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: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $1,787 in Montevideo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $2,687 in Montevideo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $3,588 in Montevideo.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 6% less than in Montevideo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 22% above, Montevideo 30% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$14.88 UYU 599

-18.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$60.9 UYU 2,450

-11.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$13.91 UYU 560

-20.27%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$4.36 UYU 175

-5.96%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$2.78 UYU 112

-39.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$2.03 UYU 81.8

-31.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$4.73 UYU 190

-29.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$3.76 UYU 151

56.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$1.32 UYU 53.3

40.15%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$2.91 UYU 117

8.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$1.74 UYU 69.9

18.97%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$4.84 UYU 195

-39.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$14.19 UYU 571

-11.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$11.47 UYU 462

-11.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$11.74 UYU 472

37.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$2.91 UYU 117

16.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$2.79 UYU 112

-25.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$1.73 UYU 69.7

22.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$3.14 UYU 127

-23.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$2.00 UYU 80.5

6.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$2.15 UYU 86.6

-6.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$1.44 UYU 58.0

7.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$1.90 UYU 76.5

-28.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$5.34 UYU 215

8.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$8.64 UYU 348

105.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$2.27 UYU 91.3

-8.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$2.85 UYU 115

61.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$1.52 UYU 61.1

-75.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

$74.2 UYU 2,988

-71.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$1.85 UYU 74.3

10.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$0.41 UYU 16.45

41.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$10.60 UYU 427

-42.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$2.17 UYU 87.5

-28.57%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$27.3K UYU 1.1M

-16.20%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$37.3K UYU 1.5M

-27.01%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$194 UYU 7,799

-65.20%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$17.71 UYU 713

72.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$45.14 UYU 1,817

-17.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$53.5 UYU 2,154

14.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

$19.77 UYU 796

37.18%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$11.96 UYU 482

-40.55%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$622 UYU 25.0K

-26.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$10.6K UYU 428.1K

28.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$97.1 UYU 3,907

-23.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$57.4 UYU 2,312

-0.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$122 UYU 4,930

-5.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$133 UYU 5,340

-8.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$762 UYU 30.7K

50.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$598 UYU 24.1K

18.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$1,192 UYU 48.0K

116.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$958 UYU 38.6K

35.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

$3,581 UYU 144.2K

11.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

$1,916 UYU 77.1K

11.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$1,247 UYU 50.2K

-13.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

5.49

105.83%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Montevideo: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $762 in Montevideo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montevideo pays 15% 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 $61.0 in Montevideo. Groceries flip the comparison at $345 vs $331, with Montevideo cheaper for home cooking.

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 7% in total monthly costs ($1,677 vs $1,787 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 15% 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: $1,148 in Mexico City versus $762 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 250% less than in Montevideo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $456 in Mexico City versus $622 in Montevideo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,677 in Mexico City versus $1,787 in Montevideo, a $3,000 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 7% less than in Montevideo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.