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: $1,084 in Chile versus $1,020 in Uruguay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,655 in Chile versus $1,623 in Uruguay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,226 in Chile versus $2,226 in Uruguay.

Living in Chile is roughly 6% more expensive than Uruguay on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Chile 19% lower, Uruguay 24% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chile
Uruguay
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.84 CLP 8,103
$16.81 UYU 681
-47.41%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.89 CLP 39.3K
$53.1 UYU 2,150
-19.20%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.42 CLP 6,802
$11.40 UYU 462
-34.91%
Cappuccino
$2.92 CLP 2,676
$4.19 UYU 170
-30.31%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.36 CLP 1,250
$2.33 UYU 94.3
-41.63%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.09 CLP 998
$1.83 UYU 74.2
-40.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.27 CLP 2,997
$3.85 UYU 156
-15.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.84 CLP 3,525
$3.72 UYU 151
3.23%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chile
Uruguay
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.24 CLP 1,133
$1.20 UYU 48.57
3.33%
White Bread (500g)
$1.62 CLP 1,481
$2.71 UYU 110
-40.22%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 CLP 1,627
$1.66 UYU 67.3
6.63%
Eggs
$3.71 CLP 3,399
$4.22 UYU 171
-12.09%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.49 CLP 9,618
$13.50 UYU 547
-22.30%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.23 CLP 5,716
$10.74 UYU 435
-41.99%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.00 CLP 10.1K
$11.15 UYU 451
-1.35%
Apples (1kg)
$1.89 CLP 1,734
$2.89 UYU 117
-34.60%
Banana (1kg)
$1.71 CLP 1,567
$2.38 UYU 96.4
-28.15%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.84 CLP 1,682
$1.53 UYU 62.0
20.26%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.71 CLP 1,570
$3.23 UYU 131
-47.06%
Potato (1kg)
$1.48 CLP 1,360
$1.96 UYU 79.4
-24.49%
Onion (1kg)
$1.57 CLP 1,442
$2.08 UYU 84.4
-24.52%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.26 CLP 1,152
$1.26 UYU 51.1
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 CLP 1,103
$1.70 UYU 68.9
-29.41%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.44 CLP 4,985
$5.06 UYU 205
7.51%
Wine (Bottle)
$5.52 CLP 5,062
$7.47 UYU 303
-26.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.44 CLP 1,325
$2.32 UYU 94.0
-37.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.30 CLP 2,108
$2.93 UYU 119
-21.50%
🚌 Getting Around
Chile
Uruguay
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.84 CLP 770
$1.20 UYU 48.59
-30.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.34 CLP 37.9K
$44.23 UYU 1,791
-6.53%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.89 CLP 811
$1.43 UYU 57.9
-37.76%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.61 CLP 1,473
$1.49 UYU 60.2
8.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$12.99 CLP 11.9K
$11.10 UYU 449
17.03%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.40 CLP 1,283
$1.95 UYU 78.8
-28.21%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.8K CLP 17.3M
$39.5K UYU 1.6M
-52.36%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.9K CLP 18.3M
$38.6K UYU 1.6M
-48.29%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chile
Uruguay
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$115 CLP 105.2K
$145 UYU 5,874
-20.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.67 CLP 11.6K
$17.48 UYU 708
-27.52%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.53 CLP 20.7K
$41.52 UYU 1,682
-45.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chile
Uruguay
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.49 CLP 32.5K
$54.4 UYU 2,204
-34.79%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.39 CLP 18.7K
$19.12 UYU 774
6.64%
Cinema Ticket
$5.72 CLP 5,239
$10.12 UYU 410
-43.48%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chile
Uruguay
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$385 CLP 353.4K
$467 UYU 18.9K
-17.47%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,389 CLP 5.9M
$8,615 UYU 348.9K
-25.84%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chile
Uruguay
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$48.78 CLP 44.7K
$91.4 UYU 3,701
-46.62%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.57 CLP 26.2K
$49.66 UYU 2,011
-42.47%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$66.5 CLP 61.0K
$117 UYU 4,721
-42.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$76.6 CLP 70.2K
$117 UYU 4,735
-34.49%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chile
Uruguay
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$464 CLP 425.3K
$597 UYU 24.2K
-22.34%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$383 CLP 351.5K
$467 UYU 18.9K
-17.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$839 CLP 768.8K
$1,012 UYU 41.0K
-17.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$680 CLP 623.6K
$804 UYU 32.6K
-15.42%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,459 CLP 2.3M
$3,417 UYU 138.4K
-28.05%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,243 CLP 2.1M
$2,095 UYU 84.8K
7.09%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chile
Uruguay
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$699 CLP 640.5K
$1,094 UYU 44.3K
-36.15%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.09
6.45
-21.09%

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

Last update for Chile: June 8, 2026

Last update for Uruguay: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $474 in Chile, $287 in Uruguay. Capital cities: $505 in Santiago vs $619 in Montevideo.

National salary averages: $732 in Chile, $860 in Uruguay. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 65% higher in Chile.

Public transport is 263% more expensive in Uruguay.

Salaries are 17% higher in Uruguay, giving Uruguay stronger purchasing power.

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 $1,145 per month in Chile and $1,049 in Uruguay, there's a 9% 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?
Uruguay is simply cheaper day-to-day: 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 Chile beats Uruguay across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget in Chile or Uruguay?
In Uruguay, $2,500 covers most cities easily. In Chile, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Chile or Uruguay?
It depends on what you're after. Uruguay wins on affordability; Chile may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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