Moving to Uruguay from Finland

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Finland to Uruguay? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Finland to Uruguay, you would find that Uruguay is 1.0% cheaper than Finland overall. A €64,304 salary in Finland would need to be roughly UYU2,894,788 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 48°F in Helsinki, making it significantly warmer.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Finland and Uruguay.

What does your salary buy?

€64,304 UYU2,894,788

To maintain the same standard of living in Uruguay

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 8.6% less

Groceries

pay 9.1% more

Transportation

pay 7.3% less

Housing

pay 6.4% more

Childcare

pay 10.6% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 28.9% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 46.83 UYU (June 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.

Get free moving quotes to Uruguay

We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.

  • ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
  • ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
  • ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Uruguay compared to Finland.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

FI
1.2
UY
11.2
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

FI
4.2
UY
13.0

Finland 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

FI
$6,433
UY
$3,135
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

FI
43.8
UY
46.3

Finland 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

FI
7.0
UY
16.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

FI
5.5t
UY
2.6t

Finland 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

FI
34.5
UY
33.2
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

FI
7.1%
UY
9.8%

Finland performs better than Uruguay across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

FI
7.2%
UY
8.3%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

FI
$57,500
UY
$30,700

Finland 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

FI
81.8 yrs
UY
78.4 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

FI
2.1
UY
8.3

Finland performs better than Uruguay across all family life metrics.

Data: Finnish Tax Administration, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Helsinki Rain: 25.6 in/yr (650 mm)
48° / 34°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Helsinki Montevideo
Jan–Mar 29°/18°F (-1°/-8°C) 81°/63°F (27°/17°C)
Apr–Jun 58°/40°F (14°/4°C) 65°/50°F (19°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 65°/49°F (19°/10°C) 61°/46°F (16°/8°C)
Oct–Dec 38°/28°F (3°/-2°C) 75°/57°F (24°/14°C)
View all months
Month Helsinki Montevideo
Jan 27°/17°F (-2.6°/-8.5°C) 83°/64°F (28.4°/18.0°C)
Feb 27°/15°F (-2.9°/-9.3°C) 82°/64°F (27.5°/17.9°C)
Mar 34°/22°F (1.1°/-5.6°C) 78°/61°F (25.5°/16.2°C)
Apr 46°/31°F (7.5°/-0.7°C) 72°/55°F (22.0°/12.9°C)
May 60°/40°F (15.5°/4.4°C) 65°/50°F (18.6°/10.2°C)
Jun 68°/49°F (19.8°/9.3°C) 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.7°C)
Jul 71°/53°F (21.8°/11.8°C) 59°/45°F (15.0°/7.2°C)
Aug 68°/51°F (19.9°/10.7°C) 61°/46°F (16.2°/7.8°C)
Sep 57°/43°F (14.0°/6.1°C) 64°/48°F (18.0°/9.1°C)
Oct 47°/36°F (8.1°/2.2°C) 69°/53°F (20.5°/11.5°C)
Nov 36°/28°F (2.5°/-2.4°C) 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.2°C)
Dec 31°/20°F (-0.8°/-6.6°C) 80°/61°F (26.5°/16.3°C)

Data: Finnish Meteorological Institute Finnish Meteorological Institute, Instituto Uruguayo de Meteorologia Instituto Uruguayo de Meteorologia

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Finland 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.

Finland passport

Finland passport holder visiting Uruguay

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

Uruguay passport holder visiting Finland

Visa Free
Uruguay passport holders can enter Finland 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 Finland?

On average Uruguay is about 4% less expensive than Finland, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Uruguay?

Budget about UYU723,697 for 3 months in Uruguay (based on a €64,304 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, rental deposit, visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Uruguay?

Connectivity is usually fine (Uruguay: 33.2 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does Uruguay offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?

Is Uruguay safe for expats?

Finland performs better than Uruguay across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Uruguay is 11.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.2 in Finland.

How is healthcare in Uruguay compared to Finland?

Finland 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 43.8 in Finland. Uruguay scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Finland: 86).

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

The average high temperature in Montevideo is 71°F, compared to 48°F in Helsinki. Montevideo receives around 43.3 in of rainfall per year, while Helsinki gets 25.6 in.

What language do they speak in Uruguay?

The official language in Uruguay is Spanish. In Finland, the official languages are Finnish and Swedish.

Share this

At a Glance

FI UY
Population 5,601,547 3,407,213
Currency Euro (€) Uruguayan Peso (UYU)
Languages Finnish, Swedish Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +358 +598
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 911