Why it is here
Why Montevideo is on the list.
A city is listed when there is evidence that people move there. This is the evidence.
- Montevideo department has 1,302,954 residents, the most of Uruguay's 19 departments and 37.2% of the country's 3,499,451 (INE Censo 2023). The next, Canelones, has 608,956. [N1]
- The national migration directorate's residence department is at Mercedes 1004, Montevideo, and the directorate's head office is at Misiones 1513. [I1]
- In the 2023 census 5.3% of Montevideo residents were born in another country, the second highest share of any department. Nationally, the directorate granted 18,458 residences in 2025, including 400 to US citizens, 29 to Canadians, 13 to Australians and 5 to New Zealanders (a national figure, not Montevideo's). [N1] [D1]
The Fernshore Index
How it grades, factor by factor.
Each grade is against a published measure, with its source and the date we checked it. It is research information, not advice. Where we have no figure, the row says Unknown.
Cost of living
45 of 100MixedCountry figure
Price level 0.658 of United States prices (2025).
Source: Price level index (GDP), Uruguay. Checked 15 October 2026.
Climate
59 of 100MixedOwn figure
Montevideo's own normals (Prado station): 8 comfortable months a year (January to May and October to December); monthly average daily highs run 14.7 to 27.8 °C and no month has over 150 mm of rain. September's high is 17.9 °C, just under the 18 °C line.
Source: Climate normals 1991–2020, Prado, Montevideo (WMO 86585). Checked 15 October 2026.
Safety
59 of 100MixedCountry figure
Global Peace Index 2026: 43rd of 163.
Source: Global Peace Index 2026, overall rank. Checked 15 October 2026.
Healthcare
82 of 100StrongCountry figure
WHO UHC service coverage index 85 (2023).
Source: UHC service coverage index (SDG 3.8.1). Checked 15 October 2026.
Schools
UnknownCountry figure
Our research doesn't cover schools yet.
Community
UnknownCountry figure
Not covered by Expat Insider 2026
Lifestyle
UnknownCountry figure
Not covered by Expat Insider 2026
Work and career
85 of 100StrongCountry figure
Strong: a residence route for remote workers exists (the provisional identity sheet for remote work, 180 days, renewable once) and fixed broadband is 33.04 per 100 people (2024), over the 30 line.
Source: Decreto 394/009, article 8 (as reworded by Decreto 238/022): provisional identity sheet for remote work; Fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Uruguay. Checked 15 October 2026.
Retirement
85 of 100StrongCountry figure
Strong: people living on rents, a pension or retirement income from abroad can apply for permanent residence directly, with a notarial certificate of the income. The page prints no minimum amount, age or deposit. The route needs no waiting period before permanent status, which is better than the 'after a stated period' the test asks for.
Source: Residencia Legal - Permanente. Checked 15 October 2026.
Internet
74 of 100StrongCountry figure
33.04 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people (2024).
Source: Fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Uruguay. Checked 15 October 2026.
English
62 of 100MixedCountry figure
EF EPI score 542, between the 499 and 550 anchors. The page does not print its edition year.
Source: EF English Proficiency Index: Uruguay. Checked 15 October 2026.
Visa, United States passport
UnknownCountry figure
Research for US passports is being checked
Visa, Canada passport
UnknownCountry figure
Research for CA passports is being checked
Visa, Australia passport
UnknownCountry figure
Research for AU passports is being checked
Visa, New Zealand passport
UnknownCountry figure
Research for NZ passports is being checked
The country
More on Uruguay.
Cities
Other cities in Uruguay.
Questions about Montevideo.
How many people live in Montevideo?
The 2023 census (INE) estimates 1,302,954 residents in Montevideo department at 31 May 2023, adjusted for census omission. That is 37.2% of Uruguay's 3,499,451, and 5.3% of residents were born in another country. The built-up area spills into neighbouring Canelones.
What do one-bedroom flats cost to rent in Montevideo?
Four adverts seen on 15 October 2026 asked UYU 25,000 to 35,000 a month (about US$621 to US$870 at UYU 40.236 per US dollar), plus building charges of UYU 3,000 to 4,386. They are asking prices, not an average, and the adverts we read ask for two-year contracts.
Where is the migration office for residence applications in Montevideo?
DNM's residence department is at Mercedes 1004, Montevideo, and its head office is at Misiones 1513. DNM says you attend in person with original documents, with one appointment for each family member, and an interpreter if you do not speak Spanish. Check the office for hours.
What is the weather like in Montevideo?
At the Prado station (1991 to 2020), mean daily highs run from 14.7 °C in July to 27.8 °C in January, and every month has 83 to 111 mm of rain. June to September average highs are under 18 °C. January averages 23.3 °C and July 11.0 °C, with no long dry season.
How safe is Montevideo?
Canada advises a high degree of caution in Montevideo because of crime, and says muggings and armed robbery are more common on 18 de Julio, in the Old City, around Plaza Independencia and at the port. The US rates Uruguay Level 2 and names Montevideo among the departments where crime is most common.
Sources
Where each figure comes from.
Every figure on this page links to the page we read, with the date we checked it.
- [N1] Censo 2023: Población estimada, crecimiento intercensal y estructura por sexo y edad, tables 1 and 6, Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE). Checked 15 October 2026. Montevideo department: 1,302,954 residents at 31 May 2023 (estimated resident population, census count adjusted for omission), 37.2% of the country's 3,499,451. The department is the city proper; the built-up area spills into Canelones. Table 6: 23.6% of residents were born outside the department and 5.3% in another country (second highest after Maldonado, 5.8%).
- [I1] Oficinas de la Dirección Nacional de Migración, Ministerio del Interior, Dirección Nacional de Migración (gub.uy). Checked 15 October 2026. Lists the DNM's Departamento de Residencias at Mercedes 1004, Montevideo, and the DNM head office at Misiones 1513 (from the DNM home page).
- [W1] Climate normals 1991–2020, Prado, Montevideo (WMO 86585), Instituto Uruguayo de Meteorología (INUMET) (WMO Climate Normals 1991–2020 via NOAA NCEI). Checked 15 October 2026. Monthly mean daily highs 27.8, 27.0, 25.3, 22.0, 18.5, 15.6, 14.7, 16.7, 17.9, 20.7, 23.7, 26.4 °C (January to December); rain 95, 94, 106, 111, 83, 89, 93, 90, 92, 102, 96, 91 mm; 8 comfortable months. Mean temperatures 23.3 °C (January) and 11.0 °C (July) differ by 12.3 °C.
- [D1] Anuario estadístico de la Dirección Nacional de Migración 2025, chapter 9: Residencias concedidas, table 9.34, Ministerio del Interior, Dirección Nacional de Migración (gub.uy). Checked 15 October 2026. National figures, not Montevideo's: 18,458 residences granted in 2025, including 400 to US citizens, 29 to Canadians, 13 to Australians and 5 to New Zealanders. Published 28 April 2026 (chapter file dated May 2026).
- [C1] Price level index (GDP), Uruguay, World Bank. Checked 15 October 2026. 2025: 65.81 (United States = 100), read from the World Bank API on 15 October 2026.
- [S1] Global Peace Index 2026, overall rank, Institute for Economics and Peace. Checked 15 October 2026. Uruguay ranks 43rd of 163 countries (score 1.754); the report calls it the most peaceful country in South America.
- [H1] UHC service coverage index (SDG 3.8.1), World Health Organization. Checked 15 October 2026. Uruguay: 85 out of 100 (2023), read from the WHO GHO API (UHC_INDEX_REPORTED) on 15 October 2026.
- [K1] Decreto 394/009, article 8 (as reworded by Decreto 238/022): provisional identity sheet for remote work, Presidencia de la República Oriental del Uruguay (IMPO, official legal database). Checked 15 October 2026. Article 8: a foreigner who applies for temporary residence for under 180 days gets the Hoja de Identidad Provisoria, including (literal B) for working remotely from Uruguay for entities abroad; renewable once for another 180 days; after that the person may apply for the categories in articles 4 and 7. Decreto 238/022 (4 August 2022) reworded article 8.
- [K3] Fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Uruguay, International Telecommunication Union, via the World Bank. Checked 15 October 2026. 2024: 33.04 per 100 people, read from the World Bank API on 15 October 2026.
- [R1] Residencia Legal - Permanente, Ministerio del Interior, Dirección Nacional de Migración (gub.uy trámites). Checked 15 October 2026. Page last updated 19 February 2026. Open to any foreign person intending to live in Uruguay permanently. Means of living can be shown as a "rentista, jubilado y pensionista en el exterior" with a notarial certificate of the income, its monthly nominal amount and how it is received in Uruguay. No minimum amount, age or deposit is printed on the page. Law 18.250 and Decreto 394/009 are the legal base.
- [F1] EF English Proficiency Index: Uruguay, EF Education First (private test-taker index). Checked 15 October 2026. Score 542, global rank 34, up 4 points on the previous score. The page does not print its edition year; it is the live country page read on 15 October 2026.