😐A single person spends $2,259 per month in Rochester, MI vs $1,632 in Montevideo, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $3,203 per month in Rochester, MI vs $2,480 in Montevideo, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $4,146 per month in Rochester, MI vs $3,329 in Montevideo, rent included.
😐Rochester, MI costs about 38% more than Montevideo, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Both Rochester, MI and Montevideo sit above the global median – Rochester, MI by 69%, Montevideo by 22%.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Rochester, MI
Montevideo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.02$18.02
$15.85UYU 638
13.69%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$59.0$59.0
$54.6UYU 2,196
8.14%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.93$10.93
$12.12UYU 488
-9.82%
Cappuccino
$4.71$4.71
$4.23UYU 170
11.35%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.52$2.52
$2.19UYU 88.1
15.07%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.56$1.56
$1.69UYU 68.2
-7.69%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.83$5.83
$4.52UYU 182
28.98%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.96$6.96
$3.60UYU 145
93.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rochester, MI
Montevideo
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.87$0.87
$1.27UYU 51.2
-31.50%
White Bread(500g)
$3.29$3.29
$2.77UYU 112
18.77%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.38$3.38
$1.58UYU 63.8
113.92%
Eggs
$3.20$3.20
$4.79UYU 193
-33.19%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.23$12.23
$13.41UYU 540
-8.80%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$11.90$11.90
$10.67UYU 429
11.53%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.11$11.11
$11.24UYU 452
-1.16%
Apples(1kg)
$4.36$4.36
$3.00UYU 121
45.33%
Banana(1kg)
$1.36$1.36
$2.43UYU 97.9
-44.03%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.52$4.52
$1.54UYU 62.2
193.51%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.65$5.65
$3.66UYU 148
54.37%
Potato(1kg)
$2.09$2.09
$2.11UYU 84.8
-0.95%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18$2.18
$1.89UYU 75.9
15.34%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02$1.02
$1.37UYU 55.0
-25.55%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.72$2.72
$1.71UYU 68.9
59.06%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$8.85$8.85
$5.10UYU 205
73.53%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.71$14.71
$10.05UYU 404
46.37%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.85$1.85
$2.36UYU 94.9
-21.61%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63$3.63
$2.92UYU 118
24.32%
🚌 Getting Around
Rochester, MI
Montevideo
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.97$1.97
$1.29UYU 52.0
52.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$55.8UYU 2,247
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.72$4.72
$1.60UYU 64.2
195.00%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.39$1.39
$3.63UYU 146
-61.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$27.85$27.85
$12.43UYU 500
124.05%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.83$0.83
$1.81UYU 72.9
-54.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.4K$24.4K
$34.5KUYU 1.4M
-29.33%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.3K$24.3K
$36.0KUYU 1.4M
-32.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rochester, MI
Montevideo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$120$120
$170UYU 6,861
-29.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$45.41$45.41
$16.51UYU 665
175.05%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$60.9$60.9
$49.77UYU 2,004
22.26%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rochester, MI
Montevideo
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$22.64$22.64
$61.8UYU 2,488
-63.37%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.52$34.52
$17.67UYU 711
95.36%
Cinema Ticket
$9.96$9.96
$10.45UYU 421
-4.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rochester, MI
Montevideo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$953$953
$482UYU 19.4K
97.53%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$20.2K$20.2K
$8,873UYU 357.2K
128.19%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rochester, MI
Montevideo
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$65.3$65.3
$94.9UYU 3,819
-31.16%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.87$39.87
$47.22UYU 1,901
-15.57%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$99.6$99.6
$112UYU 4,500
-10.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$138$138
$123UYU 4,962
12.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rochester, MI
Montevideo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,178$1,178
$628UYU 25.3K
87.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,196$1,196
$492UYU 19.8K
143.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,237$2,237
$1,112UYU 44.8K
101.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,722$1,722
$801UYU 32.2K
115.03%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,262$4,262
$3,582UYU 144.2K
18.98%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,236$2,236
$2,272UYU 91.5K
-1.60%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rochester, MI
Montevideo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$5,572$5,572
$1,334UYU 53.7K
317.63%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.45
5.68
13.56%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Rochester, MI: May 31, 2026
Last update for Montevideo: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,178 in Rochester, MI versus $628 in Montevideo. 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 318% higher in Rochester, MI, 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 $59.0 in Rochester, MI versus $55.0 in Montevideo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $367 vs $321 – making Montevideo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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
Rochester, MI vs Montevideo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Montevideo cheaper than Rochester, MI?
Yes – Rochester, MI is pricier by about 38%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,389 per month in Rochester, MI and $2,448 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 Montevideo, 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 Rochester, MI or Montevideo?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Rochester, MI and $55.0 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 Rochester, MI and Montevideo?
Groceries cost about 14% more in Rochester, MI, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for Rochester, MI or Montevideo?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Montevideo, where all-in costs run around $1,632, than in Rochester, MI at $2,259. In Montevideo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rochester, MI it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Rochester, MI or Montevideo more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Rochester, MI 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 Montevideo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Rochester, MI makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Rochester, MI vs other spots: cost of living compared