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Montevideo Prices & Cost of Living 2026
Uruguay · Big city · coast — Montevideo is about 50% cheaper than New York. Not just exchange rates: what a fair price is, where it turns into a rip-off, and what that means in your money.
Montevideo prices at a glance
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Montevideo travel difficulty
Mostly fixed prices; metered taxis are generally honest
Basic English in hotels/tourism; Spanish in ordinary shops
Dense bus network; Uber/Cabify/DiDi common; walk the Rambla
Cards accepted almost everywhere, even small shops
Ciudad Vieja deserted and risky at night; armed motorbike robbers
Good to knowSee Ciudad Vieja by day; after dark take an app ride rather than walking
Handy apps: Uber · Cabify · DiDi
Visas depend on your passport, so they are not scored. Felt different on the ground? Tell other travelers below. Travel difficulty in the Americas › Difficulty ranking for 502 cities ›
In your money
Montevideo is about 50% cheaper than New York
Based on 8 things travelers buy most, compared with New York. Each pair of bars is the same purchase in both cities, converted to your currency. Set your own city and currency in “My basis” above.
Montevideo in numbers
- 🍜6.6 local meals
- ☕18 coffees
- 🍺22 beers
- 🚕9.5 5-km taxi rides
- 💆2.5 h of massage
- 🏨1.1 hotel nights
- Local meal2 h · New York 52 min
- Coffee44 min · New York 15 min
- Beer36 min · New York 23 min
- Taxi1 h 24 min · New York 59 min
- Entry ticket#221 cheapest
- Hotel night#246 priciest
- Massage#244 priciest
- Coffee#47 priciest
- Half-day tour#83 priciest
Montevideo price guide & rip-off thresholds
Montevideo travel budget
Per person per day, estimated. Flights and shopping not included.
See 4-day, 1-week and 1-month budget tables › · Plan a multi-city trip budget ›
How to spend money in Montevideo
Live prices reported in Montevideo
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FAQ
Is Montevideo cheaper than New York?
Across 8 things travelers buy most (meals, coffee, beer, taxis, hotels…), Montevideo is about 50% cheaper than New York. A local meal is about $U 600 (≈ $15) and a coffee about $U 220 (≈ $5.5).
How hard is Montevideo to travel?
Averaging rip-offs, language, getting around, payments and safety, Montevideo scores 2.4/5 — 'moderate'. The main thing to watch is language (3/5): Basic English in hotels/tourism; Spanish in ordinary shops. Tip: See Ciudad Vieja by day; after dark take an app ride rather than walking
Is Montevideo good for first-time travelers?
With a little preparation, yes (2.4/5). Language: Basic English in hotels/tourism; Spanish in ordinary shops. Tip: See Ciudad Vieja by day; after dark take an app ride rather than walking
What is a realistic daily budget for Montevideo?
Mid-range (3-star hotel, local meals plus a dinner out, two taxi rides) is about $192 a day. Guesthouses and street food bring it to about $63.1; 4-star and restaurants push it to about $374.
How much does it cost to live in Montevideo for a month?
A short-term studio (about $1,473) plus food, transport and a SIM (about $1,745) comes to roughly $3,217 a month. A local long-term lease (studio about $U 26,000) brings it down a lot.
How much should a taxi cost in Montevideo?
For 5 km in town, expect $U 336 – $U 672; anything above $U 806 is suspicious.
Where do these numbers come from?
Base prices start from public cost-of-living data; once 3+ traveler reports come in, the app blends in the median of what people actually paid.
Fair range & rip-off line — each item gets its own spread (tight for transit, wide for street food). Above 1.2× the top of the fair range is flagged as a likely rip-off.
Budgets add up item prices for the lifestyle described above. Peak season and prime tourist spots run higher.
Exchange rate as of October 2026: 1 USD = $U 40. Last updated 2026-10-05.