Cost of Living Comparison Between Colonia and Montevideo Cost of Living Comparison Between Colonia and Montevideo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,041 in Colonia versus $1,667 in Montevideo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,694 in Colonia versus $2,511 in Montevideo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,347 in Colonia versus $3,354 in Montevideo.

Living in Colonia costs roughly 38% less than in Montevideo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Colonia is 22% below, Montevideo is 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.79 UYU 1,239

$16.30 UYU 656

88.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.5 UYU 4,004

$55.4 UYU 2,228

79.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.93 UYU 238

$12.19 UYU 490

-51.35%

Cappuccino

$5.09 UYU 205

$4.26 UYU 171

19.48%

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

$0.97 UYU 39.03

$2.19 UYU 88.1

-55.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 UYU 45.71

$1.71 UYU 68.8

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 UYU 119

$4.47 UYU 180

-33.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 UYU 200

$3.70 UYU 149

34.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 UYU 40.95

$1.25 UYU 50.4

-18.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.92 UYU 77.2

$2.91 UYU 117

-34.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 UYU 65.7

Eggs

$3.24 UYU 130

$4.96 UYU 199

-34.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.31 UYU 535

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.83 UYU 436

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.96 UYU 441

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 UYU 124

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 UYU 94.9

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 UYU 60.4

Tomato (1kg)

$3.58 UYU 144

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 UYU 83.6

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 UYU 78.1

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 UYU 52.7

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 UYU 69.4

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.23 UYU 210

Wine (Bottle)

$12.25 UYU 493

$8.76 UYU 353

39.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 UYU 93.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 UYU 117

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 UYU 28.21

$1.30 UYU 52.1

-46.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.3 UYU 2,265

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 UYU 36.02

$1.54 UYU 62.1

-41.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.63 UYU 146

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.37 UYU 498

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 UYU 73.9

$1.83 UYU 73.5

0.55%

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

$30.8K UYU 1.2M

$33.7K UYU 1.4M

-8.68%

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

$39.6K UYU 1.6M

$35.9K UYU 1.4M

10.33%

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

$124 UYU 4,973

$175 UYU 7,032

-29.28%

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

$22.29 UYU 897

$16.95 UYU 682

31.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.72 UYU 1,518

$48.42 UYU 1,948

-22.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.27 UYU 1,741

$61.7 UYU 2,480

-29.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.32 UYU 496

$17.76 UYU 715

-30.63%

Cinema Ticket

$10.42 UYU 419

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

$489 UYU 19.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,967 UYU 360.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.6 UYU 3,847

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.66 UYU 1,917

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 UYU 4,608

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 UYU 4,858

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 UYU 20.0K

$611 UYU 24.6K

-18.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 UYU 15.3K

$488 UYU 19.6K

-22.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 UYU 29.4K

$1,107 UYU 44.5K

-34.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 UYU 24.6K

$818 UYU 32.9K

-25.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,598 UYU 144.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,274 UYU 91.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,332 UYU 53.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.68

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

Last update for Colonia: July 12, 2026

Last update for Montevideo: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $497 in Colonia and $611 in Montevideo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $100 in Colonia vs $55.0 in Montevideo. Groceries flip the comparison at $67.0 vs $319, with Colonia cheaper for home cooking.

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

Colonia vs Montevideo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Colonia wins on cost – living expenses run 60% lower than in Montevideo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Colonia the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,561 in Colonia and $2,501 in Montevideo to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $497 in Colonia versus $611 in Montevideo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,041 per month in Colonia versus $1,667 in Montevideo – a 60% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 378% higher in Montevideo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,041 in Colonia versus $1,667 in Montevideo, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Colonia but tight or insufficient in Montevideo. The gap between the two cities makes Colonia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Colonia delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,041 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Colonia hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Colonia and Montevideo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Colonia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Montevideo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.