Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Uruguay instead of New York, you would:

Health

be 16.9% more likely to be obese

In New York, 29.9% of adults are obese as of 2022. In Uruguay, that number is 35.0% of people as of 2024.

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Economy

be 70.9% more likely to be unemployed

In New York, 4.4% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Uruguay, that number is 7.5% as of 2025.

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be 30.1% more likely to live below the poverty line

In New York, 13.3% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Uruguay, however, that number is 17.3% as of 2024.

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make 72.6% less money

New York has a GDP per capita of $91,992 as of 2024, while in Uruguay, the GDP per capita is $25,216 as of 2025.

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Sources: World Bank (2024–2025), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), World Health Organization (2024), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024). How we calculate this

Compare further: New York vs. Uruguay

Cost of Living Comparison · 7 categories - 2026 data
Uruguay is 40.9% cheaper than New York
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Size Comparison · See true size
New York is about 1.4 times smaller than Uruguay.
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Moving from New York to Uruguay · Cost, visas & climate
Compare cost of living, salary and climate.
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Uruguay: At a glance

Uruguay is a sovereign country in South America, with a total land area of approximately 175,015 sq km. Montevideo, founded by the Spanish in 1726 as a military stronghold, soon took advantage of its natural harbor to become an important commercial center. Claimed by Argentina but annexed by Brazil in 1821, Uruguay declared its independence four years later and secured its freedom in 1828 after a three-year struggle. The administrations of President Jose BATLLE in the early 20th century launched widespread political, social, and economic reforms that established a statist tradition. A violent Marxist urban guerrilla movement named the Tupamaros, launched in the late 1960s, led Uruguay's president to cede control of the government to the military in 1973. By yearend, the rebels had been crushed, but the military continued to expand its hold over the government. Civilian rule was not restored until 1985. In 2004, the left-of-center Frente Amplio Coalition won national elections that effectively ended 170 years of political control previously held by the Colorado and Blanco parties. Uruguay's political and labor conditions are among the freest on the continent.
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