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: $1,534 in Colonia versus $1,806 in Montevideo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,468 in Colonia versus $2,668 in Montevideo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,402 in Colonia versus $3,530 in Montevideo.

Living in Colonia costs roughly 15% less than in Montevideo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Colonia 12% above, Montevideo 31% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.09 UYU 647

$15.05 UYU 605

6.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.1 UYU 2,983

$63.1 UYU 2,541

17.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.65 UYU 509

$13.11 UYU 527

-3.51%

Cappuccino

$6.02 UYU 242

$4.56 UYU 183

32.02%

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

$1.87 UYU 75.4

$2.69 UYU 108

-30.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 UYU 56.3

$1.96 UYU 78.7

-28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.10 UYU 205

$4.63 UYU 186

10.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.84 UYU 195

$3.65 UYU 147

32.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 UYU 45.75

$1.34 UYU 54.0

-14.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.17 UYU 87.2

$2.87 UYU 115

-24.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 UYU 50.4

$1.75 UYU 70.6

-28.57%

Eggs

$3.46 UYU 139

$4.79 UYU 193

-27.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 UYU 404

$14.40 UYU 579

-30.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.44 UYU 501

$11.94 UYU 480

4.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.28 UYU 454

$11.57 UYU 465

-2.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 UYU 91.7

$2.83 UYU 114

-19.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 UYU 74.4

$2.78 UYU 112

-33.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 UYU 49.18

$1.76 UYU 71.0

-30.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.68 UYU 229

$3.00 UYU 121

89.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 UYU 78.5

$2.14 UYU 86.1

-8.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 UYU 78.7

$2.17 UYU 87.4

-9.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 UYU 49.09

$1.46 UYU 58.6

-16.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 UYU 48.88

$1.98 UYU 79.6

-38.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.53 UYU 303

$5.55 UYU 223

35.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.47 UYU 502

$8.31 UYU 334

50.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.36 UYU 175

$2.24 UYU 90.2

94.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 UYU 102

$2.89 UYU 116

-12.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 UYU 41.75

$1.55 UYU 62.3

-32.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.6 UYU 3,042

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 UYU 36.81

$1.81 UYU 72.7

-49.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.43 UYU 97.7

$0.41 UYU 16.34

492.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.35 UYU 417

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 UYU 77.7

$2.09 UYU 84.2

-7.66%

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

$31.4K UYU 1.3M

$27.2K UYU 1.1M

15.42%

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

$40.1K UYU 1.6M

$37.6K UYU 1.5M

6.43%

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

$125 UYU 5,042

$188 UYU 7,549

-33.21%

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

$18.93 UYU 762

$16.86 UYU 678

12.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.13 UYU 1,575

$45.26 UYU 1,821

-13.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.22 UYU 1,659

$48.88 UYU 1,967

-15.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.58 UYU 506

$18.99 UYU 764

-33.75%

Cinema Ticket

$7.73 UYU 311

$12.33 UYU 496

-37.31%

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

$640 UYU 25.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K UYU 433.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.2 UYU 2,300

$94.5 UYU 3,804

-39.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.5 UYU 2,033

$56.7 UYU 2,281

-10.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 UYU 4,534

$123 UYU 4,952

-8.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$197 UYU 7,933

$132 UYU 5,296

49.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$603 UYU 24.3K

$760 UYU 30.6K

-20.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 UYU 18.8K

$602 UYU 24.2K

-22.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,132 UYU 45.6K

$1,193 UYU 48.0K

-5.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$988 UYU 39.7K

$980 UYU 39.4K

0.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,484 UYU 140.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,865 UYU 75.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,211 UYU 48.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

5.49

-18.03%

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

Last update for Colonia: September 1, 2026

Last update for Montevideo: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $603 in Colonia and $760 in Montevideo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $74.0 in Colonia vs $63.0 in Montevideo. Groceries flip the comparison at $315 vs $333, 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 18% 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 $2,301 in Colonia and $2,709 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: $603 in Colonia versus $760 in Montevideo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,534 per month in Colonia versus $1,806 in Montevideo – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Montevideo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,534 in Colonia versus $1,806 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 $1,534 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 18% less than in Montevideo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.