Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Canelones and Punta del Este

For one person, living is cheaper in Punta del Este: $1,876 a month against $1,997 in Canelones, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Canelones outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

96

Cost of Living Index in Canelones
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Canelones Living Index
90

Cost of Living Index in Punta del Este
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Punta del Este Living Index

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Canelones

🇺🇾 Uruguay

$1,997

/mo nomad

Punta del Este

🇺🇾 Uruguay

$1,876

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Canelones and in Punta del Este

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Canelones and in Punta del Este actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,997 per month in Canelones vs $1,876 in Punta del Este, rent included.

Canelones $1,997
Punta del Este $1,876

A couple spends around $2,195 per month in Canelones vs $2,682 in Punta del Este, rent included.

Canelones $2,195
Punta del Este $2,682

A family of three spends $2,394 per month in Canelones vs $3,488 in Punta del Este, rent included.

Canelones $2,394
Punta del Este $3,488

Canelones costs about 6% more than Punta del Este, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Canelones and Punta del Este sit above the global median – Canelones by 47%, Punta del Este by 38%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.97 UYU 601

$13.31 UYU 534

12.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.3 UYU 2,018

$43.03 UYU 1,727

16.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.33 UYU 575

$13.58 UYU 545

5.52%

Cappuccino

$4.05 UYU 163

$4.60 UYU 184

-11.96%

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

$2.72 UYU 109

$2.34 UYU 94.0

16.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 UYU 83.1

$1.99 UYU 79.8

4.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.62 UYU 185

$2.93 UYU 118

57.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 UYU 119

$3.51 UYU 141

-15.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 UYU 55.6

$1.13 UYU 45.17

22.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.83 UYU 114

$2.81 UYU 113

0.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 UYU 68.9

$1.74 UYU 70.0

-1.15%

Eggs

$4.44 UYU 178

$4.35 UYU 174

2.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.98 UYU 561

$11.98 UYU 481

16.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.55 UYU 464

$11.25 UYU 452

2.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 UYU 479

Apples (1kg)

$2.76 UYU 111

$2.83 UYU 114

-2.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.76 UYU 111

$2.84 UYU 114

-2.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 UYU 69.6

$1.79 UYU 71.7

-2.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.20 UYU 128

$3.16 UYU 127

1.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 UYU 76.5

$2.01 UYU 80.8

-4.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 UYU 83.3

$2.09 UYU 83.9

-0.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 UYU 55.5

$1.40 UYU 56.2

-1.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 UYU 76.6

$1.96 UYU 78.8

-2.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.49 UYU 220

$5.59 UYU 224

-1.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.55 UYU 343

$8.33 UYU 334

2.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 UYU 94.7

$2.34 UYU 93.9

0.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 UYU 113

$2.80 UYU 112

1.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 UYU 54.8

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.3 UYU 2,017

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.91 UYU 76.6

$1.90 UYU 76.3

0.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 UYU 16.04

$0.40 UYU 16.19

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.60 UYU 426

$9.71 UYU 390

9.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 UYU 76.8

$2.12 UYU 85.1

-9.91%

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

$26.0K UYU 1.0M

$26.4K UYU 1.1M

-1.67%

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

$35.7K UYU 1.4M

$36.0K UYU 1.4M

-0.86%

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

$191 UYU 7,674

$114 UYU 4,561

68.24%

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

$20.54 UYU 824

$21.05 UYU 845

-2.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.11 UYU 1,810

$44.10 UYU 1,770

2.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.4 UYU 2,747

$55.8 UYU 2,240

22.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.52 UYU 743

Cinema Ticket

$12.45 UYU 500

$12.15 UYU 488

2.47%

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

$627 UYU 25.2K

$505 UYU 20.3K

24.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K UYU 443.0K

$6,635 UYU 266.3K

66.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 UYU 4,090

$88.8 UYU 3,563

14.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.03 UYU 1,968

$36.73 UYU 1,474

33.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 UYU 4,453

$126 UYU 5,045

-11.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 UYU 5,303

$120 UYU 4,801

10.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,113 UYU 44.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$878 UYU 35.2K

$830 UYU 33.3K

5.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,917 UYU 76.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,182 UYU 47.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,960 UYU 158.9K

$3,822 UYU 153.4K

3.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,964 UYU 78.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$873 UYU 35.0K

$1,072 UYU 43.0K

-18.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.74

14.80%

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

Last update for Canelones: October 18, 2026

Last update for Punta del Este: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Canelones

$878 44%

Punta del Este

$830 44.3% 5.4% $48

Groceries & Markets

Canelones

$328 16.4%

Punta del Este

$319 17% 2.8% $9.2

Eating Out

Canelones

$260 13%

Punta del Este

$241 12.9% 7% $18

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Canelones

$257 12.9%

Punta del Este

$179 9.5% 30.4% $78

Clothing & Footwear

Canelones

$177 8.9%

Punta del Este

$167 8.9% 5.9% $10

Sport & Entertainment

Canelones

$93 4.7%

Punta del Este

$80 4.3% 14.2% $13

Getting Around

Canelones

$3.9 * 0.2%

Punta del Este

$60 3.2% 1425% $56

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 23% higher in Punta del Este, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50.0 in Canelones versus $43.00 in Punta del Este. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $328 vs $319 – making Punta del Este the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇾 Canelones

🇺🇾 Punta del Este

🕒 Local time

10:34 10:34 AM

Same time as Canelones

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

19,865

9,300

💱 Currency

Uruguayan Peso UYU $U

📈 Exchange rate

100 UYU = 2.49 USD

100 UYU = 2.22 EUR

100 UYU = 2.49 USD

100 UYU = 2.22 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Canelones Punta del Este 130 km

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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 – Canelones is pricier by about 6%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,996 per month in Canelones and $2,814 in Punta del Este. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,997 in Canelones and $1,876 in Punta del Este. That's a gap of about 6%.

Kindergarten costs $627 per month in Canelones and $505 in Punta del Este. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Punta del Este, where all-in costs run around $1,876, than in Canelones at $1,997. In Punta del Este it covers expenses comfortably, while in Canelones it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Punta del Este – 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 Punta del Este. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Canelones makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.