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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,330 per month in Mercedes vs $2,094 in Punta del Este, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,006 per month in Mercedes vs $3,316 in Punta del Este, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,682 per month in Mercedes vs $4,537 in Punta del Este, rent included.

Mercedes is about 36% cheaper than Punta del Este, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Mercedes sits 1% below the global median, while Punta del Este is 56% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.91 UYU 641

$18.35 UYU 740

-13.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.0 UYU 2,175

$51.5 UYU 2,078

4.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.14 UYU 489

$11.51 UYU 464

5.47%

Cappuccino

$4.25 UYU 172

$4.50 UYU 182

-5.56%

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

$2.18 UYU 88.1

$3.59 UYU 145

-39.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 UYU 67.7

$2.76 UYU 111

-39.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.37 UYU 176

$3.64 UYU 147

20.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 UYU 145

$5.01 UYU 202

-27.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 UYU 48.90

$1.34 UYU 54.0

-9.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 UYU 111

$2.45 UYU 98.9

12.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 UYU 56.7

$2.17 UYU 87.7

-35.02%

Eggs

$2.74 UYU 111

$3.95 UYU 159

-30.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.51 UYU 545

$13.91 UYU 561

-2.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.80 UYU 435

$12.96 UYU 523

-16.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.38 UYU 298

$12.41 UYU 500

-40.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 UYU 76.6

$3.04 UYU 122

-37.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 UYU 96.3

$3.62 UYU 146

-33.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.11 UYU 44.84

$1.99 UYU 80.1

-44.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 UYU 115

$3.58 UYU 144

-20.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 UYU 81.5

$2.23 UYU 89.9

-9.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 UYU 75.9

$2.01 UYU 81.1

-6.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 UYU 54.9

$1.31 UYU 52.8

3.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 UYU 67.9

$1.94 UYU 78.1

-13.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.90 UYU 198

$4.79 UYU 193

2.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.91 UYU 400

$7.96 UYU 321

24.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 UYU 94.9

$3.18 UYU 128

-26.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 UYU 117

$5.10 UYU 206

-43.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 UYU 47.75

$1.37 UYU 55.4

-13.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.25 UYU 1,744

$48.46 UYU 1,954

-10.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 UYU 58.2

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 UYU 63.3

$3.43 UYU 138

-54.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.81 UYU 436

$13.43 UYU 541

-19.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 UYU 72.8

$1.86 UYU 75.0

-2.69%

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

$33.6K UYU 1.4M

$29.9K UYU 1.2M

12.42%

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

$36.5K UYU 1.5M

$34.4K UYU 1.4M

6.13%

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

$173 UYU 6,967

$94.9 UYU 3,827

82.05%

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

$16.62 UYU 670

$15.87 UYU 640

4.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.63 UYU 2,001

$40.15 UYU 1,619

23.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.8 UYU 3,179

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.64 UYU 994

Cinema Ticket

$10.34 UYU 417

$9.99 UYU 403

3.50%

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

$484 UYU 19.5K

$628 UYU 25.3K

-22.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,751 UYU 352.8K

$7,454 UYU 300.5K

17.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.1 UYU 3,876

$123 UYU 4,948

-21.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.43 UYU 1,912

$63.3 UYU 2,554

-25.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 UYU 4,510

$141 UYU 5,679

-20.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 UYU 4,964

$149 UYU 6,000

-17.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$552 UYU 22.3K

$1,129 UYU 45.5K

-51.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$297 UYU 12.0K

$899 UYU 36.3K

-67.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$617 UYU 24.9K

$2,542 UYU 102.5K

-75.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 UYU 17.6K

$1,890 UYU 76.2K

-76.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,195 UYU 128.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,025 UYU 81.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,122 UYU 45.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.68

13.60%

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

Last update for Mercedes: June 1, 2026

Last update for Punta del Este: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $552 in Mercedes versus $1,129 in Punta del Este. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mercedes versus $52.0 in Punta del Este. Groceries tell a different story – $288 in Mercedes vs $350 in Punta del Este – so Mercedes wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Mercedes vs Punta del Este: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Punta del Este costs about 57% more than Mercedes, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,996 per month in Mercedes and $3,141 in Punta del Este. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mercedes, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,330 in Mercedes and $2,094 in Punta del Este. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 12% less in Mercedes. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mercedes, where all-in costs run around $1,330, than in Punta del Este at $2,094. In Mercedes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Punta del Este it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mercedes – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Mercedes. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Punta del Este makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.