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 $1,859 per month in Las Cruces, NM vs $1,632 in Montevideo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,817 per month in Las Cruces, NM vs $2,480 in Montevideo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,774 per month in Las Cruces, NM vs $3,329 in Montevideo, rent included.

Las Cruces, NM costs about 14% more than Montevideo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Las Cruces, NM and Montevideo sit above the global median – Las Cruces, NM by 39%, Montevideo by 22%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.38 $20.38

$15.85 UYU 638

28.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.18 $47.18

$54.6 UYU 2,196

-13.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.02 $12.02

$12.12 UYU 488

-0.83%

Cappuccino

$5.17 $5.17

$4.23 UYU 170

22.22%

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

$2.63 $2.63

$2.19 UYU 88.1

20.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.69 UYU 68.2

8.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.94 $4.94

$4.52 UYU 182

9.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 $5.90

$3.60 UYU 145

63.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.72 $0.72

$1.27 UYU 51.2

-43.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.77 UYU 112

-9.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.60 $2.60

$1.58 UYU 63.8

64.56%

Eggs

$3.10 $3.10

$4.79 UYU 193

-35.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.18 $11.18

$13.41 UYU 540

-16.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.45 $11.45

$10.67 UYU 429

7.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.34 $12.34

$11.24 UYU 452

9.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.92 $3.92

$3.00 UYU 121

30.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 $1.32

$2.43 UYU 97.9

-45.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.75 $3.75

$1.54 UYU 62.2

143.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 $2.50

$3.66 UYU 148

-31.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.11 UYU 84.8

-2.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.89 UYU 75.9

18.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.37 UYU 55.0

28.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.71 UYU 68.9

-23.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.08 $8.08

$5.10 UYU 205

58.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.18 $15.18

$10.05 UYU 404

51.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.36 UYU 94.9

-13.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 $3.20

$2.92 UYU 118

9.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.59 $4.59

$1.29 UYU 52.0

255.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.52 $32.52

$55.8 UYU 2,247

-41.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.60 UYU 64.2

0.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.92 $2.92

$3.63 UYU 146

-19.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.46 $27.46

$12.43 UYU 500

120.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 $0.72

$1.81 UYU 72.9

-60.22%

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

$23.5K $23.5K

$34.5K UYU 1.4M

-31.73%

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

$23.8K $23.8K

$36.0K UYU 1.4M

-33.69%

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

$128 $128

$170 UYU 6,861

-24.74%

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

$51.8 $51.8

$16.51 UYU 665

213.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.3 $70.3

$49.77 UYU 2,004

41.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.78 $38.78

$61.8 UYU 2,488

-37.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.32 $19.32

$17.67 UYU 711

9.34%

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 $9.92

$10.45 UYU 421

-5.07%

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

$442 $442

$482 UYU 19.4K

-8.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,833 $6,833

$8,873 UYU 357.2K

-22.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.87 $39.87

$94.9 UYU 3,819

-57.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.80 $31.80

$47.22 UYU 1,901

-32.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.2 $72.2

$112 UYU 4,500

-35.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 $100

$123 UYU 4,962

-18.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 $978

$628 UYU 25.3K

55.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$776 $776

$492 UYU 19.8K

57.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,884 $1,884

$1,112 UYU 44.8K

69.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,452 $1,452

$801 UYU 32.2K

81.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,020 $2,020

$3,582 UYU 144.2K

-43.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,009 $2,009

$2,272 UYU 91.5K

-11.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,679 $3,679

$1,334 UYU 53.7K

175.72%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Montevideo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Las Cruces, NM versus $628 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 176% 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 $47.00 in Las Cruces, NM versus $55.0 in Montevideo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $318 vs $321 – 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 14% 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 $2,789 per month in Las Cruces, NM and $2,448 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 $442 per month in Las Cruces, NM and $482 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 $1,632, than in Las Cruces, NM at $1,859. 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 $1,632 versus $1,859 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.