Cost of Living Comparison Between Chile and Uruguay Cost of Living Comparison Between Chile and Uruguay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $804 in Chile versus $1,154 in Uruguay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,255 in Chile versus $1,755 in Uruguay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,706 in Chile versus $2,355 in Uruguay.

Living in Chile costs about 30% less than in Uruguay on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Chile 42% lower, Uruguay 16% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chile
Uruguay
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.62 CLP 7,976
$16.22 UYU 652
-46.86%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.06 CLP 44.4K
$53.2 UYU 2,139
-9.63%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.61 CLP 7,036
$12.34 UYU 496
-38.33%
Cappuccino
$3.05 CLP 2,825
$4.28 UYU 172
-28.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 CLP 1,309
$2.38 UYU 95.6
-40.76%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.04 CLP 963
$1.80 UYU 72.2
-42.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.73 CLP 3,451
$4.03 UYU 162
-7.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.40 CLP 4,069
$3.64 UYU 146
20.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chile
Uruguay
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.23 CLP 1,141
$1.18 UYU 47.39
4.24%
White Bread (500g)
$1.60 CLP 1,483
$2.51 UYU 101
-36.25%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 CLP 1,488
$1.68 UYU 67.5
-4.17%
Eggs
$3.56 CLP 3,290
$4.34 UYU 175
-17.97%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.70 CLP 9,891
$13.27 UYU 534
-19.37%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.41 CLP 5,927
$10.52 UYU 423
-39.07%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.02 CLP 10.2K
$11.42 UYU 459
-3.50%
Apples (1kg)
$1.90 CLP 1,757
$2.64 UYU 106
-28.03%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 CLP 1,595
$2.48 UYU 99.7
-30.24%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.68 CLP 1,554
$1.61 UYU 64.6
4.35%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.70 CLP 1,567
$3.20 UYU 129
-46.88%
Potato (1kg)
$1.23 CLP 1,139
$1.89 UYU 76.0
-34.92%
Onion (1kg)
$1.44 CLP 1,333
$2.07 UYU 83.1
-30.43%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.22 CLP 1,127
$1.32 UYU 53.2
-7.58%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.23 CLP 1,133
$1.78 UYU 71.6
-30.90%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.24 CLP 4,842
$5.38 UYU 216
-2.60%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.27 CLP 4,875
$7.55 UYU 304
-30.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.35 CLP 1,253
$2.19 UYU 88.0
-38.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19 CLP 2,025
$2.69 UYU 108
-18.59%
🚌 Getting Around
Chile
Uruguay
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.83 CLP 770
$1.37 UYU 55.2
-39.42%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$40.39 CLP 37.3K
$73.7 UYU 2,966
-45.23%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.88 CLP 817
$1.90 UYU 76.4
-53.68%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.22 CLP 1,127
$1.71 UYU 68.9
-28.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$12.09 CLP 11.2K
$10.66 UYU 429
13.41%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.42 CLP 1,311
$2.03 UYU 81.8
-30.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.4K CLP 17.0M
$27.2K UYU 1.1M
-32.38%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.2K CLP 18.7M
$37.5K UYU 1.5M
-46.09%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chile
Uruguay
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$115 CLP 106.5K
$152 UYU 6,099
-24.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.90 CLP 11.9K
$19.76 UYU 795
-34.72%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.08 CLP 21.3K
$39.60 UYU 1,593
-41.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chile
Uruguay
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.17 CLP 33.4K
$46.15 UYU 1,856
-21.63%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.03 CLP 13.9K
$19.44 UYU 782
-22.69%
Cinema Ticket
$6.27 CLP 5,794
$11.13 UYU 448
-43.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chile
Uruguay
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$364 CLP 336.4K
$582 UYU 23.4K
-37.53%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,904 CLP 6.4M
$9,004 UYU 362.2K
-23.32%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chile
Uruguay
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.95 CLP 41.6K
$85.6 UYU 3,444
-47.50%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.44 CLP 26.3K
$51.1 UYU 2,053
-44.29%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$61.2 CLP 56.6K
$121 UYU 4,855
-49.28%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$75.0 CLP 69.4K
$111 UYU 4,471
-32.52%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chile
Uruguay
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$454 CLP 419.7K
$664 UYU 26.7K
-31.64%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$354 CLP 327.6K
$528 UYU 21.2K
-32.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$780 CLP 721.2K
$1,072 UYU 43.1K
-27.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$615 CLP 569.0K
$850 UYU 34.2K
-27.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,299 CLP 2.1M
$3,370 UYU 135.5K
-31.77%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,029 CLP 1.9M
$1,879 UYU 75.6K
7.98%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chile
Uruguay
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$693 CLP 640.7K
$1,058 UYU 42.5K
-34.48%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.15
5.75
-10.43%

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

Last update for Chile: September 7, 2026

Last update for Uruguay: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $346 in Chile, $338 in Uruguay. Capital cities: $576 in Santiago vs $762 in Montevideo.

National salary averages: $719 in Chile, $865 in Uruguay. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Dining out costs 20% more in Uruguay.

Public transport is 44% more expensive in Uruguay.

Salaries are 20% higher in Uruguay, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Chile.

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
Chile vs Uruguay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Chile and Uruguay?
At $674 per month in Chile and $1,002 in Uruguay, there's a 49% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Chile: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Uruguay is consistently higher than in Chile across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget in Chile or in Uruguay?
In Chile, $1,500 covers most cities easily; in Uruguay it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Chile or to Uruguay?
It depends on what you're after: Chile wins on affordability; Uruguay may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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