Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenos Aires and Montevideo Cost of Living Comparison Between Buenos Aires and Montevideo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,393 in Buenos Aires versus $1,667 in Montevideo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,191 in Buenos Aires versus $2,511 in Montevideo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,988 in Buenos Aires versus $3,354 in Montevideo.

Living in Buenos Aires costs roughly 16% less than in Montevideo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Buenos Aires 4% above, Montevideo 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.82 ARS 21.9K

$16.30 UYU 656

-9.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.1 ARS 88.8K

$55.4 UYU 2,228

8.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.97 ARS 17.7K

$12.19 UYU 490

-1.80%

Cappuccino

$3.99 ARS 5,898

$4.26 UYU 171

-6.34%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ARS 3,207

$2.19 UYU 88.1

-0.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 ARS 2,169

$1.71 UYU 68.8

-14.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.68 ARS 5,440

$4.47 UYU 180

-17.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ARS 5,761

$3.70 UYU 149

5.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 ARS 2,371

$1.25 UYU 50.4

28.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 ARS 3,738

$2.91 UYU 117

-13.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 ARS 3,279

$1.63 UYU 65.7

36.20%

Eggs

$3.17 ARS 4,683

$4.96 UYU 199

-36.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.03 ARS 17.8K

$13.31 UYU 535

-9.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.84 ARS 11.6K

$10.83 UYU 436

-27.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.25 ARS 13.7K

$10.96 UYU 441

-15.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 ARS 3,624

$3.08 UYU 124

-20.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 ARS 3,012

$2.36 UYU 94.9

-13.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 ARS 1,932

$1.50 UYU 60.4

-12.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.53 ARS 3,745

$3.58 UYU 144

-29.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 ARS 2,150

$2.08 UYU 83.6

-30.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ARS 2,191

$1.94 UYU 78.1

-23.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.79 ARS 2,643

$1.31 UYU 52.7

36.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 ARS 2,141

$1.73 UYU 69.4

-16.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 ARS 4,697

$5.23 UYU 210

-39.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.83 ARS 8,622

$8.76 UYU 353

-33.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 ARS 3,277

$2.33 UYU 93.9

-4.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 ARS 4,535

$2.90 UYU 117

5.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 ARS 988

$1.30 UYU 52.1

-48.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.26 ARS 24.0K

$56.3 UYU 2,265

-71.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 ARS 2,333

$1.54 UYU 62.1

2.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 ARS 1,267

$3.63 UYU 146

-76.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 ARS 8,826

$12.37 UYU 498

-51.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ARS 1,653

$1.83 UYU 73.5

-38.80%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$24.8K ARS 36.6M

$33.7K UYU 1.4M

-26.43%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$29.2K ARS 43.2M

$35.9K UYU 1.4M

-18.46%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$109 ARS 161.0K

$175 UYU 7,032

-37.69%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$21.47 ARS 31.7K

$16.95 UYU 682

26.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.58 ARS 42.2K

$48.42 UYU 1,948

-40.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.73 ARS 61.7K

$61.7 UYU 2,480

-32.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.77 ARS 17.4K

$17.76 UYU 715

-33.73%

Cinema Ticket

$9.25 ARS 13.7K

$10.42 UYU 419

-11.23%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$325 ARS 479.6K

$489 UYU 19.7K

-33.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,275 ARS 7.8M

$8,967 UYU 360.7K

-41.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 ARS 165.0K

$95.6 UYU 3,847

16.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$85.9 ARS 127.0K

$47.66 UYU 1,917

80.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 ARS 181.5K

$115 UYU 4,608

7.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 ARS 190.6K

$121 UYU 4,858

6.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 ARS 970.6K

$611 UYU 24.6K

7.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ARS 661.6K

$488 UYU 19.6K

-8.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,150 ARS 1.7M

$1,107 UYU 44.5K

3.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$814 ARS 1.2M

$818 UYU 32.9K

-0.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,577 ARS 3.8M

$3,598 UYU 144.7K

-28.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,844 ARS 2.7M

$2,274 UYU 91.5K

-18.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$842 ARS 1.2M

$1,332 UYU 53.6K

-36.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

52.71

5.68

827.99%

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

Last update for Buenos Aires: July 13, 2026

Last update for Montevideo: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Buenos Aires and $611 in Montevideo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montevideo pays 58% 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: $60.0 in Buenos Aires vs $55.0 in Montevideo. Groceries flip the comparison at $269 vs $319, with Buenos Aires cheaper for home cooking.

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

Buenos Aires vs Montevideo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Buenos Aires and Montevideo differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($1,393 vs $1,667 including rent). Buenos Aires is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 58% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $657 in Buenos Aires versus $611 in Montevideo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $325 in Buenos Aires versus $489 in Montevideo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Montevideo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,393 in Buenos Aires versus $1,667 in Montevideo, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Buenos Aires but tight or insufficient in Montevideo. The gap between the two cities makes Buenos Aires the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Buenos Aires 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.

Expats usually find Buenos Aires gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Montevideo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.