Moving to Uruguay from Wisconsin

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Wisconsin to Uruguay, you would find that Uruguay is 9.3% cheaper than Wisconsin. A $75,000 salary in Wisconsin would need to be roughly UYU2,909,306 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 Madison, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 UYU2,909,306

To maintain the same standard of living in Uruguay

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 5.2% less

Groceries

pay 9.0% less

Transportation

pay 42.3% more

Housing

pay 38.9% less

Childcare

pay 72.2% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 18.4% 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 Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin 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

WI
37.8%
UY
27.9%

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

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

share of households with internet

WI
89.5%
UY
90.0%

Uruguay performs significantly better than Wisconsin across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

WI
3.0%
UY
8.3%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

WI
$59,333
UY
$30,700

Wisconsin 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

WI
77.7 yrs
UY
78.4 yrs

Uruguay performs significantly better than Wisconsin 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.

Madison Rain: 34.5 in/yr (876 mm)
56° / 37°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Madison Montevideo
Jan–Mar 33°/17°F (1°/-8°C) 81°/63°F (27°/17°C)
Apr–Jun 68°/46°F (20°/8°C) 65°/50°F (19°/10°C)
Jul–Sep 78°/57°F (25°/14°C) 61°/46°F (16°/8°C)
Oct–Dec 44°/28°F (7°/-2°C) 75°/57°F (24°/14°C)
View all months
Month Madison Montevideo
Jan 26°/11°F (-3.1°/-11.6°C) 83°/64°F (28.4°/18.0°C)
Feb 31°/15°F (-0.5°/-9.4°C) 82°/64°F (27.5°/17.9°C)
Mar 43°/25°F (6.2°/-4.0°C) 78°/61°F (25.5°/16.2°C)
Apr 57°/36°F (14.1°/2.1°C) 72°/55°F (22.0°/12.9°C)
May 68°/46°F (20.2°/7.8°C) 65°/50°F (18.6°/10.2°C)
Jun 78°/56°F (25.5°/13.4°C) 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.7°C)
Jul 82°/61°F (27.6°/16.1°C) 59°/45°F (15.0°/7.2°C)
Aug 79°/59°F (26.3°/15.0°C) 61°/46°F (16.2°/7.8°C)
Sep 72°/50°F (22.1°/10.1°C) 64°/48°F (18.0°/9.1°C)
Oct 59°/39°F (14.9°/3.8°C) 69°/53°F (20.5°/11.5°C)
Nov 44°/28°F (6.7°/-2.1°C) 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.2°C)
Dec 30°/16°F (-1.0°/-8.9°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 Wisconsin?

Generally yes: Uruguay runs about 4% cheaper than Wisconsin 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 UYU727,326 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 Wisconsin and Uruguay.

How is healthcare in Uruguay compared to Wisconsin?

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

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

The average high temperature in Montevideo is 71°F, compared to 56°F in Madison. Montevideo receives around 43.3 in of rainfall per year, while Madison gets 34.5 in.

What language do they speak in Uruguay?

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

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At a Glance

UY
Population 5,686,986 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