Cost of Living Comparison Between Canelones and Punta del Este Cost of Living Comparison Between Canelones and Punta del Este

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,078 per month in Canelones vs $2,094 in Punta del Este, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,253 per month in Canelones vs $3,316 in Punta del Este, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,429 per month in Canelones vs $4,537 in Punta del Este, rent included.

Canelones is about 49% cheaper than Punta del Este, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Canelones sits 20% below the global median, while Punta del Este is 56% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.45 UYU 662

$18.35 UYU 739

-10.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.1 UYU 2,177

$51.5 UYU 2,074

4.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.38 UYU 498

$11.51 UYU 463

7.56%

Cappuccino

$4.21 UYU 169

$4.50 UYU 181

-6.44%

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

$2.25 UYU 90.6

$3.59 UYU 145

-37.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 UYU 70.3

$2.76 UYU 111

-36.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.34 UYU 175

$3.64 UYU 147

19.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 UYU 145

$5.01 UYU 202

-28.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 UYU 50.9

$1.34 UYU 53.9

-5.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 UYU 112

$2.45 UYU 98.8

13.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 UYU 66.2

$2.17 UYU 87.5

-23.96%

Eggs

$4.82 UYU 194

$3.95 UYU 159

22.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 UYU 543

$13.91 UYU 560

-3.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.76 UYU 433

$12.96 UYU 522

-16.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 UYU 445

$12.41 UYU 500

-10.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 UYU 121

$3.04 UYU 122

-0.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 UYU 99.5

$3.62 UYU 146

-31.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 UYU 61.1

$1.99 UYU 80.0

-23.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.60 UYU 145

$3.58 UYU 144

0.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 UYU 84.9

$2.23 UYU 89.7

-5.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 UYU 77.3

$2.01 UYU 81.0

-4.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 UYU 55.2

$1.31 UYU 52.7

4.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 UYU 69.8

$1.94 UYU 78.0

-10.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.00 UYU 201

$4.79 UYU 193

4.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.87 UYU 357

$7.96 UYU 320

11.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 UYU 92.7

$3.18 UYU 128

-27.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 UYU 117

$5.10 UYU 205

-42.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 UYU 50.3

$1.37 UYU 55.3

-8.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.80 UYU 1,803

$48.46 UYU 1,951

-7.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 UYU 57.5

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 UYU 63.0

$3.43 UYU 138

-54.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.22 UYU 452

$13.43 UYU 540

-16.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 UYU 76.2

$1.86 UYU 74.9

1.61%

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

$34.4K UYU 1.4M

$29.9K UYU 1.2M

14.97%

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

$36.6K UYU 1.5M

$34.4K UYU 1.4M

6.45%

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

$169 UYU 6,796

$94.9 UYU 3,821

77.84%

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

$16.63 UYU 670

$15.87 UYU 639

4.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.66 UYU 1,959

$40.15 UYU 1,616

21.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.8 UYU 3,174

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.64 UYU 992

Cinema Ticket

$10.46 UYU 421

$9.99 UYU 402

4.70%

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

$483 UYU 19.5K

$628 UYU 25.3K

-23.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,753 UYU 352.4K

$7,454 UYU 300.1K

17.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.6 UYU 3,767

$123 UYU 4,940

-23.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.04 UYU 1,934

$63.3 UYU 2,550

-24.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 UYU 4,526

$141 UYU 5,670

-20.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 UYU 4,878

$149 UYU 5,991

-18.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,129 UYU 45.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$899 UYU 36.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$969 UYU 39.0K

$2,542 UYU 102.3K

-61.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,156 UYU 46.5K

$1,890 UYU 76.1K

-38.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,065 UYU 163.6K

$3,195 UYU 128.6K

27.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,025 UYU 81.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$887 UYU 35.7K

$1,122 UYU 45.2K

-20.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.68

13.60%

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

Last update for Canelones: May 31, 2026

Last update for Punta del Este: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 27% higher in Punta del Este, 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 $52.0 in Punta del Este. Groceries tell a different story – $319 in Canelones vs $350 in Punta del Este – 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 Punta del Este: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Punta del Este is pricier by about 94%, 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 $3,141 in Punta del Este. 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 $52.0 in Punta del Este. 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 $2,094 in Punta del Este. 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 Punta del Este at $2,094. In Canelones it covers expenses comfortably, while in Punta del Este 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, Punta del Este makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.