Moving to Uruguay from Iowa
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Iowa to Uruguay — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Iowa to Uruguay, you would find that Uruguay is 3.3% cheaper than Iowa. A $75,000 salary in Iowa would need to be roughly UYU3,184,123 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 60°F in Des Moines, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Iowa to Uruguay.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → UYU3,184,123
To maintain the same standard of living in Uruguay
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 2.0% less
Groceries
pay 2.0% less
Transportation
pay 60.0% more
Housing
pay 34.7% less
Childcare
pay 56.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 24.0% less
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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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Iowa to Uruguay, based on official data.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Iowa to Uruguay.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Uruguay performs significantly better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Uruguay performs significantly better than Iowa across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
Iowa generally does better on employment & economy, though Uruguay leads in poverty rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Uruguay performs significantly better than Iowa across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Des Moines | Montevideo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C) | 81°/63°F (27°/17°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) | 65°/50°F (19°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) | 61°/46°F (16°/8°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) | 75°/57°F (24°/14°C) |
View all months
| Month | Des Moines | Montevideo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C) | 83°/64°F (28.4°/18.0°C) |
| Feb | 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C) | 82°/64°F (27.5°/17.9°C) |
| Mar | 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C) | 78°/61°F (25.5°/16.2°C) |
| Apr | 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) | 72°/55°F (22.0°/12.9°C) |
| May | 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C) | 65°/50°F (18.6°/10.2°C) |
| Jun | 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C) | 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.7°C) |
| Jul | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) | 59°/45°F (15.0°/7.2°C) |
| Aug | 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C) | 61°/46°F (16.2°/7.8°C) |
| Sep | 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C) | 64°/48°F (18.0°/9.1°C) |
| Oct | 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C) | 69°/53°F (20.5°/11.5°C) |
| Nov | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C) | 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.2°C) |
| Dec | 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°C) | 80°/61°F (26.5°/16.3°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Instituto Uruguayo de Meteorologia
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.
United States passport holder visiting Uruguay
Visa Free
Uruguay passport holder visiting United States
Visa RequiredData: 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 Iowa?
No — Uruguay is on average about 6% more expensive than Iowa. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Uruguay?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly UYU796,031 in Uruguay on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Uruguay?
Usually fine from major cities in Uruguay. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
How is healthcare in Uruguay compared to Iowa?
Uruguay performs significantly better than Iowa across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Uruguay compared to Iowa?
The average high temperature in Montevideo is 71°F, compared to 60°F in Des Moines. Montevideo receives around 43.3 in of rainfall per year, while Des Moines gets 36.0 in.
What language do they speak in Uruguay?
The official language in Uruguay is Spanish. In Iowa, the official language is English.
