Moving to Uruguay from Belgium

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Belgium to Uruguay — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Belgium to Uruguay, you would find that Uruguay is 18.0% cheaper than Belgium overall. A €65,850 salary in Belgium would need to be roughly UYU2,618,307 in Uruguay to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Montevideo averages 71°F vs 57°F in Brussels, making it significantly warmer.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Belgium to Uruguay.

What does your salary buy?

€65,850 UYU2,618,307

To maintain the same standard of living in Uruguay

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 26.1% less

Groceries

pay 3.3% less

Transportation

pay 3.5% less

Housing

pay 32.6% less

Childcare

pay 38.7% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 16.7% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 45.82 UYU (July 2026)

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

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Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Belgium to Uruguay.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

BE
1.1
UY
11.2
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

BE
4.6
UY
13.0

Belgium performs better than Uruguay across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

BE
$7,489
UY
$3,135
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

BE
63.9
UY
46.3

Belgium generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Uruguay leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

BE
15.0
UY
16.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

BE
7.3t
UY
2.6t

Belgium generally does better on environment, though Uruguay leads in co₂ emissions per capita.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

BE
43.5
UY
33.2
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

BE
51.9%
UY
9.8%

Belgium generally does better on infrastructure, though Uruguay leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

BE
5.5%
UY
8.3%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

BE
$63,600
UY
$30,700

Belgium generally does better on employment & economy, though Uruguay leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

BE
81.9 yrs
UY
78.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

BE
3.2
UY
8.3

Belgium performs better than Uruguay across all family life metrics.

Data: Service Public Fédéral Finances, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Brussels Rain: 32.3 in/yr (820 mm)
57° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Montevideo Rain: 43.3 in/yr (1101 mm)
71° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Brussels Montevideo
Jan–Mar 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) 81°/63°F (27°/17°C)
Apr–Jun 63°/47°F (17°/8°C) 65°/50°F (19°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 70°/54°F (21°/13°C) 61°/46°F (16°/8°C)
Oct–Dec 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) 75°/57°F (24°/14°C)
View all months
Month Brussels Montevideo
Jan 42°/33°F (5.6°/0.7°C) 83°/64°F (28.4°/18.0°C)
Feb 44°/33°F (6.4°/0.6°C) 82°/64°F (27.5°/17.9°C)
Mar 50°/37°F (9.9°/2.9°C) 78°/61°F (25.5°/16.2°C)
Apr 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) 72°/55°F (22.0°/12.9°C)
May 64°/48°F (17.7°/8.9°C) 65°/50°F (18.6°/10.2°C)
Jun 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.5°C) 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.7°C)
Jul 72°/56°F (22.4°/13.6°C) 59°/45°F (15.0°/7.2°C)
Aug 72°/56°F (22.5°/13.4°C) 61°/46°F (16.2°/7.8°C)
Sep 66°/51°F (18.7°/10.8°C) 64°/48°F (18.0°/9.1°C)
Oct 58°/46°F (14.4°/7.6°C) 69°/53°F (20.5°/11.5°C)
Nov 48°/39°F (9.1°/3.7°C) 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.2°C)
Dec 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) 80°/61°F (26.5°/16.3°C)

Data: Institut Royal Météorologique Institut Royal Météorologique, Instituto Uruguayo de Meteorologia Instituto Uruguayo de Meteorologia

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Belgium and Uruguay. To live, work, or study long-term in Uruguay, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Uruguay's immigration authority.

Belgium passport

Belgium passport holder visiting Uruguay

Visa Free
Belgium passport holders can enter Uruguay without a visa.
Uruguay passport

Uruguay passport holder visiting Belgium

Visa Free
Uruguay passport holders can enter Belgium without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Uruguay than Belgium?

Yes — Uruguay is on average about 13% cheaper than Belgium. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Uruguay?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly UYU654,577 in Uruguay on a €65,850 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Uruguay?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Uruguay has 33.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Uruguay safe for expats?

Belgium performs better than Uruguay across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Uruguay is 11.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Belgium.

How is healthcare in Uruguay compared to Belgium?

Belgium generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Uruguay leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 46.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Uruguay, compared to 63.9 in Belgium. Uruguay scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Belgium: 86).

What's the weather like in Uruguay compared to Belgium?

The average high temperature in Montevideo is 71°F, compared to 57°F in Brussels. Montevideo receives around 43.3 in of rainfall per year, while Brussels gets 32.3 in.

What language do they speak in Uruguay?

The official language in Uruguay is Spanish. In Belgium, the official languages are Dutch, French and German.

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At a Glance

BE UY
Population 11,847,338 3,407,213
Currency Euro (€) Uruguayan Peso (UYU)
Languages Dutch, French, German Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +32 +598
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 911