Cost of Living Comparison Between Maldonado and Montevideo Cost of Living Comparison Between Maldonado and Montevideo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,299 in Maldonado versus $1,667 in Montevideo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,116 in Maldonado versus $2,511 in Montevideo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,933 in Maldonado versus $3,354 in Montevideo.

Living in Maldonado costs roughly 22% less than in Montevideo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Maldonado is 3% below, Montevideo is 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.01 UYU 643

$16.30 UYU 655

-1.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.5 UYU 2,190

$55.4 UYU 2,226

-1.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.04 UYU 444

$12.19 UYU 490

-9.43%

Cappuccino

$4.19 UYU 168

$4.26 UYU 171

-1.64%

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

$2.16 UYU 86.7

$2.19 UYU 88.0

-1.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 UYU 68.8

$1.71 UYU 68.7

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 UYU 97.8

$4.47 UYU 180

-45.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 UYU 147

$3.70 UYU 149

-1.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 UYU 45.31

$1.25 UYU 50.3

-9.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.79 UYU 112

$2.91 UYU 117

-4.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 UYU 64.3

$1.63 UYU 65.6

-1.84%

Eggs

$4.75 UYU 191

$4.96 UYU 199

-4.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.69 UYU 550

$13.31 UYU 535

2.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.71 UYU 430

$10.83 UYU 435

-1.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.87 UYU 437

$10.96 UYU 441

-0.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.20 UYU 88.5

$3.08 UYU 124

-28.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.40 UYU 96.6

$2.36 UYU 94.8

1.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 UYU 62.1

$1.50 UYU 60.3

2.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.49 UYU 140

$3.58 UYU 144

-2.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 UYU 71.8

$2.08 UYU 83.5

-13.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 UYU 78.8

$1.94 UYU 78.1

1.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 UYU 49.67

$1.31 UYU 52.7

-5.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 UYU 64.0

$1.73 UYU 69.4

-8.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.29 UYU 213

$5.23 UYU 210

1.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.04 UYU 323

$8.76 UYU 352

-8.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 UYU 78.7

$2.33 UYU 93.8

-15.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 UYU 107

$2.90 UYU 117

-7.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.38 UYU 55.3

$1.30 UYU 52.1

6.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.18 UYU 1,776

$56.3 UYU 2,263

-21.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 UYU 57.8

$1.54 UYU 62.0

-6.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 UYU 84.1

$3.63 UYU 146

-42.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.21 UYU 450

$12.37 UYU 497

-9.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.83 UYU 73.4

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

$34.6K UYU 1.4M

$33.7K UYU 1.4M

2.74%

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

$36.6K UYU 1.5M

$35.9K UYU 1.4M

2.01%

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

$155 UYU 6,218

$175 UYU 7,025

-11.50%

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

$16.47 UYU 662

$16.95 UYU 681

-2.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.44 UYU 1,705

$48.42 UYU 1,946

-12.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.40 UYU 1,865

$61.7 UYU 2,478

-24.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.58 UYU 1,189

$17.76 UYU 714

66.55%

Cinema Ticket

$7.91 UYU 318

$10.42 UYU 419

-24.09%

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

$492 UYU 19.8K

$489 UYU 19.6K

0.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,401 UYU 297.4K

$8,967 UYU 360.4K

-17.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.6 UYU 3,479

$95.6 UYU 3,844

-9.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.65 UYU 1,915

$47.66 UYU 1,915

-0.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.5 UYU 3,557

$115 UYU 4,603

-22.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 UYU 3,743

$121 UYU 4,853

-22.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$370 UYU 14.9K

$611 UYU 24.5K

-39.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 UYU 11.3K

$488 UYU 19.6K

-42.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$886 UYU 35.6K

$1,107 UYU 44.5K

-19.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 UYU 24.9K

$818 UYU 32.9K

-24.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,511 UYU 60.7K

$3,598 UYU 144.6K

-57.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,306 UYU 52.5K

$2,274 UYU 91.4K

-42.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$861 UYU 34.6K

$1,332 UYU 53.5K

-35.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.68

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

Last update for Maldonado: July 11, 2026

Last update for Montevideo: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $370 in Maldonado and $611 in Montevideo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montevideo pays 55% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $54.0 in Maldonado vs $55.0 in Montevideo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $319 per month, with Maldonado cheaper across the board.

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

Maldonado vs Montevideo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maldonado and Montevideo differ by about 28% in total monthly costs ($1,299 vs $1,667 including rent). Maldonado is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 55% lower in Montevideo. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $370 in Maldonado versus $611 in Montevideo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $492 in Maldonado versus $489 in Montevideo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Montevideo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,299 in Maldonado versus $1,667 in Montevideo, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Maldonado but tight or insufficient in Montevideo. The gap between the two cities makes Maldonado the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Maldonado 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 Maldonado gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Montevideo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.