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 $1,883 per month in Las Cruces, NM vs $1,640 in Montevideo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,882 per month in Las Cruces, NM vs $2,477 in Montevideo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,881 per month in Las Cruces, NM vs $3,314 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 41%, Montevideo by 22%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.87 $19.87

$16.35 UYU 650

21.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.23 $47.23

$54.3 UYU 2,161

-13.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.21 $12.21

$12.15 UYU 483

0.49%

Cappuccino

$5.20 $5.20

$4.06 UYU 162

28.08%

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

$2.74 $2.74

$2.27 UYU 90.1

20.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.70 UYU 67.7

10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.10 $5.10

$4.51 UYU 179

13.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$3.63 UYU 144

62.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.72 $0.72

$1.26 UYU 50.3

-42.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.87 UYU 114

-15.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.61 UYU 64.1

63.35%

Eggs

$3.14 $3.14

$4.71 UYU 188

-33.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.46 $11.46

$13.42 UYU 534

-14.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.27 $11.27

$10.74 UYU 427

4.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.22 $12.22

$11.19 UYU 445

9.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.94 $3.94

$3.13 UYU 125

25.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 $1.27

$2.34 UYU 93.3

-45.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.79 $3.79

$1.55 UYU 61.8

144.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$3.63 UYU 144

-34.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.14 UYU 85.0

-5.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.96 UYU 77.9

16.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.36 UYU 54.2

35.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.73 UYU 68.9

-27.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.46 $8.46

$5.09 UYU 202

66.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$9.90 UYU 394

49.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.33 UYU 92.8

-11.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.05 UYU 121

3.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.44 $4.44

$1.35 UYU 53.9

228.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.07 $32.07

$55.2 UYU 2,197

-41.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.61 UYU 64.0

3.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.91 $2.91

$3.60 UYU 143

-19.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.18 $27.18

$12.42 UYU 494

118.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 $0.73

$1.85 UYU 73.5

-60.54%

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

$23.6K $23.6K

$34.8K UYU 1.4M

-32.26%

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

$23.5K $23.5K

$36.3K UYU 1.4M

-35.33%

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

$127 $127

$175 UYU 6,968

-27.73%

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

$53.3 $53.3

$16.91 UYU 673

214.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.2 $72.2

$50.0 UYU 1,989

44.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.48 $39.48

$60.6 UYU 2,410

-34.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.26 $19.26

$17.35 UYU 691

11.01%

Cinema Ticket

$9.88 $9.88

$10.46 UYU 416

-5.54%

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

$441 $441

$494 UYU 19.7K

-10.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,040 $7,040

$8,985 UYU 357.5K

-21.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.51 $40.51

$96.1 UYU 3,822

-57.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.04 $32.04

$48.11 UYU 1,914

-33.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.1 $72.1

$116 UYU 4,606

-37.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.7 $99.7

$125 UYU 4,959

-19.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$964 $964

$615 UYU 24.5K

56.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$769 $769

$483 UYU 19.2K

59.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,890 $1,890

$1,117 UYU 44.4K

69.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,434 $1,434

$818 UYU 32.6K

75.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,993 $1,993

$3,484 UYU 138.6K

-42.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,990 $1,990

$2,267 UYU 90.2K

-12.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,656 $3,656

$1,283 UYU 51.0K

185.09%

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: April 22, 2026

Last update for Montevideo: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $964 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 185% 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 in Las Cruces, NM versus $54 in Montevideo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $316 vs $322 – 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 $2,824 per month in Las Cruces, NM and $2,460 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 $441 per month in Las Cruces, NM and $494 in Montevideo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% 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 $1,640, than in Las Cruces, NM at $1,883. 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 $1,640 versus $1,883 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.