Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Montevideo Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Montevideo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $1,639 in Montevideo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $2,510 in Montevideo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $3,381 in Montevideo.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 10% less than in Montevideo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 11% above, Montevideo 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$229

$15.87 UYU 638

-17.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$934

$54.8 UYU 2,205

-2.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$163

$12.19 UYU 490

-23.46%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.5

$4.14 UYU 167

-10.63%

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

$1.60 MX$27.98

$2.25 UYU 90.3

-28.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.49

$1.78 UYU 71.6

-37.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$4.48 UYU 180

-29.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$84.5

$3.77 UYU 151

28.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.84

$1.27 UYU 51.1

29.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.34

$2.87 UYU 116

-5.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.29

$1.66 UYU 66.7

15.06%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$45.17

$4.91 UYU 197

-47.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$171

$13.80 UYU 555

-28.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$10.67 UYU 429

-20.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$208

$10.88 UYU 437

9.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.5

$3.12 UYU 125

-5.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.35

$2.42 UYU 97.5

-28.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.66

$1.50 UYU 60.2

36.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.93

$3.69 UYU 148

-44.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.49

$2.17 UYU 87.2

-0.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.33

$1.96 UYU 78.7

15.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.17

$1.32 UYU 53.0

5.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.47

$1.69 UYU 67.9

-33.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.6

$5.29 UYU 213

-20.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$305

$8.82 UYU 355

98.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.82

$2.30 UYU 92.4

-25.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$63.4

$2.96 UYU 119

22.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.15

$1.30 UYU 52.3

-73.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$337

$55.1 UYU 2,217

-64.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$24.00

$1.56 UYU 62.7

-11.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.81

$3.44 UYU 138

-91.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$92.0

$12.55 UYU 505

-57.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.69

$1.88 UYU 75.6

-27.66%

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

$19.1K MX$333.2K

$34.3K UYU 1.4M

-44.26%

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

$23.6K MX$411.7K

$36.7K UYU 1.5M

-35.65%

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

$40.53 MX$707

$175 UYU 7,045

-76.86%

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

$27.38 MX$478

$16.34 UYU 657

67.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$530

$49.56 UYU 1,993

-38.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$911

$60.9 UYU 2,449

-14.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$462

$17.09 UYU 687

54.94%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$108

$10.39 UYU 418

-40.42%

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

$425 MX$7,414

$487 UYU 19.6K

-12.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$187.2K

$9,026 UYU 363.0K

18.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,017

$94.4 UYU 3,797

-38.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$777

$47.73 UYU 1,920

-6.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,805

$114 UYU 4,585

-9.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,897

$122 UYU 4,888

-10.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.7K

$614 UYU 24.7K

65.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$483 UYU 19.4K

29.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$37.0K

$1,095 UYU 44.0K

93.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.3K

$828 UYU 33.3K

47.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$66.1K

$3,586 UYU 144.2K

5.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.8K

$2,284 UYU 91.8K

-7.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.4K

$1,283 UYU 51.6K

-17.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

5.68

99.65%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Montevideo: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $614 in Montevideo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montevideo pays 22% 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 Mexico City vs $55.0 in Montevideo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $321 per month, with Mexico City 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

Mexico City vs Montevideo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Montevideo differ by about 11% in total monthly costs ($1,472 vs $1,639 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 22% lower in Montevideo. 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: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $614 in Montevideo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 185% less than in Montevideo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $425 in Mexico City versus $487 in Montevideo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,472 in Mexico City versus $1,639 in Montevideo, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Montevideo. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City 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, Mexico City and Montevideo 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 Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Montevideo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.