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: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $1,646 in Montevideo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $2,495 in Montevideo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $3,344 in Montevideo.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 12% less than in Montevideo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 8% above, Montevideo 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$16.24 UYU 658

-20.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$56.0 UYU 2,272

-6.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$12.28 UYU 498

-23.21%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$4.11 UYU 166

-13.14%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$2.26 UYU 91.4

-28.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$1.76 UYU 71.5

-34.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$4.38 UYU 178

-28.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$3.74 UYU 152

29.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.21 UYU 48.94

40.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$2.84 UYU 115

-7.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.67 UYU 67.6

13.77%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$4.80 UYU 195

-47.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$13.77 UYU 558

-26.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$10.84 UYU 439

-23.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$11.19 UYU 454

3.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$3.10 UYU 126

-2.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$2.39 UYU 97.1

-28.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.50 UYU 60.8

36.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$3.75 UYU 152

-45.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$2.15 UYU 87.0

-4.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.94 UYU 78.8

11.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$1.33 UYU 53.8

5.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$1.71 UYU 69.3

-34.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$5.23 UYU 212

-17.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$10.14 UYU 411

51.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$2.30 UYU 93.4

-27.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$3.02 UYU 122

22.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$1.29 UYU 52.3

-70.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$56.1 UYU 2,275

-66.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$1.56 UYU 63.1

-11.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$3.47 UYU 141

-91.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$12.35 UYU 501

-56.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.87 UYU 76.0

-31.55%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$34.0K UYU 1.4M

-44.25%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$36.9K UYU 1.5M

-36.50%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$170 UYU 6,873

-75.81%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$16.98 UYU 688

58.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$48.75 UYU 1,976

-39.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$62.0 UYU 2,512

-15.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$17.74 UYU 719

47.86%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$10.40 UYU 422

-40.58%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$486 UYU 19.7K

-12.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$8,923 UYU 361.7K

19.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$94.4 UYU 3,826

-39.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$46.75 UYU 1,895

-4.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$112 UYU 4,531

-6.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$124 UYU 5,009

-14.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$619 UYU 25.1K

60.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$487 UYU 19.7K

27.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$1,094 UYU 44.4K

94.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$811 UYU 32.9K

54.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$3,553 UYU 144.1K

9.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$2,245 UYU 91.0K

-6.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$1,317 UYU 53.4K

-15.90%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Montevideo: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $619 in Montevideo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montevideo pays 19% 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: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $56.0 in Montevideo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $324 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 14% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $1,646 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Montevideo earns 19% less. 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $619 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 194% less than in Montevideo. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $486 in Montevideo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,447 in Mexico City versus $1,646 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 14% less than in Montevideo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.