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 $1,950 per month in Canelones vs $1,956 in Punta del Este, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,166 per month in Canelones vs $2,772 in Punta del Este, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,383 per month in Canelones vs $3,589 in Punta del Este, rent included.

Canelones and Punta del Este have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Canelones and Punta del Este sit above the global median – Canelones by 41%, Punta del Este by 42%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.77 UYU 594

$15.00 UYU 604

-1.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.40 UYU 1,987

$37.11 UYU 1,493

33.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.07 UYU 526

$12.34 UYU 496

5.92%

Cappuccino

$3.87 UYU 156

$4.40 UYU 177

-12.05%

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

$2.67 UYU 107

$2.50 UYU 101

6.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 UYU 80.3

$1.95 UYU 78.5

2.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.72 UYU 190

$3.80 UYU 153

24.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 UYU 119

$3.79 UYU 152

-21.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 UYU 52.3

$1.12 UYU 45.16

16.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 UYU 113

$2.67 UYU 107

5.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 UYU 73.6

$1.66 UYU 66.7

10.24%

Eggs

$4.70 UYU 189

$4.31 UYU 173

9.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.00 UYU 563

$12.33 UYU 496

13.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.84 UYU 476

$11.39 UYU 458

3.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 UYU 458

$11.96 UYU 481

-4.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 UYU 118

$2.87 UYU 115

2.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 UYU 113

$2.75 UYU 110

2.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 UYU 73.3

$1.72 UYU 69.2

5.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.04 UYU 122

$3.23 UYU 130

-5.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 UYU 82.1

$2.03 UYU 81.5

0.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 UYU 91.3

$2.09 UYU 84.2

8.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.41 UYU 56.5

$1.40 UYU 56.4

0.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 UYU 79.2

$1.95 UYU 78.3

1.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.37 UYU 216

$5.53 UYU 223

-2.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.11 UYU 326

$8.09 UYU 326

0.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 UYU 91.9

$2.25 UYU 90.5

1.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 UYU 113

$2.90 UYU 117

-3.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 UYU 54.9

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.1 UYU 2,014

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.83 UYU 73.8

$1.82 UYU 73.0

0.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 UYU 17.59

$0.41 UYU 16.40

7.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.37 UYU 417

$10.06 UYU 405

3.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 UYU 80.1

$2.12 UYU 85.4

-6.13%

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

$27.4K UYU 1.1M

$27.2K UYU 1.1M

0.91%

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

$38.0K UYU 1.5M

$37.2K UYU 1.5M

2.07%

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

$189 UYU 7,617

$115 UYU 4,621

64.86%

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

$17.48 UYU 703

$17.49 UYU 704

-0.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.67 UYU 1,837

$43.66 UYU 1,756

4.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.1 UYU 2,700

$56.5 UYU 2,272

18.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.44 UYU 742

Cinema Ticket

$12.26 UYU 493

$12.20 UYU 491

0.49%

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

$621 UYU 25.0K

$502 UYU 20.2K

23.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K UYU 421.8K

$6,643 UYU 267.2K

57.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.8 UYU 3,813

$91.0 UYU 3,662

4.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.24 UYU 1,981

$36.53 UYU 1,470

34.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 UYU 4,571

$124 UYU 4,972

-8.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 UYU 5,120

$119 UYU 4,789

6.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,113 UYU 44.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$885 UYU 35.6K

$889 UYU 35.8K

-0.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,455 UYU 58.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 UYU 50.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,051 UYU 163.0K

$3,851 UYU 154.9K

5.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,013 UYU 81.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$894 UYU 36.0K

$1,149 UYU 46.2K

-22.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.49

9.80%

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

Last update for Canelones: September 5, 2026

Last update for Punta del Este: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 28% higher in Punta del Este. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Canelones versus $37.00 in Punta del Este. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $330 vs $318 – making Punta del Este 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 Punta del Este: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,924 per month in Canelones and $2,933 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 $49.00 in Canelones and $37.00 in Punta del Este. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Kindergarten costs $621 per month in Canelones and $502 in Punta del Este. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Canelones, where all-in costs run around $1,950, than in Punta del Este at $1,956. 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.