Cost of Living in Uruguay - Updated Prices & Insights

Name: Uruguay
Address: UY

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends around $1,011 per month with rent on average in Uruguay.

A couple spends around $1,612 per month with rent on average in Uruguay.

A family of three spends around $2,213 per month with rent on average in Uruguay.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.93 UYU 681

$11.87 UYU 477

$24.19 UYU 973

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.2 UYU 2,177

$40.26 UYU 1,619

$98.5 UYU 3,959

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.56 UYU 465

$9.84 UYU 395

$13.78 UYU 554

Cappuccino

$4.19 UYU 168

$2.02 UYU 81.2

$6.17 UYU 248

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

$2.41 UYU 97.0

$1.37 UYU 55.2

$3.73 UYU 150

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 UYU 74.1

$1.16 UYU 46.80

$3.05 UYU 122

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.72 UYU 150

$1.91 UYU 76.8

$5.95 UYU 239

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 UYU 144

$2.39 UYU 96.1

$6.68 UYU 269

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 UYU 46.43

$0.98 UYU 39.35

$1.61 UYU 64.5

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 UYU 109

$1.73 UYU 69.7

$4.96 UYU 199

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 UYU 63.8

$1.08 UYU 43.30

$1.92 UYU 77.2

Eggs

$4.35 UYU 175

$1.97 UYU 79.3

$5.91 UYU 238

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.46 UYU 541

$7.23 UYU 291

$21.45 UYU 862

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 UYU 419

$4.84 UYU 194

$14.51 UYU 583

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.40 UYU 458

$7.48 UYU 301

$17.45 UYU 702

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 UYU 116

$1.24 UYU 49.66

$3.72 UYU 149

Banana (1kg)

$2.42 UYU 97.5

$1.48 UYU 59.5

$4.43 UYU 178

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 UYU 60.4

$0.79 UYU 31.61

$2.95 UYU 119

Tomato (1kg)

$3.31 UYU 133

$1.48 UYU 59.3

$5.62 UYU 226

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 UYU 81.3

$0.99 UYU 39.83

$2.70 UYU 109

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 UYU 82.9

$1.24 UYU 49.80

$2.71 UYU 109

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 UYU 52.8

$0.88 UYU 35.23

$1.86 UYU 75.0

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 UYU 70.6

$1.25 UYU 50.1

$2.25 UYU 90.3

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.02 UYU 202

$4.78 UYU 192

$5.74 UYU 231

Wine (Bottle)

$7.65 UYU 307

$3.82 UYU 154

$12.75 UYU 512

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 UYU 93.9

$1.71 UYU 68.8

$3.76 UYU 151

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 UYU 119

$1.97 UYU 79.3

$4.68 UYU 188

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 UYU 49.78

$1.12 UYU 44.88

$1.49 UYU 60.0

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.26 UYU 1,739

$57.7 UYU 2,319

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 UYU 60.9

$1.88 UYU 75.8

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 UYU 61.0

$4.21 UYU 169

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.14 UYU 448

$14.85 UYU 597

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 UYU 77.7

$1.86 UYU 74.8

$2.24 UYU 89.9

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

$39.4K UYU 1.6M

$32.7K UYU 1.3M

$39.4K UYU 1.6M

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

$39.0K UYU 1.6M

$38.6K UYU 1.6M

$39.6K UYU 1.6M

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

$145 UYU 5,839

$84.5 UYU 3,399

$352 UYU 14.2K

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

$17.54 UYU 705

$9.72 UYU 391

$48.60 UYU 1,954

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.98 UYU 1,688

$31.52 UYU 1,267

$63.0 UYU 2,535

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 UYU 2,232

$29.54 UYU 1,188

$98.5 UYU 3,959

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.87 UYU 759

$12.22 UYU 491

$29.32 UYU 1,179

Cinema Ticket

$10.11 UYU 407

$7.31 UYU 294

$12.18 UYU 490

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

$469 UYU 18.9K

$295 UYU 11.8K

$810 UYU 32.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,712 UYU 350.2K

$7,456 UYU 299.8K

$10.4K UYU 419.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.6 UYU 3,604

$36.24 UYU 1,457

$137 UYU 5,527

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.71 UYU 1,958

$14.55 UYU 585

$72.8 UYU 2,925

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 UYU 4,742

$76.5 UYU 3,074

$162 UYU 6,517

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 UYU 4,677

$72.5 UYU 2,913

$169 UYU 6,796

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$603 UYU 24.3K

$488 UYU 19.6K

$977 UYU 39.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$472 UYU 19.0K

$370 UYU 14.9K

$740 UYU 29.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,039 UYU 41.8K

$712 UYU 28.6K

$2,034 UYU 81.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$793 UYU 31.9K

$590 UYU 23.7K

$1,306 UYU 52.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,343 UYU 134.4K

$1,970 UYU 79.2K

$4,232 UYU 170.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,105 UYU 84.6K

$1,589 UYU 63.9K

$3,871 UYU 155.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,072 UYU 43.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

4.3

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

Last update: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

The average net salary in Uruguay is $859 – below average monthly costs of $1,011. Many locals rely on dual incomes or shared housing. Remote workers earning abroad find strong purchasing power here.

Groceries average around $227 per month nationally. A mid-range dinner for two costs about $44.00.

Cost Highlights

Overall living costs ($1,011) is 24% below the global median of $1,331.

Average rent ($288) is 54% below the global median of $630.

By City in Uruguay

Lowest

Highest

Rank	City	Population	Living Index	Solo costs (no rent) / month	Solo costs (with rent) / month	Family of 3 costs (no rent) / month	Family of 3 costs (with rent) / month	Mobile download speed (Mbps)	Internet download speed (Mbps)
1	Artigas	40658		$144	$315	$275	$419	103.49	270.93
2	Atlantida	6000	80	$996	$1,615	$2,774	$3,468	127.4	180.73
3	Canelones	19865	54	$843	$1,082	$2,315	$3,456	164.47	287.84
4	Colonia	26231		$577	$1,035	$1,460	$2,295	292.04	155.67
5	Durazno	34372	48	$695	$965	$2,093	$2,001	126.27	215.49
6	Florida	33640	72	$729	$1,454	$2,216	$2,955	81.8	127.69
7	Las Piedras	71268	48	$815	$939	$2,109	$2,105	38.94	172.05
8	Libertad	10166	52	$776	$1,044	$2,271	$2,223	196.23	316.92
9	Maldonado	62592	66	$867	$1,322	$1,854	$2,934	32.65	207.56
10	Mercedes	41975	67	$785	$1,318	$2,187	$2,688	90.18	199.69
11	Minas	38446	52	$732	$1,041	$2,359	$2,223	89.58	160.07
12	Montevideo	1319108	82	$833	$1,639	$2,508	$3,381	39.32	213.53
13	Pando	25949		$14.51	$16.49	$22.53	$623	87.48	220.23
14	Paysandú	76429		$415	$419	$940	$1,036	126.42	184.18
15	Piriapolis	8000	71	$809	$1,410	$2,012	$2,933	179.21	181.68
16	Punta del Este	9300	103	$1,191	$2,051	$2,358	$4,475	1.43	169.83
17	Rivera	64485						282.01	271.6
18	Salto	104028	63	$682	$1,235	$1,936	$2,501	25.75	220.76
19	San José	36747	50	$709	$975	$1,698	$2,108	74.27	165.75
20	Tacuarembo	54757		$150	$336	$325	$471	271.39	194.8
21	Treinta y Tres	32259	52	$659	$1,023	$1,441	$2,137	23.04	260.72
22	Trinidad	21429	52	$922	$1,018	$2,299	$2,257	131.69	186.92

Uruguay Median Internet Speeds (Updated April 2026)

Mobile

Mbps

Fixed Broadband

Mbps

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Cost of Living in Uruguay - Frequently Asked Questions

Cost of Living in Uruguay offers a flexible balance between housing and lifestyle. Across the country you find a friendly pace and stable services that many expats value. Montevideo tends to have more rental options and higher prices, while smaller cities and coast towns can be noticeably cheaper for housing and everyday goods. Shopping at mercados and cooking at home helps keep costs predictable, and the public bus network is generally affordable for daily travel. The beach peak seasons and holiday periods can shift crowds and prices in popular spots. Tip: Start with a short stay in a neighborhood you love to gauge value and fit.

Housing search in Uruguay is often easier with long-term rentals and agent help. Look for furnished apartments in neighborhoods like Pocitos, Cordón, or Carrasco to balance price, safety, and access. Food options include lively mercados, local butcher and fish stalls, plus supermarkets; cooking at home keeps Uruguay living cost predictable, while occasional dining out in plazas can be enjoyable. Public transport is solid in cities with frequent buses; ride-hailing is common, and cycling is growing in several areas. For errands and co-working, plan around local business hours and use small shops for faster service. Tip: Verify lease terms and required deposits with a trusted local before signing.

To maximize quality of life on a budget, use a simple framework: identify essentials, set a housing target, and track what you spend on food and transport month to month. In Uruguay, you often gain value by choosing neighborhood setups that balance walkability and price, rather than chasing the cheapest option. Seasonality matters: coastal towns swell in summer, offering shorter-term deals or coworking promos outside peak months. Neighborhood fit matters for daily life, with Cordón offering cafés and easy transit access, Pocitos giving a beachy vibe, and Carrasco leaning quieter and family-friendly. Tip: test several areas with short stays and talk to locals about the pace, noise, and safety before signing a long lease.

Uruguay falls in the middle globally – not a bargain destination, not an expensive one. Costs vary a lot by region, which means it works for a wide range of incomes and lifestyles depending on where you settle.

Rent in Uruguay varies a lot – Montevideo has the highest prices, and the gap between capital and provincial rents can be 50% or more. Choosing which city to live in is one of the biggest financial decisions you'll make.

In regional cities, $1,500 is plenty. In Montevideo? You'll need to plan carefully, especially around housing. Shared apartments or outer neighborhoods are the usual workarounds.