Cost of Living Comparison Between Maldonado and Punta del Este Cost of Living Comparison Between Maldonado and Punta del Este

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,345 in Maldonado versus $1,959 in Punta del Este.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,179 in Maldonado versus $2,745 in Punta del Este.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,014 in Maldonado versus $3,530 in Punta del Este.

Living in Maldonado costs roughly 31% less than in Punta del Este, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Maldonado is 2% below, Punta del Este is 43% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.69 UYU 591

$15.13 UYU 609

-2.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.1 UYU 2,218

$37.56 UYU 1,511

46.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.99 UYU 442

$12.26 UYU 493

-10.36%

Cappuccino

$4.53 UYU 182

$4.60 UYU 185

-1.52%

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

$2.60 UYU 104

$2.43 UYU 97.7

7.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 UYU 80.4

$1.93 UYU 77.5

3.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.62 UYU 146

$3.82 UYU 154

-5.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 UYU 149

$3.78 UYU 152

-1.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 UYU 47.46

$1.13 UYU 45.50

4.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.79 UYU 112

$2.67 UYU 107

4.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 UYU 71.9

$1.76 UYU 70.7

1.70%

Eggs

$4.03 UYU 162

$4.25 UYU 171

-5.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.37 UYU 578

$11.93 UYU 480

20.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.63 UYU 468

$11.66 UYU 469

-0.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.63 UYU 468

$11.69 UYU 470

-0.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 UYU 116

$2.93 UYU 118

-1.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 UYU 87.6

$2.83 UYU 114

-22.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 UYU 73.5

$1.86 UYU 75.0

-1.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.15 UYU 127

$3.16 UYU 127

-0.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 UYU 82.2

$2.06 UYU 82.9

-0.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 UYU 80.1

$2.08 UYU 83.8

-4.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 UYU 56.4

$1.44 UYU 58.1

-2.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 UYU 76.1

$1.87 UYU 75.2

1.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.45 UYU 219

$5.54 UYU 223

-1.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.01 UYU 322

$8.10 UYU 326

-1.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 UYU 90.9

$2.32 UYU 93.2

-2.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 UYU 110

$2.88 UYU 116

-4.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 UYU 54.9

$1.37 UYU 55.2

-0.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.26 UYU 1,982

$49.84 UYU 2,005

-1.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 UYU 138

$1.82 UYU 73.2

87.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 UYU 17.41

$0.40 UYU 16.10

7.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.98 UYU 402

$9.96 UYU 401

0.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 UYU 78.2

$2.10 UYU 84.4

-7.62%

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

$27.5K UYU 1.1M

$27.3K UYU 1.1M

0.41%

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

$37.0K UYU 1.5M

$37.4K UYU 1.5M

-1.02%

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

$113 UYU 4,552

$115 UYU 4,629

-1.68%

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

$16.99 UYU 684

$17.02 UYU 685

-0.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.82 UYU 1,844

$45.18 UYU 1,818

1.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.71 UYU 1,960

$56.9 UYU 2,289

-14.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.07 UYU 1,210

Cinema Ticket

$12.35 UYU 497

$12.09 UYU 487

2.15%

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

$492 UYU 19.8K

$499 UYU 20.1K

-1.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,713 UYU 270.1K

$6,703 UYU 269.7K

0.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.6 UYU 3,647

$88.9 UYU 3,577

1.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.96 UYU 1,527

$37.56 UYU 1,511

1.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 UYU 4,900

$123 UYU 4,954

-1.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 UYU 4,693

$118 UYU 4,748

-1.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 UYU 17.2K

$1,138 UYU 45.8K

-62.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$317 UYU 12.8K

$896 UYU 36.0K

-64.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 UYU 36.6K

$1,466 UYU 59.0K

-37.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$587 UYU 23.6K

$1,237 UYU 49.8K

-52.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,764 UYU 151.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,011 UYU 80.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,008 UYU 40.6K

$1,126 UYU 45.3K

-10.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Maldonado: August 30, 2026

Last update for Punta del Este: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $427 in Maldonado and $1,138 in Punta del Este. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Punta del Este pays 12% 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: $55.0 in Maldonado vs $38.00 in Punta del Este for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $321 vs $318 per month, with Punta del Este 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 Punta del Este: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maldonado and Punta del Este differ by about 46% in total monthly costs ($1,345 vs $1,959 including rent). Maldonado is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 12% lower in Punta del Este. 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: $427 in Maldonado versus $1,138 in Punta del Este. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $492 in Maldonado versus $499 in Punta del Este. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Punta del Este pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,345 in Maldonado versus $1,959 in Punta del Este, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Maldonado but tight or insufficient in Punta del Este. 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 Punta del Este 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 46% less than in Punta del Este. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.