How Much Does It Cost to Live In Uruguay?
Uruguay is a country in South America, and the second smallest one, at that.
It is highly developed compared to other Latin American countries. In fact, considering the social aspects, Uruguay is the most developed country in Latin America, probably.
It is also one of the most (if not the most) expensive countries in all of South America.
This is why the quality of life is excellent here, that is – if you have the financial means.
Low population means plenty of green, large stretches of lovely coast, and other such advantages.
Uruguay : Cost of Living by City
RESTAURANTS
You won’t find a country with bad food in Latin America. So if you visit Uruguay, you shouldn’t miss the best restaurants that it offers.
If you go to any of these, count on them being expensive, but you can also have a decent meal in an inexpensive restaurant in Uruguay, and pay only about 15$!
MARKETS
Uruguay does not manufacture most consumer goods locally and as a result, most goods in Uruguay cost as much as in Australia, Canada, or Europe and are definitely much more expensive than in the USA.
There are many public markets, though, where you can get a hundred varieties of meat and many actually say that in this country you’ll eat the meat of the highest quality.
TRANSPORTATION
Cars are very expensive compared to the US or most of Europe and due to this fact, many Uruguayans get around solely by foot, taxi, scooter, motorcycle, or bus.
Luckily, Uruguay has an extensive internal bus system.
The buses are frequent, safe, and comfortable.
Taxis in Uruguay exist, and they’re safe and fairly affordable, costing about 1.66$ per kilometer.
All taxis in Uruguay use meters and have fixed costs.
UTILITIES (MONTHLY)
Utilities are a bit pricey in Uruguay, though it depends on the size of your apartment.
For an apartment of about 85m2, basic utilities including electricity, heating, cooling, water, gas, and garbage services will amount to 130$.
Internet is relatively cheap compared to that – around 40$ per month.
SPORTS & LEISURE
Practicing sports is definitely a costly pleasure in Uruguay, like in most other countries.
If you want membership in a gym or a fitness center, it will cost you around 50$.
As for leisure and activities like going to the cinema to watch a movie, it’s relatively expensive, too – one cinema ticket will cost you 9$.
CLOTHING & SHOES
Uruguay is like many developing countries in the sense that the retail industry is still dominated by small specialized shops, small supermarkets, and small, crowded shopping malls, so you won’t find huge shopping halls where you can roam around for hours.
Still, you’ll find some great clothes, but don’t expect low prices.
RENT PER MONTH
What is most likely when you move to Uruguay is that accommodation rental will probably eat a large piece of your income.
The numbers for rent can go down if you get a roommate and you can cut the extra expenses to half depending on your lifestyle.
An apartment in the city center will cost you around 540$, while a bigger apartment for the whole family, also in the center, costs around 950$.
Cost of Living Averages Table for Uruguay
*Note: All prices are indicated in USD.| Average Restaurant Prices | |
|---|---|
| Meal (Inexpensive Restaurant) | $14.58 |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 Liter) | $3.58 |
| Water (0.33 Liter) | $1.63 | Average Market Prices |
| Milk (1 Liter) | $1.08 |
| Loaf Bread (500g) | $2.36 |
| Eggs (12) | $3.29 | Average Transport Prices |
| One Way Ticket | $1.23 |
| Monthly Pass | $46.04 |
| Gasoline | $1.99 | Average Utilities Prices |
| Basic (Water, Electricity, Garbage, Heating, Cooling) | $133.30 |
| 1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local | $0.22 |
| Internet (Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | $39.11 | Average Leisure Prices |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | $46.64 |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour) | $24.88 |
| Cinema, 1 Seat, International Release | $8.95 | Average Clothing Prices |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Comparable) | $92.89 |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, etc...) | $46.65 |
| 1 Pair of Adidas Walking Shoes (Mid-Range) | $112.51 | Average Rent Prices |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center | $553.39 |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Center | $434.74 |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Center | $947.65 |
How Does the Average Person Spend Their Money in Uruguay?
Despite the high prices of rent, food is still the sole biggest expense of the people of Uruguay.
We’ve established that rent isn’t the most expensive aspect of living in Uruguay, but it’s definitely expensive taking into consideration an average monthly salary of an average citizen of this country.
Apart from rent and food, restaurants take up a huge part of overall expenses, along with transportation costs.
Like anywhere, clothing takes up an insignificant amount of money from an average person’s paycheck in Uruguay.
Average Costs Breakdown
Uruguay: Average Salary, Minimum Wage & Mortgages
An average monthly salary in Uruguay is around 908.94$, which is not as high as it sounds – taking into account the prices in this country.
It’s also just about enough if you’re renting an apartment.
The good thing about Uruguay is that, if you have a good skill set and you are proficient in English, you could apply to a wide range of international companies and live with that wage (one of the best paid is IT).
If you are earning less than the average salary, then paying all your bills is a bit more difficult.
The minimum wage in Uruguay is around 463.1$.
Uruguay Safety Overview
READ THE FULL REPORT: Uruguay Safety Review
Safety Index:
- OVERALL RISK: LOW
- TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW
- PICKPOCKETS RISK: LOW
- NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: MEDIUM
- MUGGING RISK: LOW
- TERRORISM RISK: LOW
- SCAMS RISK: LOW
- WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW
Cost of Living by City in Uruguay
| City | Cost of Living Index |
|---|---|
| Montevideo | 58.05 |
