Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rionegro and Montevideo

For one person, living is cheaper in Rionegro: $1,348 a month against $1,771 in Montevideo, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Rionegro
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,348
/mo nomad
Montevideo
🇺🇾 Uruguay
$1,771
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rionegro and in Montevideo

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Rionegro and in Montevideo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,348 per month in Rionegro vs $1,771 in Montevideo, rent included.

  • Rionegro $1,348
  • Montevideo $1,771

A couple spends around $2,161 per month in Rionegro vs $2,740 in Montevideo, rent included.

  • Rionegro $2,161
  • Montevideo $2,740

A family of three spends $2,974 per month in Rionegro vs $3,708 in Montevideo, rent included.

  • Rionegro $2,974
  • Montevideo $3,708

Rionegro is about 24% cheaper than Montevideo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Rionegro and Montevideo sit above the global median – Rionegro by 0%, Montevideo by 31%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Rionegro
Montevideo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.32 COP 26.4K
$15.16 UYU 609
-45.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.30 COP 146.8K
$69.2 UYU 2,776
-33.04%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.13 COP 29.0K
$14.65 UYU 588
-37.68%
Cappuccino
$3.11 COP 9,848
$4.46 UYU 179
-30.27%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84 COP 5,837
$2.67 UYU 107
-31.09%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.36 COP 4,312
$2.00 UYU 80.4
-32.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.04 COP 9,636
$4.83 UYU 194
-37.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.52 COP 17.5K
$3.80 UYU 152
45.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rionegro
Montevideo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.49 COP 4,735
$1.36 UYU 54.8
9.56%
White Bread (500g)
$2.40 COP 7,620
$2.87 UYU 115
-16.38%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.74 COP 5,528
$1.75 UYU 70.2
-0.57%
Eggs
$2.90 COP 9,200
$4.68 UYU 188
-38.03%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.93 COP 31.5K
$13.88 UYU 557
-28.46%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.52 COP 30.2K
$11.98 UYU 481
-20.53%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.07 COP 44.6K
$11.97 UYU 480
17.54%
Apples (1kg)
$3.88 COP 12.3K
$2.78 UYU 111
39.57%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 COP 4,757
$2.74 UYU 110
-45.26%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.20 COP 6,965
$1.77 UYU 71.2
24.29%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.22 COP 7,045
$3.24 UYU 130
-31.48%
Potato (1kg)
$1.90 COP 6,027
$1.97 UYU 79.2
-3.55%
Onion (1kg)
$1.65 COP 5,221
$2.07 UYU 83.1
-20.29%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.18 COP 3,753
$1.37 UYU 55.1
-13.87%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.23 COP 3,901
$1.88 UYU 75.3
-34.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.83 COP 12.1K
$5.59 UYU 224
-31.48%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.77 COP 43.7K
$8.78 UYU 352
56.83%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.63 COP 5,181
$2.26 UYU 90.9
-27.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.31 COP 7,339
$2.75 UYU 110
-16.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Rionegro
Montevideo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.00 COP 3,185
$1.53 UYU 61.5
-34.64%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$74.3 UYU 2,980
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.32 COP 4,198
$1.91 UYU 76.7
-30.89%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.12 COP 6,713
$0.40 UYU 16.18
430.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.48 COP 26.9K
$10.33 UYU 415
-17.91%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 COP 4,069
$2.13 UYU 85.6
-39.91%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K COP 88.2M
$27.1K UYU 1.1M
2.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.0K COP 114.2M
$36.3K UYU 1.5M
-0.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rionegro
Montevideo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 539.4K
$188 UYU 7,557
-9.65%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.44 COP 42.6K
$20.54 UYU 824
-34.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.48 COP 90.3K
$44.81 UYU 1,798
-36.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rionegro
Montevideo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.84 COP 132.7K
$54.0 UYU 2,166
-22.46%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.75 UYU 793
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.29 COP 20.0K
$11.95 UYU 480
-47.36%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rionegro
Montevideo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$800 COP 2.5M
$634 UYU 25.5K
26.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,001 COP 28.5M
$11.1K UYU 443.6K
-18.57%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rionegro
Montevideo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.9 COP 269.1K
$102 UYU 4,099
-16.91%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.3 COP 181.7K
$57.5 UYU 2,309
-0.37%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 426.8K
$127 UYU 5,079
6.35%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 310.4K
$128 UYU 5,131
-23.44%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rionegro
Montevideo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$593 COP 1.9M
$719 UYU 28.8K
-17.44%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$433 COP 1.4M
$568 UYU 22.8K
-23.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$965 COP 3.1M
$1,145 UYU 46.0K
-15.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$987 COP 3.1M
$1,023 UYU 41.1K
-3.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,161 COP 6.9M
$3,392 UYU 136.1K
-36.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,537 COP 4.9M
$1,949 UYU 78.2K
-21.15%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rionegro
Montevideo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,245 UYU 50.0K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
5.74
90.59%

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

Last update for Rionegro: October 13, 2026

Last update for Montevideo: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Rionegro
$433
Montevideo
$568 31.2% $135
Groceries & Markets
Rionegro
$294
Montevideo
$332 12.7% $37
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rionegro
$212
Montevideo
$254 19.6% $42
Eating Out
Rionegro
$170
Montevideo
$269 58.1% $99
Clothing & Footwear
Rionegro
$169
Montevideo
$186 10.5% $18
Sport & Entertainment
Rionegro
$54
Montevideo
$78 43.1% $23
Getting Around
Rionegro
$16 *
Montevideo
$84 429% $68

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $593 in Rionegro versus $719 in Montevideo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Rionegro versus $69.0 in Montevideo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $294 vs $332 – making Rionegro the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Rionegro
🇺🇾 Montevideo
🕒 Local time
21:36 9:36 PM
23:36 11:36 PM
2 h ahead of Rionegro
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
130,000
1,319,108 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

UYU, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Uruguayan Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 40.14 UYU (100 UYU = 2.49 USD). 1 EUR = 45.12 UYU (100 UYU = 2.22 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Rionegro Montevideo 4,990 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Rionegro
  • Montevideo

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
Rionegro vs Montevideo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Montevideo cheaper than Rionegro?
Yes – Montevideo is pricier by about 31%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,023 per month in Rionegro and $2,656 in Montevideo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Rionegro, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Rionegro or in Montevideo?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Rionegro and $69.0 in Montevideo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Rionegro and in Montevideo?
Groceries cost about 13% more in Montevideo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Rionegro or in Montevideo?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Rionegro, where all-in costs run around $1,348, than in Montevideo at $1,771. In Rionegro it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montevideo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Rionegro or Montevideo more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Rionegro – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Rionegro or Montevideo?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Rionegro. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Montevideo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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