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City comparison

Montevideo vs Cuenca

In short

Calculated from the figures below, with no overall “who wins” score.

  • Rent

    in Cuenca cheaper — −24%

  • Family groceries

    in Cuenca cheaper — −43%

  • Internet

    in Cuenca cheaper — −55%

In numbers

Exchange rate as of the date each figure was checked.

  • House or apartment rent

    per month
    Montevideo≈ $577–827UYU 23,124–33,147
    Cuenca$350–720$350–720
    cheaper by 24%
  • Family groceries

    per month
    Montevideo≈ $630–651UYU 25,236–26,112
    Cuenca$362$362
    cheaper by 43%
  • Internet

    per month
    Montevideo≈ $41–108UYU 1,650–4,342
    Cuenca$33.93$33.93
    cheaper by 55%
  • Winter

    average
    Montevideo7–15 °C7–15 °C
    Cuenca10–19 °C10–19 °C
  • Precipitation

    per year
    Montevideo1,101 mm1,101 mm
    Cuenca876 mm876 mm
  • Ready-made house

    purchase
    Montevideo$118k$118k
    cheaper by 42%
    Cuenca$121,250–284,750$121,250–284,750

By topic

A quick look at each city. Details and sources are on the city page.

Daily life

Montevideo

Spread by neighbourhood

From 16k pesos in Casavalle to 34k in Carrasco: between the cheapest and the most expensive neighbourhood it is a little over two times.

OfficialINE: average rent by neighborhood in Montevideo, active contracts · checked 28 Sep 2026

Everything about daily life in Montevideo →

Cuenca

Nothing yet

Housing

Montevideo

Rent according to official data

The average existing contract in Montevideo is 23,472 pesos a month. Pocitos 28,018, Punta Carretas 28,959, Centro 23,124 (July 2026).

OfficialINE: rental market indicators, July 2026 · checked 28 Sep 2026

Buying: median of transactions

The median of registered transactions in Montevideo is 118k dollars (June 2026), nationwide 85k.

OfficialINE: housing sales market indicators, June-July 2026 · checked 28 Sep 2026

Rent: what is asked now

A two-bedroom in Pocitos is about 39k pesos a month, in Punta Carretas 50k, in Centro 29.9k. A three-bedroom house in Carrasco is 2,300–5,500 dollars.

SpecialistGallito: two-bedroom apartments for rent in Pocitos · checked 28 Sep 2026

Two-bedroom in Pocitos

By the listings, about 298k dollars for 72 m² in Pocitos, range 120–680k. These are asking prices, not transactions.

SpecialistGallito: two-bedroom apartments for sale in Pocitos · checked 28 Sep 2026

Everything about housing in Montevideo →

Cuenca

Buying a house

A house with three or more bedrooms in the canton of Cuenca on RE/MAX listings is mostly 121-285k dollars, median 180k. An apartment with three or more bedrooms: median 192k.

SpecialistRE/MAX Ecuador: all active listings of houses for sale (the site's open data) · checked 6 Oct 2026

Long-term rent

A three-bedroom apartment on RE/MAX listings is 350-540 dollars a month, a furnished two-bedroom up to 720. There are few listings, only 8 apartments.

SpecialistRE/MAX Ecuador: all active listings of apartments for rent (the site's open data) · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about housing in Cuenca →

Money and prices

Montevideo

Groceries for a family

The INE minimum food basket for Montevideo is 6,309 pesos per person a month, for a family of four about 25,200. Values for January 2025.

OfficialINE: income poverty estimate, first half of 2025, with poverty lines · checked 28 Sep 2026

Family monthly budget

A family of three renting housing in Montevideo is considered poor at an income below 54,233 pesos a month. For two the threshold is 39,169.

OfficialINE: income poverty estimate, first half of 2025, with poverty lines · checked 28 Sep 2026

Everything about money and prices in Montevideo →

Cuenca

Groceries for a family

In INEC's official basket for a family of four in Cuenca, food and drinks cost 362 dollars a month (August 2026), of which 42 is eating out.

OfficialINEC: basic family consumption basket (CFBC) by city, August 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Family budget per month

INEC's poverty line for a family of four is 370 dollars a month. INEC's basic basket for four in Cuenca is 894, the dearest in the country, with 219 for rent.

OfficialINEC: bulletin on income poverty, ENEMDU, December 2025 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about money and prices in Cuenca →

Family and kids

Montevideo

Schools and kindergartens

Enrolment in a state kindergarten from age three and in school goes through the Guri Familia portal. The country of origin and the family's status do not matter.

OfficialMinistry of Education and Culture: guide to enrolling migrants, primary education · checked 28 Sep 2026

Everything about family and kids in Montevideo →

Cuenca

Nothing yet

Healthcare

Montevideo

How much healthcare costs

The regulator's benchmark for a personal contribution to a mutualista (a private health fund) is 6,858 pesos a month per person. The cap on a co-payment for a visit, test or medicine is 880 pesos.

OfficialUruguay's Ministry of Public Health: healthcare price adjustment, July 2026 · checked 28 Sep 2026

Everything about healthcare in Montevideo →

Cuenca

Social security hospital

The IESS social security Hospital José Carrasco Arteaga is a third-level hospital with adult and paediatric ICU. It treats IESS members and patients of the public network.

OfficialIESS: Hospital de Especialidades José Carrasco Arteaga, home page · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about healthcare in Cuenca →

Transport

Montevideo

Getting around the city

One hour of travel with an STM card costs 52 pesos, two hours 78. Cash is more expensive: 64 and 97. The first card is free.

OfficialMontevideo city hall: urban public transport fares · checked 28 Sep 2026

Carrasco airport

On Ruta 101, kilometre 19.95. There are 18 direct destinations, only Madrid in Europe and only Miami in the US.

SpecialistCarrasco airport: direct destinations · checked 28 Sep 2026

Everything about transport in Montevideo →

Cuenca

Airport in the city

Mariscal La Mar airport is right in the city, on Avenida España. The flight to Quito takes about 55 minutes, to Guayaquil 35. Runway 1900 m at about 2530 m altitude.

OfficialCuenca airport (CORPAC): technical data · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about transport in Cuenca →

Climate

Montevideo

Winter

July is the coldest month: average minimum 7.2 degrees, average maximum 15.0. June and August are almost the same.

OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals of Montevideo · checked 28 Sep 2026

Precipitation and seasonality

About 1,100 mm a year, and surprisingly evenly distributed: in any month from 83 to 109 mm and 8–10 rain days.

OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals of Montevideo · checked 28 Sep 2026

Everything about climate in Montevideo →

Cuenca

Winter climate

In June-August nights are 9-10 degrees and days 19-20. These are the coolest months; the rest of the year days are 20-22 and nights 10-11.

OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals of Cuenca 1981-2010 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Precipitation and seasons

About 880 mm a year, and it rains often: 12 to 21 days a month. Driest in July-August (20-28 mm), wettest in March-April.

OfficialWMO, World Weather Information Service: climate normals of Cuenca 1981-2010 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about climate in Cuenca →

Safety

Montevideo

Robberies by neighbourhood

Robbery reports (rapiña) in 2025: Pocitos 125, Carrasco 59, Cordón 290, Casavalle 481, Unión 564. These are the number of cases, not adjusted for population.

OfficialUruguay's Ministry of the Interior, open data: crime reports by Montevideo neighborhood (microdata through 2025) · checked 29 Sep 2026

Homicides

In 2025 Montevideo had 210 homicides out of 369 nationwide, that is 57%. Nationwide it is 10.3 per 100 thousand residents.

OfficialUruguay's Ministry of the Interior: preliminary crime statistics for 2025 · checked 28 Sep 2026

Thefts by neighbourhood

Reports of theft without violence in 2025: Cordón 2,697, Pocitos 2,062, Carrasco 517. This includes thefts from cars and shops, not only from passers-by.

OfficialUruguay's Ministry of the Interior, open data: crime reports by Montevideo neighborhood (microdata through 2025) · checked 29 Sep 2026

Everything about safety in Montevideo →

Cuenca

Safety and risks

Cuenca is not in the state of emergency zone from 15 Sep 2026: in Azuay province only the canton of Camilo Ponce Enríquez is included. Forest fires are frequent in Azuay.

OfficialUK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office: travel advice for Ecuador · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about safety in Cuenca →

Internet and phone

Montevideo

Internet speed

State-owned Antel offers up to 1000/300 Mbit/s over fibre, and the basic home plan is 400/30.

OfficialAntel: data transmission price list, 2026 · checked 28 Sep 2026

Internet per month

From 1,650 pesos for 400 Mbit/s to 4,342 for a gigabit. Taxes included, two-year contract.

OfficialAntel: data transmission price list, 2026 · checked 28 Sep 2026

Everything about internet and phone service in Montevideo →

Cuenca

Fibre-optic internet

Netlife sells 850 Mbit/s fibre for 33.93 dollars a month including tax, 16.96 on promotion. The municipal ETAPA sells plans from 19.99 dollars plus taxes.

SpecialistNetlife: home fibre-optic internet plans · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about internet and phone service in Cuenca →

Services

Montevideo

Electricity at the tariff

From January 2026: 6.744 pesos per kWh up to 100 kWh, 8.452 from 101 to 600, plus a fixed 324.9 pesos a month. For 300 kWh the tariff comes to about 2,900 pesos.

OfficialDecreto 339/025: UTE rates from 1 January 2026 · checked 28 Sep 2026

OSE water

OSE water from January 2026: up to 15 m³ at 36.91 pesos per m³ plus a fixed charge of 327.5. For 15 m³ that comes to about 880 pesos a month. The municipality bills sewage separately.

OfficialDecree 340/025: OSE water and sewerage tariffs from 1 January 2026 · checked 29 Sep 2026

Network gas

Montevideo Gas network gas, September 2026, including VAT: 48.55 pesos per m³ plus a fixed charge of 714.86 a month. Summer, 30 m³: about 2,170 pesos; winter, 100 m³: about 5,570.

OfficialMontevideo Gas: current tariff, September 2026, including VAT · checked 29 Sep 2026

Sewage (municipality)

The municipality, not OSE, bills sewage in Montevideo: a fixed charge of 80.76 pesos a month and 45.30 per m³ of water (2025 tariff). For 15 m³ that is about 760 pesos, billed every two months.

OfficialMontevideo city government: saneamiento (sewerage) tariff · checked 29 Sep 2026

Everything about services in Montevideo →

Cuenca

Electricity at CENTROSUR tariff

Electricity is 0.091-0.105 dollars per kWh by block plus 1.41 a month. 300 kWh comes to about 30 dollars before the street lighting and fire service charges.

OfficialRegistro Oficial No. 380, 9th supplement: resolution ARCONEL-009/2026, electricity tariffs for October-December 2026 · checked 6 Oct 2026

Water and sewerage, ETAPA

Water is 0.60 dollars per m³ up to 10 m³, then 0.70, plus 3.32 a month; sewerage is half the water bill. 15 m³ comes to about 19 dollars (2024 tariff).

OfficialETAPA EP: water and sewerage tariffs 2024 (brochure "Conoce nuestras tarifas") · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about services in Cuenca →

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