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 $1,907 per month in Las Cruces, NM vs $1,661 in Montevideo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,893 per month in Las Cruces, NM vs $2,471 in Montevideo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,879 per month in Las Cruces, NM vs $3,281 in Montevideo, rent included.

Las Cruces, NM costs about 15% more than Montevideo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Las Cruces, NM and Montevideo sit above the global median – Las Cruces, NM by 43%, Montevideo by 24%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.26 $20.26

$16.41 UYU 659

23.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.44 $48.44

$54.5 UYU 2,187

-11.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.96 $11.96

$12.00 UYU 482

-0.33%

Cappuccino

$5.21 $5.21

$4.13 UYU 166

26.15%

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

$2.60 $2.60

$2.24 UYU 89.8

16.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.77 UYU 70.9

10.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.05 $5.05

$4.42 UYU 177

14.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.83 $5.83

$3.77 UYU 151

54.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$1.23 UYU 49.31

-38.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 $2.40

$2.87 UYU 115

-16.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.59 UYU 63.9

57.23%

Eggs

$3.15 $3.15

$4.91 UYU 197

-35.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.29 $11.29

$13.33 UYU 535

-15.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.54 $11.54

$10.90 UYU 438

5.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 $11.98

$11.12 UYU 446

7.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$3.01 UYU 121

28.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 $1.28

$2.47 UYU 99.3

-48.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.66 $3.66

$1.49 UYU 59.6

145.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.42 $2.42

$3.73 UYU 150

-35.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.10 UYU 84.3

-1.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.87 UYU 75.1

19.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.37 UYU 55.0

27.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.65 UYU 66.4

-20.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.04 $8.04

$5.11 UYU 205

57.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.26 $15.26

$8.74 UYU 351

74.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.27 UYU 91.1

-10.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 $3.35

$2.99 UYU 120

12.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.42 $4.42

$1.29 UYU 51.9

242.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.71 $31.71

$56.3 UYU 2,259

-43.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.57 UYU 62.8

3.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.87 $2.87

$3.45 UYU 139

-16.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.24 $27.24

$12.40 UYU 498

119.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.71 $0.71

$1.88 UYU 75.7

-62.23%

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

$23.2K $23.2K

$34.8K UYU 1.4M

-33.18%

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

$23.2K $23.2K

$36.8K UYU 1.5M

-36.96%

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

$130 $130

$170 UYU 6,835

-23.92%

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

$52.1 $52.1

$16.69 UYU 670

211.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.4 $71.4

$48.56 UYU 1,949

47.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 $38.74

$61.2 UYU 2,455

-36.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.24 $19.24

$17.22 UYU 691

11.73%

Cinema Ticket

$9.91 $9.91

$10.35 UYU 416

-4.25%

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

$456 $456

$478 UYU 19.2K

-4.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,025 $7,025

$9,037 UYU 362.8K

-22.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.48 $39.48

$94.2 UYU 3,782

-58.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.39 $31.39

$47.87 UYU 1,921

-34.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.2 $72.2

$113 UYU 4,517

-35.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.8 $97.8

$125 UYU 5,034

-22.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$975 $975

$615 UYU 24.7K

58.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$787 $787

$483 UYU 19.4K

63.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,851 $1,851

$1,080 UYU 43.3K

71.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,409 $1,409

$824 UYU 33.1K

71.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,000 $2,000

$3,631 UYU 145.7K

-44.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,980 $1,980

$2,309 UYU 92.7K

-14.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,667 $3,667

$1,318 UYU 52.9K

178.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

5.68

14.61%

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

Last update for Las Cruces, NM: July 20, 2026

Last update for Montevideo: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $975 in Las Cruces, NM versus $615 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 178% 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 $48.00 in Las Cruces, NM versus $54.0 in Montevideo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $316 vs $320 – making Las Cruces, NM the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,861 per month in Las Cruces, NM and $2,491 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 $456 per month in Las Cruces, NM and $478 in Montevideo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Las Cruces, NM – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Montevideo, where all-in costs run around $1,661, than in Las Cruces, NM at $1,907. 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 $1,661 versus $1,907 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.