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: $1,345 in Maldonado versus $1,341 in Salto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,179 in Maldonado versus $1,953 in Salto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,014 in Maldonado versus $2,565 in Salto.

Monthly costs are close between Maldonado and Salto; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Maldonado 2% lower, Salto 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.69 UYU 591

$16.23 UYU 653

-9.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.1 UYU 2,218

$37.48 UYU 1,508

47.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.99 UYU 442

$11.86 UYU 477

-7.34%

Cappuccino

$4.53 UYU 182

$3.40 UYU 137

33.24%

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

$2.60 UYU 104

$2.13 UYU 85.7

22.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 UYU 80.4

$1.57 UYU 63.0

27.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.62 UYU 146

$4.51 UYU 181

-19.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 UYU 149

$3.19 UYU 128

16.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 UYU 47.46

$1.38 UYU 55.5

-14.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.79 UYU 112

$2.10 UYU 84.4

32.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 UYU 71.9

$1.53 UYU 61.4

16.99%

Eggs

$4.03 UYU 162

$5.24 UYU 211

-23.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.37 UYU 578

$15.16 UYU 610

-5.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.63 UYU 468

$8.61 UYU 346

35.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.63 UYU 468

$9.98 UYU 402

16.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 UYU 116

$1.22 UYU 49.25

137.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 UYU 87.6

$2.17 UYU 87.3

0.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 UYU 73.5

$1.25 UYU 50.4

46.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.15 UYU 127

$1.89 UYU 76.2

66.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 UYU 82.2

$0.85 UYU 34.17

140.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 UYU 80.1

$1.67 UYU 67.1

19.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 UYU 56.4

$0.93 UYU 37.56

50.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 UYU 76.1

$1.47 UYU 59.2

28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.45 UYU 219

$5.18 UYU 209

5.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.01 UYU 322

$7.61 UYU 306

5.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 UYU 90.9

$1.87 UYU 75.4

20.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 UYU 110

$2.57 UYU 104

6.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 UYU 54.9

$0.64 UYU 25.73

112.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.26 UYU 1,982

$29.90 UYU 1,203

64.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 UYU 138

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 UYU 17.41

$3.66 UYU 147

-88.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.98 UYU 402

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 UYU 78.2

$1.80 UYU 72.5

7.78%

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

$27.5K UYU 1.1M

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

$37.0K UYU 1.5M

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

$113 UYU 4,552

$202 UYU 8,120

-43.95%

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

$16.99 UYU 684

$21.33 UYU 858

-20.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.82 UYU 1,844

$30.32 UYU 1,220

51.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.71 UYU 1,960

$35.89 UYU 1,444

35.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.07 UYU 1,210

$12.48 UYU 502

140.95%

Cinema Ticket

$12.35 UYU 497

$10.06 UYU 405

22.76%

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

$492 UYU 19.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,713 UYU 270.1K

$4,543 UYU 182.8K

47.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.6 UYU 3,647

$86.2 UYU 3,469

5.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.96 UYU 1,527

$56.3 UYU 2,264

-32.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 UYU 4,900

$115 UYU 4,644

5.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 UYU 4,693

$66.1 UYU 2,661

76.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 UYU 17.2K

$455 UYU 18.3K

-6.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$317 UYU 12.8K

$301 UYU 12.1K

5.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 UYU 36.6K

$730 UYU 29.4K

24.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$587 UYU 23.6K

$428 UYU 17.2K

37.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,008 UYU 40.6K

$631 UYU 25.4K

59.62%

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 Salto: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $427 in Maldonado and $455 in Salto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Maldonado pays 60% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $55.0 in Maldonado vs $37.00 in Salto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $321 vs $271 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

Average pay runs 60% 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: $427 in Maldonado versus $455 in Salto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Salto – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $55.0 in Maldonado. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Maldonado. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,341 in Salto versus $1,345 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.

It comes down to priorities – Salto wins on affordability, Maldonado on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.