Cost of Living Comparison Between Maldonado and Salto Cost of Living Comparison Between Maldonado and Salto

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,299 in Maldonado versus $1,273 in Salto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,116 in Maldonado versus $1,869 in Salto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,933 in Maldonado versus $2,464 in Salto.

Living in Maldonado is roughly 2% more expensive than in Salto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Maldonado 3% lower, Salto 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.01 UYU 643

$20.41 UYU 820

-21.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.5 UYU 2,190

$39.63 UYU 1,593

37.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.04 UYU 444

$8.95 UYU 360

23.35%

Cappuccino

$4.19 UYU 168

$2.98 UYU 120

40.60%

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

$2.16 UYU 86.7

$2.23 UYU 89.6

-3.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 UYU 68.8

$1.50 UYU 60.3

14.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 UYU 97.8

$4.51 UYU 181

-46.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 UYU 147

$3.25 UYU 131

12.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 UYU 45.31

$0.95 UYU 38.25

18.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.79 UYU 112

$1.20 UYU 48.39

132.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 UYU 64.3

$1.50 UYU 60.4

6.67%

Eggs

$4.75 UYU 191

$3.45 UYU 139

37.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.69 UYU 550

$19.86 UYU 798

-31.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.71 UYU 430

$7.41 UYU 298

44.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.87 UYU 437

$10.05 UYU 404

8.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.20 UYU 88.5

Banana (1kg)

$2.40 UYU 96.6

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 UYU 62.1

$0.99 UYU 39.84

55.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.49 UYU 140

$1.44 UYU 57.7

142.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 UYU 71.8

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 UYU 78.8

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 UYU 49.67

$0.52 UYU 21.05

138.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 UYU 64.0

$1.25 UYU 50.4

27.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.29 UYU 213

$5.10 UYU 205

3.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.04 UYU 323

$7.42 UYU 298

8.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 UYU 78.7

$1.81 UYU 72.9

8.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 UYU 107

$2.17 UYU 87.1

23.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.38 UYU 55.3

$1.21 UYU 48.60

14.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.18 UYU 1,776

$44.45 UYU 1,786

-0.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 UYU 57.8

$1.51 UYU 60.7

-4.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 UYU 84.1

$1.49 UYU 59.8

40.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.21 UYU 450

$11.03 UYU 443

1.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.83 UYU 73.4

$1.89 UYU 75.9

-3.17%

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

$34.6K UYU 1.4M

$39.8K UYU 1.6M

-13.05%

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

$36.6K UYU 1.5M

$38.5K UYU 1.5M

-4.94%

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

$155 UYU 6,218

$186 UYU 7,494

-17.03%

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

$16.47 UYU 662

$20.12 UYU 809

-18.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.44 UYU 1,705

$33.80 UYU 1,359

25.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.40 UYU 1,865

$32.17 UYU 1,293

44.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.58 UYU 1,189

Cinema Ticket

$7.91 UYU 318

$9.53 UYU 383

-17.00%

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

$492 UYU 19.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,401 UYU 297.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.6 UYU 3,479

$68.1 UYU 2,738

27.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.65 UYU 1,915

$60.6 UYU 2,434

-21.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.5 UYU 3,557

$111 UYU 4,471

-20.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.1 UYU 3,743

$66.6 UYU 2,678

39.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$370 UYU 14.9K

$426 UYU 17.1K

-13.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 UYU 11.3K

$281 UYU 11.3K

0.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$886 UYU 35.6K

$738 UYU 29.7K

20.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 UYU 24.9K

$457 UYU 18.4K

35.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,511 UYU 60.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,306 UYU 52.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$861 UYU 34.6K

$613 UYU 24.7K

40.40%

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 Salto: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $370 in Maldonado and $426 in Salto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Maldonado pays 40% 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 $40.00 in Salto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $225 per month, with Salto 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 Salto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maldonado and Salto differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($1,299 vs $1,273 including rent). Salto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 40% higher in Maldonado, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $370 in Maldonado versus $426 in Salto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 36% higher in Maldonado. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,299 per month in Maldonado versus $1,273 in Salto – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,273 in Salto versus $1,299 in Maldonado, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Salto but tight or insufficient in Maldonado. The gap between the two cities makes Salto 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 Salto 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 Salto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Maldonado. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.