-13.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.85 UYU 114

$1.61 $1.61

77.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 UYU 72.5

$3.47 $3.47

-47.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.20 UYU 129

$3.29 $3.29

-2.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 UYU 77.8

$3.09 $3.09

-37.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 UYU 86.5

$3.37 $3.37

-35.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 UYU 57.3

$2.14 $2.14

-33.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 UYU 77.9

$2.10 $2.10

-7.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.47 UYU 219

$8.16 $8.16

-32.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.95 UYU 359

$12.04 $12.04

-25.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 UYU 90.8

$1.82 $1.82

24.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 UYU 113

$1.87 $1.87

50.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.56 UYU 62.6

$2.05 $2.05

-23.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.8 UYU 2,962

$66.0 $66.0

11.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 UYU 76.2

$2.46 $2.46

-22.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 UYU 17.36

$1.20 $1.20

-64.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.59 UYU 425

$60.2 $60.2

-82.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.12 UYU 85.2

$0.98 $0.98

116.33%

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

$26.8K UYU 1.1M

$34.6K $34.6K

-22.48%

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

$37.0K UYU 1.5M

$25.6K $25.6K

44.38%

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

$193 UYU 7,727

$140 $140

37.84%

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

$20.91 UYU 839

$14.79 $14.79

41.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.89 UYU 1,802

$25.01 $25.01

79.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.8 UYU 2,038

$35.57 $35.57

42.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.73 UYU 792

$20.34 $20.34

-3.00%

Cinema Ticket

$12.30 UYU 494

$14.81 $14.81

-16.95%

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

$629 UYU 25.2K

$1,164 $1,164

-46.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K UYU 437.3K

$20.7K $20.7K

-47.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 UYU 4,166

$61.3 $61.3

69.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.4 UYU 2,305

$21.96 $21.96

161.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 UYU 5,010

$45.54 $45.54

174.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 UYU 5,315

$75.1 $75.1

76.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$713 UYU 28.6K

$933 $933

-23.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$575 UYU 23.1K

$1,290 $1,290

-55.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,164 UYU 46.7K

$1,237 $1,237

-5.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,033 UYU 41.5K

$2,164 $2,164

-52.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,418 UYU 137.2K

$2,777 $2,777

23.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,760 UYU 70.6K

$2,710 $2,710

-35.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,244 UYU 49.9K

$3,637 $3,637

-65.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.74

6.56

-12.50%

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

Last update for Montevideo: October 19, 2026

Last update for Urbandale, IA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Montevideo

$575 32.2%

Urbandale, IA

$1.3K 55.9% 124% $715

Groceries & Markets

Montevideo

$334 18.7%

Urbandale, IA

$342 14.8% 2.6% $8.6

Eating Out

Montevideo

$269 15.1%

Urbandale, IA

$258 11.2% 4% $11

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montevideo

$258 14.5%

Urbandale, IA

$179 7.8% 30.5% $79

Clothing & Footwear

Montevideo

$188 10.6%

Urbandale, IA

$92 4% 51.3% $97

Getting Around

Montevideo

$84 4.7%

Urbandale, IA

$83 3.6% 1.7% $1.4

Sport & Entertainment

Montevideo

$75 4.2%

Urbandale, IA

$65 2.8% 13.5% $10

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $713 in Montevideo versus $933 in Urbandale, IA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 192% higher in Urbandale, IA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Montevideo versus $51.0 in Urbandale, IA. Groceries tell a different story – $334 in Montevideo vs $342 in Urbandale, IA – so Montevideo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇾 Montevideo

🇺🇸 Urbandale, IA

🕒 Local time

20:48 8:48 PM

18:48 6:48 PM

2 h behind Montevideo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,319,108 Capital

45,580

💱 Currency

Uruguayan Peso UYU $U

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 UYU = 2.49 USD

100 UYU = 2.22 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to UYU – Uruguayan Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇺🇾 Uruguayan Peso ($U)

Uruguayan Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 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 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to UYU in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Montevideo Urbandale, IA 9,330 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Montevideo
Urbandale, IA

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 Urbandale, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Urbandale, IA is pricier by about 29%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,676 per month in Montevideo and $3,465 in Urbandale, IA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Montevideo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $629 per month in Montevideo and $1,164 in Urbandale, IA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Urbandale, IA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Montevideo, where all-in costs run around $1,784, than in Urbandale, IA at $2,310. In Montevideo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Urbandale, IA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Montevideo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Montevideo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Urbandale, IA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.