Cost of Living Comparison Between Las Cruces, NM and Montevideo Cost of Living Comparison Between Las Cruces, NM and Montevideo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,083 per month in Las Cruces, NM vs $1,806 in Montevideo, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,168 per month in Las Cruces, NM vs $2,668 in Montevideo, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,253 per month in Las Cruces, NM vs $3,530 in Montevideo, rent included.

Las Cruces, NM costs about 15% more than Montevideo, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Las Cruces, NM and Montevideo sit above the global median – Las Cruces, NM by 52%, Montevideo by 31%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.80 $17.80

$15.05 UYU 605

18.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.32 $44.32

$63.1 UYU 2,541

-29.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.08 $12.08

$13.11 UYU 527

-7.86%

Cappuccino

$5.84 $5.84

$4.56 UYU 183

28.07%

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

$2.49 $2.49

$2.69 UYU 108

-7.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.96 UYU 78.7

9.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.39 $6.39

$4.63 UYU 186

38.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$3.65 UYU 147

142.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.34 UYU 54.0

-36.57%

White Bread (500g)

$3.58 $3.58

$2.87 UYU 115

24.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.73 $3.73

$1.75 UYU 70.6

113.14%

Eggs

$4.67 $4.67

$4.79 UYU 193

-2.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 $13.68

$14.40 UYU 579

-5.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.35 $12.35

$11.94 UYU 480

3.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.52 $17.52

$11.57 UYU 465

51.43%

Apples (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$2.83 UYU 114

55.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.78 UYU 112

-27.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 $3.38

$1.76 UYU 71.0

92.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.03 $4.03

$3.00 UYU 121

34.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.33 $2.33

$2.14 UYU 86.1

8.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 $2.37

$2.17 UYU 87.4

9.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.46 UYU 58.6

23.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.98 UYU 79.6

-3.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.46 $9.46

$5.55 UYU 223

70.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.94 $14.94

$8.31 UYU 334

79.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$2.24 UYU 90.2

5.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$2.89 UYU 116

21.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.55 UYU 62.3

-36.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.40 $39.40

$75.6 UYU 3,042

-47.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 $2.31

$1.81 UYU 72.7

27.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.33 $2.33

$0.41 UYU 16.34

468.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.35 UYU 417

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$2.09 UYU 84.2

-58.37%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$27.2K UYU 1.1M

-3.87%

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

$23.9K $23.9K

$37.6K UYU 1.5M

-36.39%

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

$170 $170

$188 UYU 7,548

-9.26%

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

$58.3 $58.3

$16.86 UYU 678

245.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.5 $88.5

$45.26 UYU 1,821

95.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.5 $50.5

$48.88 UYU 1,967

3.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.82 $10.82

$18.99 UYU 764

-43.02%

Cinema Ticket

$10.07 $10.07

$12.33 UYU 496

-18.33%

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

$681 $681

$640 UYU 25.8K

6.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K UYU 433.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 $59.5

$94.5 UYU 3,804

-37.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.50 $32.50

$56.7 UYU 2,281

-42.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 $84.1

$123 UYU 4,952

-31.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 $101

$132 UYU 5,296

-22.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$961 $961

$760 UYU 30.6K

26.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$798 $798

$602 UYU 24.2K

32.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,732 $1,732

$1,193 UYU 48.0K

45.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,508 $1,508

$980 UYU 39.4K

53.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,972 $1,972

$3,484 UYU 140.2K

-43.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,021 $2,021

$1,865 UYU 75.0K

8.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,650 $3,650

$1,211 UYU 48.7K

201.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.7

5.49

3.83%

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

Last update for Las Cruces, NM: August 30, 2026

Last update for Montevideo: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $961 in Las Cruces, NM versus $760 in Montevideo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 201% higher in Las Cruces, NM, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Las Cruces, NM versus $63.0 in Montevideo. Groceries tell a different story – $392 in Las Cruces, NM vs $333 in Montevideo – so Montevideo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Las Cruces, NM vs Montevideo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Las Cruces, NM costs about 15% more than Montevideo, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,124 per month in Las Cruces, NM and $2,709 in Montevideo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Montevideo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $681 per month in Las Cruces, NM and $640 in Montevideo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% more in Las Cruces, NM, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Montevideo, where all-in costs run around $1,806, than in Las Cruces, NM at $2,083. In Montevideo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Las Cruces, NM it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Montevideo costs $1,806 versus $2,083 in Las Cruces, NM. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Montevideo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Las Cruces, NM makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.