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 $1,064 per month in Canelones vs $2,017 in Punta del Este, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,271 per month in Canelones vs $3,237 in Punta del Este, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,477 per month in Canelones vs $4,456 in Punta del Este, rent included.

Canelones is about 47% cheaper than Punta del Este, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Canelones sits 20% below the global median, while Punta del Este is 51% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.35 UYU 656

$18.58 UYU 746

-12.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.5 UYU 2,227

$52.2 UYU 2,096

6.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.43 UYU 499

$11.50 UYU 462

8.09%

Cappuccino

$4.14 UYU 166

$4.64 UYU 186

-10.78%

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

$2.25 UYU 90.1

$3.60 UYU 145

-37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 UYU 71.2

$2.72 UYU 109

-34.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.28 UYU 172

$3.62 UYU 145

18.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 UYU 144

$4.78 UYU 192

-24.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 UYU 49.34

$1.34 UYU 53.9

-8.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 UYU 115

$2.44 UYU 97.8

18.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 UYU 66.8

$2.20 UYU 88.3

-24.55%

Eggs

$4.71 UYU 189

$3.83 UYU 154

22.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.74 UYU 551

$13.89 UYU 558

-1.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.67 UYU 428

$13.11 UYU 526

-18.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.95 UYU 440

$12.73 UYU 511

-13.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 UYU 120

$3.21 UYU 129

-6.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.45 UYU 98.6

$3.62 UYU 145

-32.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 UYU 60.8

$1.99 UYU 79.9

-24.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.74 UYU 150

$3.51 UYU 141

6.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 UYU 82.8

$2.21 UYU 88.8

-6.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 UYU 77.7

$2.02 UYU 81.0

-3.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 UYU 55.0

$1.32 UYU 52.8

3.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 UYU 68.8

$2.01 UYU 80.9

-14.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.20 UYU 209

$4.78 UYU 192

8.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.83 UYU 354

$8.02 UYU 322

10.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 UYU 95.6

$3.27 UYU 131

-27.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 UYU 121

$5.13 UYU 206

-41.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 UYU 49.62

$1.33 UYU 53.5

-6.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.19 UYU 1,774

$49.52 UYU 1,988

-10.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.45 UYU 58.2

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 UYU 60.9

$3.43 UYU 138

-55.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.16 UYU 448

$13.24 UYU 531

-15.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 UYU 76.2

$1.93 UYU 77.3

-1.55%

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

$34.4K UYU 1.4M

$29.2K UYU 1.2M

18.02%

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

$37.0K UYU 1.5M

$34.5K UYU 1.4M

7.43%

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

$171 UYU 6,878

$95.5 UYU 3,833

79.46%

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

$16.69 UYU 670

$16.23 UYU 651

2.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.1 UYU 2,011

$39.56 UYU 1,588

26.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 UYU 3,124

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.69 UYU 991

Cinema Ticket

$10.46 UYU 420

$9.55 UYU 384

9.53%

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

$483 UYU 19.4K

$608 UYU 24.4K

-20.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,929 UYU 358.4K

$7,464 UYU 299.6K

19.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.9 UYU 3,770

$120 UYU 4,833

-21.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.99 UYU 1,886

$65.4 UYU 2,626

-28.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 UYU 4,493

$143 UYU 5,750

-21.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 UYU 4,866

$144 UYU 5,779

-15.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,128 UYU 45.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$872 UYU 35.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 UYU 39.6K

$2,506 UYU 100.6K

-60.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,174 UYU 47.1K

$1,854 UYU 74.4K

-36.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,982 UYU 159.8K

$3,816 UYU 153.2K

4.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,965 UYU 78.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$878 UYU 35.2K

$1,118 UYU 44.9K

-21.51%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Punta del Este: July 20, 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 $55.0 in Canelones versus $52.0 in Punta del Este. Groceries tell a different story – $320 in Canelones vs $353 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 90%, 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 $3,026 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 $55.0 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 $1,064 in Canelones and $2,017 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 $1,064, than in Punta del Este at $2,017. 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.