Moving to Uruguay from New York

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from New York to Uruguay, you would find that Uruguay is 19.0% cheaper than New York. A $75,000 salary in New York would need to be roughly UYU2,426,090 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 58°F in Albany, making it significantly warmer.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 UYU2,426,090

To maintain the same standard of living in Uruguay

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 11.8% less

Groceries

pay 25.0% less

Transportation

pay 21.5% more

Housing

pay 48.8% less

Childcare

pay 69.7% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 34.4% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 40.2 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.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

Real numbers on people moving from New York 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 New York 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

NY
29.9%
UY
27.9%

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

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

share of households with internet

NY
89.7%
UY
90.0%

Uruguay performs significantly better than New York across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

NY
4.4%
UY
8.3%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

NY
$91,992
UY
$30,700

New York generally does better on employment & economy, though Uruguay leads in poverty rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2022

average years of life at birth

NY
77.7 yrs
UY
78.4 yrs

Uruguay performs significantly better than New York 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.

Albany Rain: 39.4 in/yr (1000 mm)
58° / 39°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Albany Montevideo
Jan–Mar 37°/19°F (2°/-7°C) 81°/63°F (27°/17°C)
Apr–Jun 68°/47°F (20°/8°C) 65°/50°F (19°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 78°/58°F (26°/14°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 Albany Montevideo
Jan 31°/15°F (-0.8°/-9.7°C) 83°/64°F (28.4°/18.0°C)
Feb 35°/17°F (1.4°/-8.2°C) 82°/64°F (27.5°/17.9°C)
Mar 44°/26°F (6.9°/-3.5°C) 78°/61°F (25.5°/16.2°C)
Apr 58°/37°F (14.6°/2.9°C) 72°/55°F (22.0°/12.9°C)
May 69°/47°F (20.8°/8.4°C) 65°/50°F (18.6°/10.2°C)
Jun 78°/56°F (25.5°/13.6°C) 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.7°C)
Jul 82°/61°F (27.9°/16.3°C) 59°/45°F (15.0°/7.2°C)
Aug 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.5°C) 61°/46°F (16.2°/7.8°C)
Sep 72°/52°F (22.3°/10.9°C) 64°/48°F (18.0°/9.1°C)
Oct 60°/40°F (15.4°/4.2°C) 69°/53°F (20.5°/11.5°C)
Nov 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.3°C) 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.2°C)
Dec 36°/21°F (2.1°/-6.0°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 New York?

Generally yes: Uruguay runs about 20% cheaper than New York 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 UYU606,522 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 New York and Uruguay.

How is healthcare in Uruguay compared to New York?

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

What's the weather like in Uruguay compared to New York?

The average high temperature in Montevideo is 71°F, compared to 58°F in Albany. Montevideo receives around 43.3 in of rainfall per year, while Albany gets 39.4 in.

What language do they speak in Uruguay?

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

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At a Glance

UY
Population 19,378,102 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