Uruguay on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Uruguay is challenging on a tight budget, but hostels, buses, supermarket food and free beaches make it workable. A realistic daily minimum is about UY$3,500 (roughly €75) per person sharing a room.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | UY$1,600 | UY$3,500 | UY$7,000 |
| Food & drink | UY$1,200 | UY$2,500 | UY$5,000 |
| Sights & tickets | UY$300 | UY$800 | UY$1,800 |
| Local transport | UY$400 | UY$900 | UY$2,000 |
| Per person, per day | UY$3,500 | UY$7,700 | UY$15,800 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Uruguay day-cost table.
Free things to do
- Walking the Rambla, Montevideo's riverside promenade
- Plaza Independencia and the Artigas mausoleum
- The Ciudad Vieja's pedestrian Sarandí street
- Sunday candombe drum parades in Barrio Sur and Palermo
- Colonia's Barrio Histórico and the Calle de los Suspiros
- La Mano sculpture on Brava beach in Punta del Este
Cheap eats
- Chivito, UY$500-700
- Empanadas from bakeries, a few hundred pesos each
- Menú ejecutivo set lunch, roughly UY$400-600
- Choripán (sausage sandwich) from a street grill, roughly UY$200-300
- Medialunas and coffee for breakfast, a few hundred pesos
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay in hostels in Montevideo's Cordón and Ciudad Vieja and in Colonia, about UY$2,500-4,000 for a double, with dorm beds cheaper.
Getting around cheaply
Long-distance buses from Tres Cruces are the cheapest way between cities. In Montevideo, city buses cost about UY$50-60. From Carrasco Airport, buses to the centre are much cheaper than a taxi (about UY$1,500-2,000).
A sample budget day
- Morning: Plaza Independencia and the Ciudad Vieja on foot (free)
- Lunch: menú ejecutivo or a chivito, about UY$600
- Afternoon: Museo Andes 1972 (about UY$450), then the Rambla to Pocitos by bus
- Evening: empanadas and a beer, about UY$500
- Total: about UY$3,500 including a shared hostel room
More ways to save
- Self-cater with supermarket food and hostel kitchens.
- Travel in shoulder seasons (March-April, October-November) for lower coastal prices.
- Take the bus to Colonia rather than a tour, and stay overnight.
- Share mate and conversation with locals; it costs nothing.
- Check whether paying by foreign card reduces VAT at your hotel.
- Visit Teatro Solís on days with cheap or free tours.
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Common questions
Can you visit Uruguay on a budget?
Yes, with hostels, buses and self-catering, about UY$3,500 per person a day.
Can I visit Uruguay from Buenos Aires?
Yes. Ferries reach Colonia in about 1h15 and Montevideo in about 2h15-3 hours.
What is free in Montevideo?
The Rambla, Plaza Independencia, the Ciudad Vieja and the Sunday candombe parades.