Wellington vs Montevideo Cost of Living Comparison
Executive summary: Montevideo leads on CPI (38.2 vs 67, NYC=100), Montevideo leads on rent index, and Wellington leads on purchasing power. Validate neighbourhood rents before relocating — city-wide winners can reverse at district scale.
Overall Cost Winner
Montevideo
Lower overall CPI; largest measurable gaps: Internet (1478% gap, Wellington ahead); Salary (1015% gap, Montevideo ahead).
Monthly Cost Difference
Estimated monthly housing+utilities+internet basket is about $981 lower in Montevideo than in Wellington (~55% gap; converted via exchange rates).
Estimated monthly difference: $981 (favoring Montevideo).
Category Winners
| Category | Winner | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Overall CPI | Montevideo | CPI 38.2 vs 67 (lower is better) |
| Housing | Montevideo | Rent index 21.2 vs 47.2 (lower is better) |
| Food | Montevideo | Groceries index 45.4 vs 70.2 (lower is better) |
| Transport | Wellington | One-way ticket 2.81 vs 30.04 (lower is better) |
| Utilities | Wellington | Utilities (85m²) 153.87 vs 1696 (lower is better) |
| Internet | Wellington | Internet 86.26 vs 1360.8 (lower is better) |
| Restaurants | Montevideo | Restaurant index 38 vs 62 (lower is better) |
| Salary | Montevideo | Avg net salary 111104 vs 9964.52 (higher is better) |
| Purchasing Power | Wellington | PP index 98.6 vs 44.8 (higher is better) |
Biggest Difference
Internet: Wellington leads with a 1478% gap.
Internet 86.26 vs 1360.8 (lower is better)
Quick Decision
- Students: Montevideo — Lower housing / rent index (55% gap).
- Families: Montevideo — Housing is typically the largest household line; rent index favors Montevideo; purchasing power favors Wellington.
- Remote Workers: Montevideo — Everyday cost index (CPI) favors Montevideo (~43% gap).
- Budget Living: Montevideo — Lowest overall consumer-price index in this pair.
Key Takeaways
- Montevideo is the overall cost winner on CPI (~43% lower everyday-cost index than Wellington).
- Housing: Montevideo leads on rent index (55% gap).
- Food / groceries: Montevideo is lower (35% gap).
- Purchasing power: Wellington scores higher (55% gap).
- Largest category gap: Internet (1478%), favoring Wellington.
- Sample monthly basket (1BR + utilities + internet) is ~$981 cheaper in Montevideo.
Analysis
Detailed breakdown uses only paired indices: CPI 67/38.2, rent 47.2/21.2, purchasing power 98.6/44.8. Category winners can diverge — a city may win rent while losing CPI. No GDP, climate, or industry claims are invented for either city.
Trust & data transparency
Last updated: 2026-08-21
Data Sources
This page uses CityCost index inputs. Platform sources (see also Data sources):
- Regional
- Regional
On-page labels for this view: Regional · Regional.
Methodology
Each indexed city is associated with a reference basket of common living costs (for example rent, groceries samples, transport tickets, utilities, restaurant meals, and net salary where available). From those items, the platform derives relative indices such as CPI, rent, groceries, restaurants, and local purchasing power, using New York City = 100 as the familiar baseline convention for relative comparison.