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City comparison

Montevideo vs Quito

In short

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

  • Rent

    in Montevideo cheaper — −15%

  • Family groceries

    in Quito cheaper — −42%

  • Internet

    in Quito 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
    cheaper by 15%
    Quito$460–1,200$460–1,200
  • Family groceries

    per month
    Montevideo≈ $630–651UYU 25,236–26,112
    Quito$372$372
    cheaper by 42%
  • Internet

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

    average
    Montevideo7–15 °C7–15 °C
    Quito10–22 °C10–22 °C
  • Precipitation

    per year
    Montevideo1,101 mm1,101 mm
    Quito1,098 mm1,098 mm
  • Ready-made house

    purchase
    Montevideo$118k$118k
    cheaper by 25%
    Quito$85–230k$85–230k

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 →

Quito

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 →

Quito

Long-term rent

An apartment with three or more bedrooms on RE/MAX listings is mostly 460-1200 dollars a month, median 690. In the north by La Carolina park and Quito Tenis the median is 1200.

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

Buying a house

A house with three or more bedrooms in the canton of Quito on RE/MAX listings is mostly 85-230k dollars, median 138k. An apartment with three or more bedrooms: median 112k.

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

Everything about housing in Quito →

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 →

Quito

Groceries for a family

In INEC's official basket for a family of four in Quito, food and drinks cost 372 dollars a month (August 2026), of which 48 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 Quito is 846, including 175 for rent.

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

Everything about money and prices in Quito →

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 →

Quito

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 →

Quito

Hospitals in the city

The public Eugenio Espejo hospital has 416 beds and 110 specialist consulting rooms. The Baca Ortiz children's hospital has 361 beds, paediatric ICU and neonatal intensive care.

OfficialEcuadorian Ministry of Public Health: Hospital de Especialidades Eugenio Espejo · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about healthcare in Quito →

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 →

Quito

Airport

Mariscal Sucre international airport is in Tababela, 24 km from the city. From December 2026 Air Canada flies direct to Montreal and Toronto.

SpecialistQuiport: about the Quito airport concessionaire · checked 6 Oct 2026

Metro

Quito has a metro line with 15 stations. In July 2026 it carried 5.4 million trips, and 154 million since opening.

OfficialMetro de Quito: home page, "Metro en cifras" · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about transport in Quito →

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 →

Quito

Winter climate

There is no winter as a season: all year round it is about 10 degrees at night and 21-22 by day. In June-August nights are 9.4-9.8 and days 21-22; this is the dry season.

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

Precipitation and seasons

About 1100 mm a year. Dry in June-August, 22-40 mm and 7-10 rainy days a month. The wettest month is April: 171 mm and 20 days with rain.

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

Everything about climate in Quito →

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 →

Quito

Volcanoes

Guagua Pichincha, 12 km to the west, covered Quito in ash in 1999-2000. Cotopaxi, 45 km away, could send mudflows into the Los Chillos valley.

OfficialIG-EPN: Guagua Pichincha volcano · checked 6 Oct 2026

Street crime

Pichincha with Quito is on the list of provinces under a state of emergency from 15 Sep 2026. Pickpocketing and muggings are common, especially in the old town and at stations.

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

Everything about safety in Quito →

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 →

Quito

Fibre-optic internet

Netlife sells 850 Mbit/s fibre for 33.93 dollars a month including tax, 16.96 for the first 9 months. The provider has 16 service points in Quito.

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

Everything about internet and phone service in Quito →

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 →

Quito

Electricity at the EEQ tariff

Electricity is 0.078-0.105 dollars per kWh by block plus 1.41 a month. 300 kWh comes to about 28 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 from EPMAPS

As of 2024, a cubic metre of water in Quito cost 0.31 dollars for use up to 8 m³ and 0.40 at 16-30 m³. We could not open the utility's full tariff schedule.

SpecialistPrimicias: Quito municipality discusses a water tariff increase · checked 6 Oct 2026

Everything about services in Quito →

Compare with others