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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,078 per month in Canelones vs $1,632 in Montevideo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,253 per month in Canelones vs $2,480 in Montevideo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,429 per month in Canelones vs $3,329 in Montevideo, rent included.

Canelones is about 34% 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

$16.45 UYU 662

$15.85 UYU 638

3.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.1 UYU 2,177

$54.6 UYU 2,196

-0.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.38 UYU 498

$12.12 UYU 488

2.15%

Cappuccino

$4.21 UYU 169

$4.23 UYU 170

-0.47%

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

$2.25 UYU 90.6

$2.19 UYU 88.1

2.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 UYU 70.3

$1.69 UYU 68.2

3.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.34 UYU 175

$4.52 UYU 182

-3.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 UYU 145

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 UYU 50.9

$1.27 UYU 51.2

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 UYU 112

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 UYU 66.2

$1.58 UYU 63.8

4.43%

Eggs

$4.82 UYU 194

$4.79 UYU 193

0.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 UYU 543

$13.41 UYU 540

0.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.76 UYU 433

$10.67 UYU 429

0.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 UYU 445

$11.24 UYU 452

-1.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 UYU 121

$3.00 UYU 121

0.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 UYU 99.5

$2.43 UYU 97.9

1.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 UYU 61.1

$1.54 UYU 62.2

-1.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.60 UYU 145

$3.66 UYU 148

-1.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 UYU 84.9

$2.11 UYU 84.8

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 UYU 77.3

$1.89 UYU 75.9

1.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 UYU 55.2

$1.37 UYU 55.0

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 UYU 69.8

$1.71 UYU 68.9

1.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.00 UYU 201

$5.10 UYU 205

-1.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.87 UYU 357

$10.05 UYU 404

-11.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 UYU 92.7

$2.36 UYU 94.9

-2.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 UYU 117

$2.92 UYU 118

-0.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 UYU 50.3

$1.29 UYU 52.0

-3.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.80 UYU 1,803

$55.8 UYU 2,247

-19.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 UYU 57.5

$1.60 UYU 64.2

-10.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 UYU 63.0

$3.63 UYU 146

-57.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.22 UYU 452

$12.43 UYU 500

-9.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 UYU 76.2

$1.81 UYU 72.9

4.42%

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

$34.4K UYU 1.4M

$34.5K UYU 1.4M

-0.40%

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

$36.6K UYU 1.5M

$36.0K UYU 1.4M

1.77%

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

$169 UYU 6,796

$170 UYU 6,861

-0.96%

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

$16.63 UYU 670

$16.51 UYU 665

0.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.66 UYU 1,959

$49.77 UYU 2,004

-2.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 UYU 2,488

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.67 UYU 711

Cinema Ticket

$10.46 UYU 421

$10.45 UYU 421

0.10%

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

$483 UYU 19.5K

$482 UYU 19.4K

0.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,753 UYU 352.4K

$8,873 UYU 357.2K

-1.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.6 UYU 3,767

$94.9 UYU 3,819

-1.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.04 UYU 1,934

$47.22 UYU 1,901

1.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 UYU 4,526

$112 UYU 4,500

0.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 UYU 4,878

$123 UYU 4,962

-1.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$628 UYU 25.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$492 UYU 19.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$969 UYU 39.0K

$1,112 UYU 44.8K

-12.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,156 UYU 46.5K

$801 UYU 32.2K

44.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,065 UYU 163.6K

$3,582 UYU 144.2K

13.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,272 UYU 91.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$887 UYU 35.7K

$1,334 UYU 53.7K

-33.53%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Montevideo: May 31, 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 $54.0 in Canelones versus $55.0 in Montevideo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $319 vs $321 – making Canelones the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 51%, 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 $1,616 per month in Canelones and $2,448 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 $54.0 in Canelones and $55.0 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 $1,078 in Canelones and $1,632 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 $1,078, than in Montevideo at $1,632. 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.