Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Aguascalientes and Montevideo

For one person, living is cheaper in Aguascalientes: $1,113 a month against $1,813 in Montevideo, rent and utilities included – about $8,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Aguascalientes
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,113
/mo nomad
Montevideo
🇺🇾 Uruguay
$1,813
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Aguascalientes and in Montevideo

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Aguascalientes and in Montevideo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,113 in Aguascalientes versus $1,813 in Montevideo.

  • Aguascalientes $1,113
  • Montevideo $1,813

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,744 in Aguascalientes versus $2,782 in Montevideo.

  • Aguascalientes $1,744
  • Montevideo $2,782

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,375 in Aguascalientes versus $3,750 in Montevideo.

  • Aguascalientes $2,375
  • Montevideo $3,750

Living in Aguascalientes costs roughly 39% less than in Montevideo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Aguascalientes is 17% below, Montevideo is 35% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Aguascalientes
Montevideo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.50 MX$229
$15.26 UYU 613
-18.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.72 MX$821
$67.4 UYU 2,711
-33.68%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.00 MX$129
$14.37 UYU 578
-51.29%
Cappuccino
$3.86 MX$70.9
$4.64 UYU 187
-16.81%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.64 MX$30.09
$2.73 UYU 110
-39.93%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.21 MX$22.21
$2.09 UYU 84.0
-42.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.18 MX$40.03
$4.75 UYU 191
-54.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.26 MX$59.8
$3.67 UYU 147
-11.17%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Aguascalientes
Montevideo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.47 MX$26.98
$1.38 UYU 55.5
6.52%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$40.72
$2.77 UYU 112
-19.86%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.56 MX$28.69
$1.69 UYU 67.8
-7.69%
Eggs
$2.45 MX$45.02
$4.52 UYU 182
-45.80%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.03 MX$147
$14.17 UYU 570
-43.33%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.61 MX$158
$12.07 UYU 485
-28.67%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.47 MX$211
$12.16 UYU 489
-5.67%
Apples (1kg)
$2.32 MX$42.51
$2.87 UYU 116
-19.16%
Banana (1kg)
$1.33 MX$24.38
$2.75 UYU 110
-51.64%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.54 MX$28.29
$1.73 UYU 69.5
-10.98%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.76 MX$32.37
$3.24 UYU 130
-45.68%
Potato (1kg)
$1.62 MX$29.66
$2.07 UYU 83.1
-21.74%
Onion (1kg)
$1.36 MX$25.03
$2.07 UYU 83.1
-34.30%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 MX$18.21
$1.38 UYU 55.4
-28.26%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.83 MX$15.18
$1.85 UYU 74.5
-55.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.38 MX$80.4
$5.57 UYU 224
-21.36%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.88 MX$163
$8.89 UYU 357
-0.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.81 MX$33.32
$2.29 UYU 92.2
-20.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.42 MX$62.8
$2.70 UYU 109
26.67%
🚌 Getting Around
Aguascalientes
Montevideo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.59 MX$10.78
$1.52 UYU 61.3
-61.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$24.33 MX$447
$73.7 UYU 2,962
-66.97%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.22 MX$22.36
$1.82 UYU 73.4
-32.97%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.16 MX$21.37
$0.40 UYU 16.05
190.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.96 MX$201
$10.66 UYU 429
2.81%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.54 MX$28.21
$2.22 UYU 89.2
-30.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.7K MX$397.6K
$26.7K UYU 1.1M
-19.04%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.9K MX$438.9K
$36.7K UYU 1.5M
-34.94%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Aguascalientes
Montevideo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$55.6 MX$1,021
$191 UYU 7,674
-70.87%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.71 MX$454
$20.40 UYU 820
21.13%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.50 MX$450
$44.14 UYU 1,775
-44.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Aguascalientes
Montevideo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.42 MX$577
$54.1 UYU 2,177
-41.97%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.39 MX$411
$19.68 UYU 791
13.77%
Cinema Ticket
$5.16 MX$94.7
$12.33 UYU 496
-58.15%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Aguascalientes
Montevideo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$220 MX$4,039
$613 UYU 24.7K
-64.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,916 MX$53.5K
$11.0K UYU 444.3K
-73.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Aguascalientes
Montevideo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.6 MX$1,021
$103 UYU 4,134
-45.90%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.98 MX$697
$56.1 UYU 2,255
-32.26%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 MX$1,916
$124 UYU 5,000
-16.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$69.9 MX$1,284
$130 UYU 5,214
-46.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Aguascalientes
Montevideo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$516 MX$9,475
$705 UYU 28.4K
-26.83%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$361 MX$6,620
$575 UYU 23.1K
-37.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$810 MX$14.9K
$1,139 UYU 45.8K
-28.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 MX$11.8K
$1,016 UYU 40.8K
-36.75%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,183 MX$21.7K
$3,349 UYU 134.6K
-64.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,176 MX$21.6K
$1,942 UYU 78.1K
-39.44%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Aguascalientes
Montevideo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$884 MX$16.2K
$1,229 UYU 49.4K
-28.06%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.2
5.74
95.12%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Aguascalientes: October 5, 2026

Last update for Montevideo: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Aguascalientes
$361
Montevideo
$575 59.6% $215
Groceries & Markets
Aguascalientes
$244
Montevideo
$332 36.2% $88
Eating Out
Aguascalientes
$196
Montevideo
$271 38.3% $75
Clothing & Footwear
Aguascalientes
$121
Montevideo
$186 54.1% $65
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Aguascalientes
$105
Montevideo
$255 144% $151
Sport & Entertainment
Aguascalientes
$42
Montevideo
$79 88.8% $37
Getting Around
Aguascalientes
$34
Montevideo
$84 148% $50

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $516 in Aguascalientes and $705 in Montevideo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montevideo pays 39% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $45.00 in Aguascalientes vs $67.0 in Montevideo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $244 vs $332 per month, with Aguascalientes cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Aguascalientes
🇺🇾 Montevideo
🕒 Local time
23:23 11:23 PM
02:23 2:23 AM
3 h ahead of Aguascalientes
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
863,893
1,319,108 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

UYU, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 18.36 MXN (100 MXN = 5.45 USD). 1 EUR = 20.59 MXN (100 MXN = 4.86 EUR).

Uruguayan Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 40.21 UYU (100 UYU = 2.49 USD). 1 EUR = 45.1 UYU (100 UYU = 2.22 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Aguascalientes Montevideo 7,970 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Aguascalientes
  • Montevideo

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Aguascalientes vs Montevideo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Montevideo cheaper than Aguascalientes?
Aguascalientes is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 63% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Aguascalientes or Montevideo?
On paper, salaries run 39% lower in Montevideo. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Aguascalientes and Montevideo?
Rent for a central apartment: $516 in Aguascalientes versus $705 in Montevideo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Aguascalientes runs roughly 203% less than in Montevideo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $220 in Aguascalientes versus $613 in Montevideo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Aguascalientes or in Montevideo?
At $1,113 in Aguascalientes versus $1,813 in Montevideo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Aguascalientes but tight or insufficient in Montevideo. The gap between the two cities makes Aguascalientes the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Aguascalientes or Montevideo more family-friendly?
For families, Aguascalientes is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Montevideo, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Aguascalientes or Montevideo?
Safety-wise, Aguascalientes and Montevideo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Aguascalientes gentler on the wallet – expenses run 63% less than in Montevideo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Aguascalientes vs other spots: cost of living compared

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