Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Minas and Montevideo

For one person, living is cheaper in Minas: $1,069 a month against $1,784 in Montevideo, rent and utilities included – about $8,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Minas
🇺🇾 Uruguay
$1,069
/mo nomad
Montevideo
🇺🇾 Uruguay
$1,784
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Minas and in Montevideo

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Minas and in Montevideo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,069 per month in Minas vs $1,784 in Montevideo, rent included.

  • Minas $1,069
  • Montevideo $1,784

A couple spends around $1,734 per month in Minas vs $2,756 in Montevideo, rent included.

  • Minas $1,734
  • Montevideo $2,756

A family of three spends $2,400 per month in Minas vs $3,728 in Montevideo, rent included.

  • Minas $2,400
  • Montevideo $3,728

Minas is about 40% cheaper than Montevideo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Minas sits 21% below the global median, while Montevideo is 32% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Minas
Montevideo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.86 UYU 597
$14.82 UYU 595
0.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.7 UYU 2,799
$69.7 UYU 2,797
0.06%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.61 UYU 586
$14.68 UYU 589
-0.48%
Cappuccino
$4.66 UYU 187
$4.65 UYU 186
0.22%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 UYU 111
$2.74 UYU 110
1.09%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.01 UYU 80.7
$2.07 UYU 82.9
-2.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.87 UYU 196
$4.79 UYU 192
1.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.84 UYU 154
$3.63 UYU 146
5.79%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Minas
Montevideo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.39 UYU 55.8
$1.39 UYU 55.8
-
White Bread (500g)
$2.90 UYU 116
$2.89 UYU 116
0.35%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.72 UYU 69.1
$1.70 UYU 68.1
1.18%
Eggs
$4.61 UYU 185
$4.62 UYU 185
-0.22%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.12 UYU 567
$14.22 UYU 571
-0.70%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.33 UYU 455
$11.62 UYU 466
-2.50%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.00 UYU 482
$12.23 UYU 491
-1.88%
Apples (1kg)
$2.86 UYU 115
$2.77 UYU 111
3.25%
Banana (1kg)
$2.82 UYU 113
$2.85 UYU 114
-1.05%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.73 UYU 69.5
$1.81 UYU 72.5
-4.42%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.09 UYU 124
$3.20 UYU 129
-3.44%
Potato (1kg)
$1.92 UYU 76.9
$1.94 UYU 77.8
-1.03%
Onion (1kg)
$2.15 UYU 86.2
$2.16 UYU 86.5
-0.46%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.43 UYU 57.5
$1.43 UYU 57.3
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.90 UYU 76.3
$1.94 UYU 77.9
-2.06%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.34 UYU 214
$5.47 UYU 219
-2.38%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.49 UYU 341
$8.95 UYU 359
-5.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.26 UYU 90.6
$2.26 UYU 90.8
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 UYU 114
$2.81 UYU 113
1.07%
🚌 Getting Around
Minas
Montevideo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.76 UYU 30.54
$1.56 UYU 62.6
-51.28%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$73.8 UYU 2,962
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.88 UYU 75.5
$1.90 UYU 76.2
-1.05%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.40 UYU 16.02
$0.43 UYU 17.36
-6.98%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.47 UYU 420
$10.59 UYU 425
-1.13%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.16 UYU 86.5
$2.12 UYU 85.2
1.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.4K UYU 1.1M
$26.8K UYU 1.1M
-1.32%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.8K UYU 1.5M
$37.0K UYU 1.5M
-0.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Minas
Montevideo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$186 UYU 7,459
$193 UYU 7,727
-3.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.60 UYU 827
$20.91 UYU 839
-1.48%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$45.30 UYU 1,818
$44.89 UYU 1,802
0.91%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Minas
Montevideo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$50.8 UYU 2,038
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.73 UYU 792
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.43 UYU 499
$12.30 UYU 494
1.06%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Minas
Montevideo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$615 UYU 24.7K
$629 UYU 25.2K
-2.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.0K UYU 443.2K
$10.9K UYU 437.3K
1.35%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Minas
Montevideo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104 UYU 4,185
$104 UYU 4,166
0.47%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$56.9 UYU 2,284
$57.4 UYU 2,305
-0.92%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$122 UYU 4,899
$125 UYU 5,010
-2.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131 UYU 5,247
$132 UYU 5,315
-1.28%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Minas
Montevideo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$713 UYU 28.6K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$575 UYU 23.1K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,164 UYU 46.7K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,033 UYU 41.5K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$3,418 UYU 137.2K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,760 UYU 70.6K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Minas
Montevideo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,244 UYU 49.9K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.74
5.74
-

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

Last update for Minas: October 17, 2026

Last update for Montevideo: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Minas
$329
Montevideo
$334 1.3% $4.1
Eating Out
Minas
$270
Montevideo
$269 0.4% $1
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Minas
$252
Montevideo
$258 2.6% $6.6
Clothing & Footwear
Minas
$186
Montevideo
$188 1.1% $2
Sport & Entertainment
Minas
$25 *
Montevideo
$75 203% $51
Getting Around
Minas
$6.9 *
Montevideo
$84 1116% $77
Accommodation & Living
Minas
- *
Montevideo
$575

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Minas versus $70.0 in Montevideo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $329 vs $334 – making Minas the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇾 Minas
🇺🇾 Montevideo
🕒 Local time
10:33 10:33 AM
10:33 10:33 AM
Same time as Minas
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
38,446
1,319,108 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to UYU – Uruguayan Peso Converter

Uruguayan Peso exchange rates as of October 24, 2026: 1 USD = 40.14 UYU (100 UYU = 2.49 USD). 1 EUR = 45.12 UYU (100 UYU = 2.22 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Minas Montevideo 110 km
From you
  • Minas
  • Montevideo

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Minas vs Montevideo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Minas and in Montevideo compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,069 in Minas, $1,784 in Montevideo – roughly 67% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.
What salary covers living expenses in Minas compared to Montevideo?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,604 per month in Minas and $2,676 in Montevideo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city is more expensive overall: Minas or Montevideo?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,069 in Minas and $1,784 in Montevideo. That's a gap of about 67%.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Minas and Montevideo?
Kindergarten costs $615 per month in Minas and $629 in Montevideo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Minas, where all-in costs run around $1,069, than in Montevideo at $1,784. In Minas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montevideo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Minas and Montevideo?
It depends on your priorities. Montevideo has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,069 in Minas to $1,784 in Montevideo. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Minas or Montevideo safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Minas and Montevideo?
If budget matters most, go with Minas. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Montevideo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Minas vs other spots: cost of living compared

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