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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,072 per month in Canelones vs $1,640 in Montevideo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,260 per month in Canelones vs $2,477 in Montevideo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,447 per month in Canelones vs $3,314 in Montevideo, rent included.

Canelones is about 35% cheaper than Montevideo, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Canelones sits 20% below the global median, while Montevideo is 22% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.99 UYU 636

$16.35 UYU 650

-2.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.0 UYU 2,230

$54.3 UYU 2,161

3.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.35 UYU 491

$12.15 UYU 483

1.65%

Cappuccino

$4.06 UYU 161

$4.06 UYU 162

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

$2.17 UYU 86.2

$2.27 UYU 90.1

-4.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 UYU 68.2

$1.70 UYU 67.7

0.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.35 UYU 173

$4.51 UYU 179

-3.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 UYU 149

$3.63 UYU 144

3.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 UYU 48.69

$1.26 UYU 50.3

-3.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.79 UYU 111

$2.87 UYU 114

-2.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 UYU 65.8

$1.61 UYU 64.1

2.48%

Eggs

$4.86 UYU 193

$4.71 UYU 188

3.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.52 UYU 538

$13.42 UYU 534

0.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.71 UYU 426

$10.74 UYU 427

-0.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.03 UYU 439

$11.19 UYU 445

-1.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 UYU 119

$3.13 UYU 125

-4.15%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 UYU 97.5

$2.34 UYU 93.3

4.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 UYU 62.0

$1.55 UYU 61.8

0.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.61 UYU 143

$3.63 UYU 144

-0.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 UYU 82.8

$2.14 UYU 85.0

-2.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 UYU 75.6

$1.96 UYU 77.9

-3.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 UYU 54.5

$1.36 UYU 54.2

0.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 UYU 67.2

$1.73 UYU 68.9

-2.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.24 UYU 209

$5.09 UYU 202

2.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.98 UYU 357

$9.90 UYU 394

-9.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 UYU 93.5

$2.33 UYU 92.8

0.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 UYU 120

$3.05 UYU 121

-0.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 UYU 49.35

$1.35 UYU 53.9

-8.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.33 UYU 1,764

$55.2 UYU 2,197

-19.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 UYU 56.9

$1.61 UYU 64.0

-11.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 UYU 60.3

$3.60 UYU 143

-58.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.21 UYU 446

$12.42 UYU 494

-9.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 UYU 75.3

$1.85 UYU 73.5

2.16%

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

$33.7K UYU 1.3M

$34.8K UYU 1.4M

-3.21%

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

$35.9K UYU 1.4M

$36.3K UYU 1.4M

-1.31%

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

$173 UYU 6,872

$175 UYU 6,968

-1.38%

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

$16.72 UYU 665

$16.91 UYU 673

-1.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.84 UYU 1,983

$50.0 UYU 1,989

-0.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 UYU 2,410

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.35 UYU 691

Cinema Ticket

$10.62 UYU 422

$10.46 UYU 416

1.53%

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

$493 UYU 19.6K

$494 UYU 19.7K

-0.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,032 UYU 359.4K

$8,985 UYU 357.5K

0.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.0 UYU 3,741

$96.1 UYU 3,822

-2.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.99 UYU 1,910

$48.11 UYU 1,914

-0.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 UYU 4,447

$116 UYU 4,606

-3.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 UYU 4,877

$125 UYU 4,959

-1.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 UYU 24.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 UYU 19.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 UYU 39.5K

$1,117 UYU 44.4K

-11.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,151 UYU 45.8K

$818 UYU 32.6K

40.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,011 UYU 159.6K

$3,484 UYU 138.6K

15.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,267 UYU 90.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,283 UYU 51.0K

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Montevideo: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $0 in Canelones versus $615 in Montevideo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $56 in Canelones versus $54 in Montevideo. Groceries tell a different story – $319 in Canelones vs $322 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 53%, 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 $1,608 per month in Canelones and $2,460 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 $56.0 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 $1,072 in Canelones and $1,640 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 $1,072, than in Montevideo at $1,640. 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.