Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Uruguay and Spain

For one person, living is cheaper in Uruguay: $1,637 a month against $1,760 in Spain, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Spain outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

🇺🇾 Uruguay
$1,637
/mo nomad
🇪🇸 Spain
$1,760
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Uruguay and in Spain

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,637 in Uruguay versus $1,760 in Spain.

  • Uruguay $1,637
  • Spain $1,760

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,486 in Uruguay versus $2,581 in Spain.

  • Uruguay $2,486
  • Spain $2,581

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,335 in Uruguay versus $3,402 in Spain.

  • Uruguay $3,335
  • Spain $3,402

Uruguay ($47.00–$1,997) and Spain ($937–$2,649) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Living in Uruguay costs about 7% less than in Spain on average.

Both countries sit above the global median: Uruguay 21% above, Spain 30% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Uruguay
Spain
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.11 UYU 687
$16.72 €14.87
2.33%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$54.1 UYU 2,169
$56.0 €49.76
-3.40%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.35 UYU 496
$11.13 €9.90
10.96%
Cappuccino
$4.29 UYU 172
$2.43 €2.17
76.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.31 UYU 92.6
$2.63 €2.34
-12.17%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 UYU 73.5
$1.81 €1.61
1.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.76 UYU 151
$3.40 €3.03
10.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80 UYU 153
$3.82 €3.39
-0.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Uruguay
Spain
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.21 UYU 48.76
$1.17 €1.04
3.42%
White Bread (500g)
$2.56 UYU 103
$1.50 €1.33
70.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.66 UYU 66.8
$1.60 €1.43
3.75%
Eggs
$4.21 UYU 169
$3.33 €2.96
26.43%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.98 UYU 521
$14.41 €12.82
-9.92%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.58 UYU 424
$8.33 €7.41
27.01%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.39 UYU 457
$16.30 €14.50
-30.12%
Apples (1kg)
$2.76 UYU 111
$2.57 €2.29
7.39%
Banana (1kg)
$2.56 UYU 103
$2.04 €1.82
25.49%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.55 UYU 62.2
$2.04 €1.82
-24.02%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.07 UYU 123
$2.55 €2.27
20.39%
Potato (1kg)
$1.82 UYU 73.1
$1.83 €1.63
-0.55%
Onion (1kg)
$2.13 UYU 85.6
$2.03 €1.80
4.93%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.32 UYU 52.8
$1.36 €1.21
-2.94%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.81 UYU 72.7
$0.74 €0.66
144.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.45 UYU 219
$6.35 €5.65
-14.17%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.36 UYU 295
$5.52 €4.91
33.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.16 UYU 86.6
$1.31 €1.17
64.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79 UYU 112
$2.02 €1.80
38.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Uruguay
Spain
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.38 UYU 55.4
$1.71 €1.52
-19.30%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.0 UYU 3,051
$33.15 €29.49
129.32%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.82 UYU 73.2
$4.52 €4.02
-59.73%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.67 UYU 67.1
$1.50 €1.34
11.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.49 UYU 421
$24.43 €21.73
-57.06%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.12 UYU 85.0
$1.79 €1.59
18.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K UYU 1.1M
$35.9K €32.0K
-25.54%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.2K UYU 1.5M
$31.2K €27.7K
19.33%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Uruguay
Spain
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$150 UYU 6,028
$150 €133
0.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.75 UYU 833
$17.57 €15.62
18.10%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.71 UYU 1,634
$31.32 €27.86
29.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Uruguay
Spain
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.61 UYU 1,871
$45.55 €40.52
2.33%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.19 UYU 770
$15.00 €13.34
27.93%
Cinema Ticket
$11.11 UYU 446
$9.47 €8.43
17.32%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Uruguay
Spain
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$575 UYU 23.1K
$544 €484
5.72%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,169 UYU 368.0K
$10.8K €9,563
-14.71%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Uruguay
Spain
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$85.5 UYU 3,431
$84.1 €74.8
1.68%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.89 UYU 2,003
$36.90 €32.82
35.20%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$120 UYU 4,820
$88.5 €78.7
35.68%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 UYU 4,432
$104 €92.8
5.86%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Uruguay
Spain
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$663 UYU 26.6K
$1,017 €904
-34.82%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$526 UYU 21.1K
$793 €705
-33.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,079 UYU 43.3K
$1,605 €1,428
-32.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$871 UYU 34.9K
$1,209 €1,075
-27.99%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,313 UYU 133.0K
$4,093 €3,640
-19.04%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,807 UYU 72.5K
$2,581 €2,296
-29.97%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Uruguay
Spain
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,067 UYU 42.8K
$2,001 €1,780
-46.70%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.81
3.3
76.06%

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

Last update for Uruguay: October 18, 2026

Last update for Spain: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Uruguay
$526
Spain
$793 50.7% $267
Groceries & Markets
Uruguay
$306
Spain
$272 11.1% $34
Eating Out
Uruguay
$268
Spain
$239 11% $30
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Uruguay
$212
Spain
$199 6% $13
Clothing & Footwear
Uruguay
$165
Spain
$141 14.2% $23
Getting Around
Uruguay
$92
Spain
$52 43.3% $40
Sport & Entertainment
Uruguay
$69
Spain
$65 6.3% $4.3

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $337 in Uruguay, $913 in Spain. Capital cities: $713 in Montevideo vs $1,509 in Madrid.

National salary averages: $864 in Uruguay, $1,977 in Spain. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 171% higher in Spain.

Dining out costs 24% more in Spain.

Public transport is 123% more expensive in Spain.

Salaries are 129% higher in Spain, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Spain.

Good to know
🇺🇾 Uruguay
🇪🇸 Spain
🕒 Local time
10:33 10:33 AM
15:33 3:33 PM
5 h ahead of Uruguay
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,444,263
47,415,750
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to UYU – Uruguayan Peso Converter

Uruguayan Peso exchange rates as of October 24, 2026: 1 USD = 40.14 UYU (100 UYU = 2.49 USD). 1 EUR = 45.12 UYU (100 UYU = 2.22 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 24, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Uruguay Spain 9,950 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Uruguay
  • Spain

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
Uruguay vs Spain: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: Spain or Uruguay?
At $1,760 per month in Spain and $1,637 in Uruguay, there's a 8% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Spain or Uruguay?
Day-to-day life is cheaper in Uruguay: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
How do rents compare between Spain and Uruguay?
Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $913 in Spain and $337 in Uruguay. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
How far does $2,500 go in Spain compared to Uruguay?
In Uruguay, $2,500 covers most cities easily; in Spain it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in Spain and in Uruguay?
It depends on what you're after: Uruguay wins on affordability; Spain may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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