Moving to Uruguay from South Africa
What to Expect
Considering a move from South Africa to Uruguay? Here's how the two countries compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from South Africa to Uruguay, you would find that Uruguay is 76.5% more expensive than South Africa overall. A ZAR1,218,000 salary in South Africa would need to be roughly UYU5,065,779 in Uruguay to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between South Africa and Uruguay.
What does your salary buy?
ZAR1,218,000 → UYU5,065,779
To maintain the same standard of living in Uruguay
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 2.0 times more
Groceries
pay 71.8% more
Transportation
pay 58.6% more
Housing
pay 30.7% more
Childcare
pay 2.5 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 75.5% more
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 South Africa.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Uruguay performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Uruguay generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Uruguay performs significantly better than South Africa across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
Uruguay performs significantly better than South Africa across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
Uruguay performs significantly better than South Africa across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
Uruguay generally does better on family life, though South Africa leads in education spending.
Data: South African Revenue Service, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Pretoria | Montevideo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 83°/64°F (28°/18°C) | 81°/63°F (27°/17°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/48°F (22°/9°C) | 65°/50°F (19°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 72°/47°F (22°/8°C) | 61°/46°F (16°/8°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 79°/60°F (26°/15°C) | 75°/57°F (24°/14°C) |
View all months
| Month | Pretoria | Montevideo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 84°/65°F (29.0°/18.1°C) | 83°/64°F (28.4°/18.0°C) |
| Feb | 84°/64°F (28.7°/18.0°C) | 82°/64°F (27.5°/17.9°C) |
| Mar | 81°/62°F (27.3°/16.6°C) | 78°/61°F (25.5°/16.2°C) |
| Apr | 77°/56°F (24.8°/13.1°C) | 72°/55°F (22.0°/12.9°C) |
| May | 72°/48°F (22.4°/8.7°C) | 65°/50°F (18.6°/10.2°C) |
| Jun | 67°/41°F (19.6°/5.2°C) | 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.7°C) |
| Jul | 68°/42°F (19.8°/5.3°C) | 59°/45°F (15.0°/7.2°C) |
| Aug | 72°/47°F (22.3°/8.2°C) | 61°/46°F (16.2°/7.8°C) |
| Sep | 76°/53°F (24.4°/11.8°C) | 64°/48°F (18.0°/9.1°C) |
| Oct | 77°/57°F (25.2°/14.0°C) | 69°/53°F (20.5°/11.5°C) |
| Nov | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) | 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.2°C) |
| Dec | 82°/63°F (27.9°/17.0°C) | 80°/61°F (26.5°/16.3°C) |
Data:
South African Weather Service,
Instituto Uruguayo de Meteorologia
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Africa 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.
South Africa passport holder visiting Uruguay
Visa Free
Uruguay passport holder visiting South Africa
Visa FreeData: 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 South Africa?
On average Uruguay is around 68% pricier than South Africa, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Uruguay?
Budget about UYU1,266,445 for 3 months in Uruguay (based on a ZAR1,218,000 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?
Uruguay performs significantly better than South Africa across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Uruguay is 11.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 45.5 in South Africa.
How is healthcare in Uruguay compared to South Africa?
Uruguay generally does better on health & wellbeing, though South Africa leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 46.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Uruguay, compared to 8.1 in South Africa. Uruguay scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Africa: 71).
What's the weather like in Uruguay compared to South Africa?
The average high temperature in Montevideo is 71°F, compared to 77°F in Pretoria. Montevideo receives around 43.3 in of rainfall per year, while Pretoria gets 27.0 in.
What language do they speak in Uruguay?
The official language in Uruguay is Spanish. In South Africa, the official languages are Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu.
Compare further: South Africa vs. Uruguay
At a Glance
ZA
|
UY
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population | 57,516,665 | 3,407,213 |
| Currency | South African Rand (ZAR) | Uruguayan Peso (UYU) |
| Languages | Afrikaans, English, Northern Sotho, Southern Ndebele, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu | Spanish |
| Driving side | Left | Right |
| Calling code | +27 | +598 |
| Time zones | 1 | 1 |
| Emergency number | 10111 | 911 |