Cost of Living Comparison Between Canelones and Montevideo Cost of Living Comparison Between Canelones and Montevideo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,064 per month in Canelones vs $1,661 in Montevideo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,271 per month in Canelones vs $2,471 in Montevideo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,477 per month in Canelones vs $3,281 in Montevideo, rent included.

Canelones is about 36% cheaper than Montevideo, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Canelones sits 20% below the global median, while Montevideo is 24% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.35 UYU 656

$16.41 UYU 659

-0.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.5 UYU 2,227

$54.5 UYU 2,187

1.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.43 UYU 499

$12.00 UYU 482

3.58%

Cappuccino

$4.14 UYU 166

$4.13 UYU 166

0.24%

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

$2.25 UYU 90.1

$2.24 UYU 89.8

0.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 UYU 71.2

$1.77 UYU 70.9

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.28 UYU 172

$4.42 UYU 177

-3.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 UYU 144

$3.77 UYU 151

-4.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 UYU 49.34

$1.23 UYU 49.31

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 UYU 115

$2.87 UYU 115

0.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 UYU 66.8

$1.59 UYU 63.9

4.40%

Eggs

$4.71 UYU 189

$4.91 UYU 197

-4.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.74 UYU 551

$13.33 UYU 535

3.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.67 UYU 428

$10.90 UYU 438

-2.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.95 UYU 440

$11.12 UYU 446

-1.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 UYU 120

$3.01 UYU 121

-0.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 UYU 98.6

$2.47 UYU 99.3

-0.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 UYU 60.8

$1.49 UYU 59.6

1.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.74 UYU 150

$3.73 UYU 150

0.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 UYU 82.8

$2.10 UYU 84.3

-1.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 UYU 77.7

$1.87 UYU 75.1

3.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 UYU 55.0

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 UYU 68.8

$1.65 UYU 66.4

3.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.20 UYU 209

$5.11 UYU 205

1.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.83 UYU 354

$8.74 UYU 351

1.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 UYU 95.6

$2.27 UYU 91.1

4.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 UYU 121

$2.99 UYU 120

0.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 UYU 49.62

$1.29 UYU 51.9

-3.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.19 UYU 1,774

$56.3 UYU 2,259

-21.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.45 UYU 58.2

$1.57 UYU 62.8

-7.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 UYU 60.9

$3.45 UYU 139

-55.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.16 UYU 448

$12.40 UYU 498

-10.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 UYU 76.2

$1.88 UYU 75.7

1.06%

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

$34.4K UYU 1.4M

$34.8K UYU 1.4M

-0.98%

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

$37.0K UYU 1.5M

$36.8K UYU 1.5M

0.60%

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

$171 UYU 6,878

$170 UYU 6,835

0.64%

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

$16.69 UYU 670

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.1 UYU 2,011

$48.56 UYU 1,949

3.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.2 UYU 2,455

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 UYU 691

Cinema Ticket

$10.46 UYU 420

$10.35 UYU 416

1.06%

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

$483 UYU 19.4K

$478 UYU 19.2K

1.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,929 UYU 358.4K

$9,037 UYU 362.8K

-1.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.9 UYU 3,770

$94.2 UYU 3,782

-0.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.99 UYU 1,886

$47.87 UYU 1,921

-1.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 UYU 4,493

$113 UYU 4,517

-0.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 UYU 4,866

$125 UYU 5,034

-3.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 UYU 24.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 UYU 19.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 UYU 39.6K

$1,080 UYU 43.3K

-8.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,174 UYU 47.1K

$824 UYU 33.1K

42.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,982 UYU 159.8K

$3,631 UYU 145.7K

9.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,309 UYU 92.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$878 UYU 35.2K

$1,318 UYU 52.9K

-33.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.68

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

Last update for Canelones: July 20, 2026

Last update for Montevideo: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 50% higher in Montevideo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Canelones versus $54.0 in Montevideo. Groceries tell a different story – $320 in Canelones vs $320 in Montevideo – so Canelones wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Canelones vs Montevideo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Montevideo is pricier by about 56%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,597 per month in Canelones and $2,491 in Montevideo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Canelones and $54.0 in Montevideo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,064 in Canelones and $1,661 in Montevideo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Canelones, where all-in costs run around $1,064, than in Montevideo at $1,661. In Canelones it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montevideo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Canelones – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Canelones. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Montevideo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.