Moving to Uruguay from Minnesota

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Minnesota to Uruguay — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Minnesota to Uruguay, you would find that Uruguay is 10.6% cheaper than Minnesota. A $75,000 salary in Minnesota would need to be roughly UYU2,836,940 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 56°F in Saint Paul, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Minnesota to Uruguay.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 UYU2,836,940

To maintain the same standard of living in Uruguay

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 9.8% less

Groceries

pay 13.6% less

Transportation

pay 37.7% more

Housing

pay 40.5% less

Childcare

pay 62.2% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 26.7% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 40.25 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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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from Minnesota to Uruguay, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
743 ↑ 19% vs 2015

people born in United States live in Uruguay · UN DESA

Who's moving to Uruguay?

Top countries of origin for Uruguay's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Minnesota and Uruguay stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

MN
33.9%
UY
27.9%

Uruguay performs significantly better than Minnesota across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

MN
91.0%
UY
90.0%

Minnesota performs better than Uruguay across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

MN
4.3%
UY
8.3%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

MN
$68,478
UY
$30,700

Minnesota performs better than Uruguay across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2022

average years of life at birth

MN
79.1 yrs
UY
78.4 yrs

Minnesota performs better than Uruguay 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.

Saint Paul Rain: 28.5 in/yr (724 mm)
56° / 38°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Saint Paul Montevideo
Jan–Mar 32°/16°F (0°/-9°C) 81°/63°F (27°/17°C)
Apr–Jun 69°/50°F (21°/10°C) 65°/50°F (19°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 79°/60°F (26°/16°C) 61°/46°F (16°/8°C)
Oct–Dec 43°/27°F (6°/-3°C) 75°/57°F (24°/14°C)
View all months
Month Saint Paul Montevideo
Jan 25°/9°F (-4.1°/-12.6°C) 83°/64°F (28.4°/18.0°C)
Feb 30°/14°F (-1.3°/-9.9°C) 82°/64°F (27.5°/17.9°C)
Mar 42°/26°F (5.5°/-3.6°C) 78°/61°F (25.5°/16.2°C)
Apr 58°/39°F (14.7°/3.9°C) 72°/55°F (22.0°/12.9°C)
May 70°/50°F (21.2°/10.0°C) 65°/50°F (18.6°/10.2°C)
Jun 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.7°C)
Jul 83°/65°F (28.5°/18.1°C) 59°/45°F (15.0°/7.2°C)
Aug 81°/62°F (27.1°/16.8°C) 61°/46°F (16.2°/7.8°C)
Sep 72°/53°F (22.2°/11.7°C) 64°/48°F (18.0°/9.1°C)
Oct 59°/40°F (14.8°/4.7°C) 69°/53°F (20.5°/11.5°C)
Nov 42°/28°F (5.6°/-2.4°C) 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.2°C)
Dec 28°/14°F (-2.5°/-10.1°C) 80°/61°F (26.5°/16.3°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service, Instituto Uruguayo de Meteorologia 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

United States passport holder visiting Uruguay

Visa Free
United States passport holders can enter Uruguay without a visa.
Uruguay passport

Uruguay passport holder visiting United States

Visa Required
Uruguay passport holders need a visa to enter United States.

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 Minnesota?

Generally yes: Uruguay runs about 6% cheaper than Minnesota on average, though it depends heavily on the city.

How much money do I need to move to Uruguay?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a $75,000 comparable salary, that's around UYU709,235 in Uruguay for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Uruguay?

Working remotely from Uruguay's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in Minnesota and Uruguay.

How is healthcare in Uruguay compared to Minnesota?

Uruguay performs significantly better than Minnesota across all health & wellbeing metrics.

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

The average high temperature in Montevideo is 71°F, compared to 56°F in Saint Paul. Montevideo receives around 43.3 in of rainfall per year, while Saint Paul gets 28.5 in.

What language do they speak in Uruguay?

The official language in Uruguay is Spanish. In Minnesota, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

UY
Population 5,303,925 3,407,213
Currency United States Dollar ($) Uruguayan Peso (UYU)
Languages English Spanish
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +1 +598
Time zones 11 1
Emergency number 911 911