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: $1,325 in Maldonado versus $1,257 in Salto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,090 in Maldonado versus $1,893 in Salto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,856 in Maldonado versus $2,529 in Salto.

Living in Maldonado is roughly 5% more expensive than Salto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Maldonado 1% lower, Salto 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.02 UYU 645

$20.09 UYU 809

-20.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.8 UYU 2,205

$39.02 UYU 1,571

40.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.03 UYU 444

$9.44 UYU 380

16.84%

Cappuccino

$4.15 UYU 167

$3.08 UYU 124

34.74%

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

$2.27 UYU 91.3

$2.20 UYU 88.8

3.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 UYU 70.7

$1.56 UYU 62.9

12.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 UYU 96.3

$4.33 UYU 174

-44.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 UYU 149

$3.26 UYU 131

13.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 UYU 45.41

$0.95 UYU 38.16

18.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.86 UYU 115

$1.24 UYU 50.0

130.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 UYU 62.3

$1.49 UYU 60.0

4.03%

Eggs

$4.63 UYU 186

$3.33 UYU 134

39.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.74 UYU 553

$19.70 UYU 793

-30.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.77 UYU 434

$7.30 UYU 294

47.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.97 UYU 442

$9.61 UYU 387

14.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 UYU 88.2

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 UYU 96.2

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 UYU 63.4

$0.93 UYU 37.60

68.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.54 UYU 142

$1.45 UYU 58.2

144.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 UYU 71.4

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 UYU 77.6

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 UYU 48.24

$0.52 UYU 21.04

130.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 UYU 64.9

$1.19 UYU 47.90

35.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.25 UYU 212

$4.88 UYU 196

7.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.55 UYU 143

$7.33 UYU 295

-51.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 UYU 75.8

$1.86 UYU 75.0

1.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 UYU 107

$2.23 UYU 89.9

18.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.32 UYU 53.2

$1.20 UYU 48.27

10.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.20 UYU 1,780

$44.19 UYU 1,779

0.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 UYU 60.2

$1.51 UYU 60.9

-1.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.10 UYU 84.5

$1.50 UYU 60.3

40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.22 UYU 452

$10.80 UYU 435

3.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 UYU 73.0

$1.83 UYU 73.9

-1.09%

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

$34.4K UYU 1.4M

$39.6K UYU 1.6M

-13.12%

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

$35.8K UYU 1.4M

$39.2K UYU 1.6M

-8.73%

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

$155 UYU 6,262

$181 UYU 7,308

-14.32%

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

$16.93 UYU 682

$20.48 UYU 825

-17.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.30 UYU 1,744

$34.77 UYU 1,400

24.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.88 UYU 1,848

$31.41 UYU 1,265

46.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.76 UYU 1,199

Cinema Ticket

$7.95 UYU 320

$10.06 UYU 405

-20.97%

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

$478 UYU 19.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,205 UYU 290.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.1 UYU 3,427

$68.1 UYU 2,742

24.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.83 UYU 1,886

$60.5 UYU 2,437

-22.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.9 UYU 3,581

$109 UYU 4,406

-18.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 UYU 3,682

$68.0 UYU 2,740

34.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$366 UYU 14.7K

$433 UYU 17.4K

-15.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 UYU 11.5K

$277 UYU 11.2K

2.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$890 UYU 35.8K

$759 UYU 30.6K

17.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$600 UYU 24.2K

$474 UYU 19.1K

26.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,526 UYU 61.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,299 UYU 52.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$886 UYU 35.7K

$615 UYU 24.8K

44.11%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Salto: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $366 in Maldonado and $433 in Salto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Maldonado pays 44% 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 $39.00 in Salto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $221 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 5% in total monthly costs ($1,325 vs $1,257 including rent). Salto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Maldonado pays 44% more on average, 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: $366 in Maldonado versus $433 in Salto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in Maldonado. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,325 per month in Maldonado versus $1,257 in Salto – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,257 in Salto versus $1,325 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 5% less than in Maldonado. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.