😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,009 in Uruguay versus $964 in Argentina.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,611 in Uruguay versus $1,577 in Argentina.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,212 in Uruguay versus $2,189 in Argentina.
🌍Living in Uruguay is roughly 5% more expensive than in Argentina on average.
📊Both countries sit below the global median: Uruguay 24% lower, Argentina 28% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Uruguay
Argentina
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.02UYU 683
$11.82ARS 17.7K
43.99%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$54.4UYU 2,183
$50.2ARS 75.1K
8.39%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.51UYU 462
$10.05ARS 15.0K
14.53%
Cappuccino
$4.14UYU 166
$3.42ARS 5,113
21.05%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.34UYU 93.9
$1.90ARS 2,836
23.16%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84UYU 73.8
$1.46ARS 2,183
26.03%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.88UYU 156
$3.06ARS 4,574
26.80%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.57UYU 143
$3.08ARS 4,600
15.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Uruguay
Argentina
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.16UYU 46.38
$1.42ARS 2,125
-18.31%
White Bread(500g)
$2.69UYU 108
$2.06ARS 3,081
30.58%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.67UYU 66.9
$2.14ARS 3,204
-21.96%
Eggs
$4.26UYU 171
$2.71ARS 4,051
57.20%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.40UYU 538
$10.17ARS 15.2K
31.76%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.70UYU 430
$7.03ARS 10.5K
52.20%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.09UYU 445
$9.01ARS 13.5K
23.09%
Apples(1kg)
$2.78UYU 112
$2.19ARS 3,276
26.94%
Banana(1kg)
$2.45UYU 98.5
$2.06ARS 3,088
18.93%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.45UYU 58.4
$1.29ARS 1,937
12.40%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.28UYU 132
$2.37ARS 3,546
38.40%
Potato(1kg)
$2.05UYU 82.4
$1.24ARS 1,851
65.32%
Onion(1kg)
$2.01UYU 80.6
$1.21ARS 1,808
66.12%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.25UYU 50.2
$1.51ARS 2,265
-17.22%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.70UYU 68.4
$1.53ARS 2,286
11.11%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.06UYU 203
$2.96ARS 4,432
70.95%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.49UYU 301
$4.95ARS 7,402
51.31%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.31UYU 92.7
$1.86ARS 2,780
24.19%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.93UYU 118
$2.98ARS 4,463
-1.68%
🚌 Getting Around
Uruguay
Argentina
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.24UYU 49.83
$0.73ARS 1,098
69.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$43.79UYU 1,758
$20.71ARS 31.0K
111.44%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.44UYU 57.6
$1.53ARS 2,284
-5.88%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.52UYU 60.9
$0.97ARS 1,455
56.70%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$10.82UYU 434
$6.02ARS 9,004
79.73%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.94UYU 78.0
$1.14ARS 1,699
70.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.6KUYU 1.6M
$24.7KARS 37.0M
56.04%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.8KUYU 1.5M
$30.0KARS 44.9M
26.01%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Uruguay
Argentina
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$143UYU 5,745
$86.2ARS 129.0K
65.95%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.93UYU 720
$16.85ARS 25.2K
6.41%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.43UYU 1,703
$23.02ARS 34.4K
84.32%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Uruguay
Argentina
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$55.7UYU 2,237
$31.41ARS 47.0K
77.40%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.74UYU 752
$13.39ARS 20.0K
39.96%
Cinema Ticket
$10.09UYU 405
$6.78ARS 10.1K
48.82%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Uruguay
Argentina
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$467UYU 18.7K
$253ARS 377.9K
84.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,602UYU 345.3K
$3,756ARS 5.6M
128.98%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Uruguay
Argentina
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$92.2UYU 3,702
$99.0ARS 148.2K
-6.88%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.1UYU 2,011
$79.7ARS 119.2K
-37.10%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$114UYU 4,582
$119ARS 178.0K
-4.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$117UYU 4,686
$117ARS 175.1K
-0.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Uruguay
Argentina
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$601UYU 24.1K
$493ARS 737.4K
21.86%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$463UYU 18.6K
$331ARS 494.6K
39.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,025UYU 41.2K
$890ARS 1.3M
15.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$798UYU 32.0K
$614ARS 918.3K
29.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,373UYU 135.4K
$2,157ARS 3.2M
56.38%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,074UYU 83.3K
$1,389ARS 2.1M
49.30%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Uruguay
Argentina
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,081UYU 43.4K
$726ARS 1.1M
48.83%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.45
65.53
-90.16%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Uruguay: July 21, 2026
Last update for Argentina: July 20, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $286 in Uruguay, $352 in Argentina. Capital cities: $615 in Montevideo vs $648 in Buenos Aires.
💰National salary averages: $857 in Uruguay, $730 in Argentina. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 23% higher in Argentina.
⭐Dining out costs 26% more in Uruguay.
⭐Public transport is 480% more expensive in Uruguay.
⭐Salaries are 17% higher in Uruguay.
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
Uruguay vs Argentina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Argentina and Uruguay?
At $1,023 per month in Argentina and $1,009 in Uruguay, there's a 1% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Uruguay: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Argentina is consistently higher than in Uruguay across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget in Argentina or in Uruguay?
In Uruguay, $2,500 covers most cities easily; in Argentina it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Argentina or to Uruguay?
It depends on what you're after: Uruguay wins on affordability; Argentina may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.