Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Uruguay Cost of Living Comparison Between United States and Uruguay

Name: Uruguay
Address: UY

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,645 per month in United States vs $1,018 in Uruguay, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,858 per month in United States vs $1,616 in Uruguay, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,071 per month in United States vs $2,214 in Uruguay, rent included.

United States costs about 160% more than Uruguay on average — the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

United States sits 97% above the global median, while Uruguay is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

United States has a wider regional cost range ($1,335–$5,185) than Uruguay ($0–$2,092), so location matters more when choosing where to live in United States.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.28 $20.28

$16.96 UYU 675

19.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.7 $73.7

$53.5 UYU 2,125

37.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.57 $11.57

$11.64 UYU 463

-0.60%

Cappuccino

$5.34 $5.34

$4.24 UYU 169

25.94%

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

$2.50 $2.50

$2.32 UYU 92.4

7.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.78 UYU 70.6

17.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.96 $5.96

$3.92 UYU 156

52.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.03 $7.03

$3.74 UYU 149

87.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.21 UYU 48.28

-9.92%

White Bread (500g)

$3.56 $3.56

$2.66 UYU 106

33.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.75 $4.75

$1.58 UYU 62.9

200.63%

Eggs

$4.26 $4.26

$4.31 UYU 171

-1.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.05 $13.05

$13.53 UYU 538

-3.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.32 $12.32

$10.53 UYU 419

17.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.03 $16.03

$11.08 UYU 440

44.68%

Apples (1kg)

$5.34 $5.34

$2.88 UYU 114

85.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.45 UYU 97.3

-29.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$1.47 UYU 58.6

209.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$3.25 UYU 129

52.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.04 UYU 81.2

43.14%

Onion (1kg)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.09 UYU 83.0

44.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.32 UYU 52.4

68.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.73 UYU 68.8

30.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.13 $10.13

$5.07 UYU 202

99.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.93 $14.93

$8.21 UYU 327

81.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.31 UYU 91.9

-16.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.00 UYU 119

17.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.20 UYU 47.52

112.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.8 $65.8

$43.44 UYU 1,727

51.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 $3.82

$1.50 UYU 59.5

154.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.57 UYU 62.5

7.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.65 $29.65

$11.14 UYU 443

166.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.85 UYU 73.4

-51.35%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

$39.4K UYU 1.6M

-22.66%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$38.8K UYU 1.5M

-32.02%

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

$205 $205

$142 UYU 5,639

44.26%

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

$57.2 $57.2

$17.99 UYU 715

217.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.5 $71.5

$41.63 UYU 1,655

71.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.76 $45.76

$54.9 UYU 2,181

-16.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.31 $22.31

$19.02 UYU 756

17.30%

Cinema Ticket

$13.89 $13.89

$10.17 UYU 404

36.58%

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

$1,380 $1,380

$475 UYU 18.9K

190.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.5K $22.5K

$8,694 UYU 345.7K

158.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.9 $52.9

$90.4 UYU 3,595

-41.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.81 $42.81

$49.93 UYU 1,985

-14.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.8 $88.8

$117 UYU 4,643

-23.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$119 UYU 4,730

-4.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,742 $1,742

$594 UYU 23.6K

193.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 $1,431

$467 UYU 18.6K

206.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,864 $2,864

$1,027 UYU 40.8K

178.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,422 $2,422

$788 UYU 31.3K

207.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,466 $3,466

$3,270 UYU 130.0K

6.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$2,032 UYU 80.8K

30.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,320 $4,320

$1,060 UYU 42.2K

307.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

6.45

0.93%

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

Last update for United States: April 19, 2026

Last update for Uruguay: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,634 in United States vs $285 in Uruguay. For reference, capital cities sit at $2,570 in Washington, DC and $615 in Montevideo.

Average salary: $4,489 in United States vs $841 in Uruguay. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 473% higher in United States.

Dining out costs 66% more in United States.

Public transport is 16% more expensive in Uruguay.

Salaries are 434% higher in United States, giving United States stronger purchasing power.

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

United States vs Uruguay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Uruguay is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 212% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in United States, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but United States consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Uruguay, contributing to the overall 212% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Uruguay, but in United States it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Uruguay is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.