Moving to Uruguay from United States
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from United States to Uruguay — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from United States to Uruguay, you would find that Uruguay is 34.2% cheaper than United States overall. A $75,000 salary in United States would need to be roughly UYU1,990,000 in Uruguay to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Uruguay cheaper than United States?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 10.9% less
Groceries
pay 24.8% less
Transportation
pay 10.4% more
Housing
pay 58.6% less
Childcare
pay 67.4% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 21.9% 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.
What salary do you need in Uruguay?
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → UYU1,990,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Uruguay
Calculate with your salary →Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in Uruguay cost about 46% less than cities in United States.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from United States to Uruguay, based on official data.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from United States to Uruguay.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
United States generally does better on safety, though Uruguay leads in road traffic deaths.
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
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Uruguay generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
United States generally does better on environment, though Uruguay leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
United States generally does better on infrastructure, though Uruguay leads in water stress level.
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
share of people below the poverty line
United States generally does better on employment & economy, though Uruguay leads in top income tax rate.
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
United States performs better than Uruguay across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Internal Revenue Service (2016), Dirección General Impositiva (2016), The World Factbook (2010). How we calculate this
Weather in Uruguay vs United States
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | New York City | Montevideo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 43°/30°F (6°/-1°C) | 81°/63°F (27°/17°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 70°/54°F (21°/12°C) | 65°/50°F (19°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 81°/66°F (27°/19°C) | 61°/46°F (16°/8°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 54°/41°F (12°/5°C) | 75°/57°F (24°/14°C) |
View all months
| Month | New York City | Montevideo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38°/27°F (3.5°/-2.8°C) | 83°/64°F (28.4°/18.0°C) |
| Feb | 42°/29°F (5.3°/-1.7°C) | 82°/64°F (27.5°/17.9°C) |
| Mar | 50°/35°F (9.8°/1.8°C) | 78°/61°F (25.5°/16.2°C) |
| Apr | 61°/45°F (16.2°/7.1°C) | 72°/55°F (22.0°/12.9°C) |
| May | 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.2°C) | 65°/50°F (18.6°/10.2°C) |
| Jun | 79°/64°F (26.3°/17.6°C) | 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.7°C) |
| Jul | 84°/69°F (28.9°/20.4°C) | 59°/45°F (15.0°/7.2°C) |
| Aug | 83°/68°F (28.1°/19.9°C) | 61°/46°F (16.2°/7.8°C) |
| Sep | 75°/61°F (24.0°/16.0°C) | 64°/48°F (18.0°/9.1°C) |
| Oct | 64°/50°F (17.7°/10.0°C) | 69°/53°F (20.5°/11.5°C) |
| Nov | 54°/42°F (12.1°/5.3°C) | 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.2°C) |
| Dec | 43°/32°F (6.1°/0.0°C) | 80°/61°F (26.5°/16.3°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
Instituto Uruguayo de Meteorologia
Can you move from United States to Uruguay?
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 United States?
Yes — Uruguay is on average about 34% cheaper than United States. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Uruguay?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly UYU497,500 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?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Uruguay has 33.0 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Uruguay safe for expats?
United States generally does better on safety, though Uruguay leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Uruguay is 11.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 5.8 in United States.
How is healthcare in Uruguay compared to United States?
Uruguay generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in health coverage index. There are 46.7 doctors per 10,000 people in Uruguay, compared to 36.8 in United States. Uruguay scores 82 on the WHO universal health coverage index (United States: 86).
What's the weather like in Uruguay compared to United States?
The average high temperature in Montevideo is 71°F, compared to 62°F in New York City. Montevideo receives around 43.3 in of rainfall per year, while New York City gets 49.9 in.
What language do they speak in Uruguay?
The official language in Uruguay is Spanish. In United States, the official language is English.
