Cost of Living Comparison Between Uruguay and Italy Cost of Living Comparison Between Uruguay and Italy

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,018 in Uruguay versus $1,718 in Italy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,616 in Uruguay versus $2,623 in Italy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,214 in Uruguay versus $3,527 in Italy.

Living in Uruguay costs about 41% less than in Italy on average.

Uruguay (24% below) and Italy (28% above) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in Uruguay: monthly costs span $0 to $2,092, compared to $1,195$2,531 in Italy. City choice carries more weight in Uruguay.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Uruguay
Italy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.96 UYU 675
$17.20 €14.71
-1.40%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.5 UYU 2,125
$81.2 €69.4
-34.18%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.64 UYU 463
$11.40 €9.75
2.11%
Cappuccino
$4.24 UYU 169
$1.91 €1.63
121.99%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.32 UYU 92.4
$2.86 €2.45
-18.88%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.78 UYU 70.6
$1.33 €1.13
33.83%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.92 UYU 156
$5.89 €5.04
-33.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.74 UYU 149
$5.12 €4.38
-26.95%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Uruguay
Italy
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.21 UYU 48.28
$1.64 €1.40
-26.22%
White Bread (500g)
$2.66 UYU 106
$2.30 €1.96
15.65%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.58 UYU 62.9
$3.03 €2.59
-47.85%
Eggs
$4.31 UYU 171
$4.09 €3.50
5.38%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.53 UYU 538
$16.26 €13.90
-16.79%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.53 UYU 419
$12.24 €10.47
-13.97%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.08 UYU 440
$20.45 €17.48
-45.82%
Apples (1kg)
$2.88 UYU 114
$2.55 €2.18
12.94%
Banana (1kg)
$2.45 UYU 97.3
$2.12 €1.82
15.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.47 UYU 58.6
$2.68 €2.30
-45.15%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.25 UYU 129
$3.38 €2.89
-3.85%
Potato (1kg)
$2.04 UYU 81.2
$2.00 €1.71
2.00%
Onion (1kg)
$2.09 UYU 83.0
$1.88 €1.60
11.17%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.32 UYU 52.4
$1.47 €1.26
-10.20%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.73 UYU 68.8
$0.54 €0.46
220.37%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.07 UYU 202
$6.75 €5.77
-24.89%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.21 UYU 327
$7.18 €6.14
14.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.31 UYU 91.9
$1.80 €1.54
28.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 UYU 119
$2.45 €2.09
22.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Uruguay
Italy
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.20 UYU 47.52
$2.02 €1.73
-40.59%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$43.44 UYU 1,727
$41.49 €35.47
4.70%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.50 UYU 59.5
$5.77 €4.93
-74.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.57 UYU 62.5
$1.53 €1.31
2.61%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.14 UYU 443
$35.33 €30.21
-68.47%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.85 UYU 73.4
$2.12 €1.81
-12.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.4K UYU 1.6M
$32.3K €27.6K
22.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.8K UYU 1.5M
$33.4K €28.6K
16.08%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Uruguay
Italy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$142 UYU 5,639
$224 €191
-36.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.99 UYU 715
$13.24 €11.32
35.88%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$41.63 UYU 1,655
$30.96 €26.47
34.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Uruguay
Italy
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.9 UYU 2,181
$56.6 €48.41
-3.11%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.02 UYU 756
$25.11 €21.47
-24.25%
Cinema Ticket
$10.17 UYU 404
$10.32 €8.83
-1.45%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Uruguay
Italy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$475 UYU 18.9K
$563 €482
-15.74%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,694 UYU 345.7K
$10.6K €9,084
-18.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Uruguay
Italy
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.4 UYU 3,595
$90.1 €77.1
0.31%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.93 UYU 1,985
$40.60 €34.71
22.98%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$117 UYU 4,643
$100 €85.6
16.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 UYU 4,730
$133 €113
-10.23%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Uruguay
Italy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$594 UYU 23.6K
$864 €739
-31.31%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$467 UYU 18.6K
$668 €571
-30.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,027 UYU 40.8K
$1,473 €1,260
-30.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$788 UYU 31.3K
$1,088 €930
-27.56%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,270 UYU 130.0K
$3,808 €3,256
-14.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,032 UYU 80.8K
$2,454 €2,098
-17.19%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Uruguay
Italy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,060 UYU 42.2K
$1,935 €1,655
-45.21%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.45
4.41
46.26%

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

Last update for Uruguay: April 22, 2026

Last update for Italy: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $285 in Uruguay, $742 in Italy. Capital cities: $615 in Montevideo vs $1,366 in Rome.

National salary averages: $841 in Uruguay, $1,935 in Italy. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 160% higher in Italy.

Dining out costs 68% more in Italy.

Public transport is 52% more expensive in Italy.

Salaries are 130% higher in Italy, giving Italy 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
Uruguay vs Italy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Italy and Uruguay?
At $1,863 per month in Italy and $1,046 in Uruguay, there's a 78% 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?
Uruguay is simply cheaper day-to-day: 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 Italy beats 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 Italy or Uruguay?
In Uruguay, $2,500 covers most cities easily. In Italy, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Italy or Uruguay?
It depends on what you're after. Uruguay wins on affordability; Italy may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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