Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Atotonilco el Alto

For one person, living is cheaper in Atotonilco el Alto: $1,253 a month against $1,771 in Montevideo, rent and utilities included – about $6,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Montevideo
🇺🇾 Uruguay
$1,771
/mo nomad
Atotonilco el Alto
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,253
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montevideo and in Atotonilco el Alto

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,771 in Montevideo versus $1,253 in Atotonilco el Alto.

  • Montevideo $1,771
  • Atotonilco el Alto $1,253

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,740 in Montevideo versus $2,011 in Atotonilco el Alto.

  • Montevideo $2,740
  • Atotonilco el Alto $2,011

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,708 in Montevideo versus $2,770 in Atotonilco el Alto.

  • Montevideo $3,708
  • Atotonilco el Alto $2,770

Living in Montevideo is roughly 41% more expensive than in Atotonilco el Alto, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Montevideo is 31% above, Atotonilco el Alto is 7% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Montevideo
Atotonilco el Alto
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.16 UYU 609
$11.18 MX$207
35.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.2 UYU 2,776
$63.0 MX$1,164
9.78%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.65 UYU 588
$9.61 MX$178
52.45%
Cappuccino
$4.46 UYU 179
$3.67 MX$67.9
21.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 UYU 107
$1.62 MX$29.99
64.81%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.00 UYU 80.4
$1.04 MX$19.18
92.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.83 UYU 194
$3.22 MX$59.5
50.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80 UYU 152
$5.42 MX$100
-29.89%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montevideo
Atotonilco el Alto
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.36 UYU 54.8
$1.93 MX$35.71
-29.53%
White Bread (500g)
$2.87 UYU 115
$2.79 MX$51.6
2.87%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.75 UYU 70.2
$2.00 MX$37.00
-12.50%
Eggs
$4.68 UYU 188
$2.64 MX$48.75
77.27%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.88 UYU 557
$8.82 MX$163
57.37%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.98 UYU 481
$8.89 MX$164
34.76%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.97 UYU 480
$13.93 MX$257
-14.07%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 UYU 111
$3.37 MX$62.3
-17.51%
Banana (1kg)
$2.74 UYU 110
$1.59 MX$29.31
72.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.77 UYU 71.2
$2.16 MX$39.90
-18.06%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.24 UYU 130
$1.95 MX$36.07
66.15%
Potato (1kg)
$1.97 UYU 79.2
$1.77 MX$32.76
11.30%
Onion (1kg)
$2.07 UYU 83.1
$1.76 MX$32.44
17.61%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.37 UYU 55.1
$1.48 MX$27.36
-7.43%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.88 UYU 75.3
$1.19 MX$21.94
57.98%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.59 UYU 224
$4.69 MX$86.7
19.19%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.78 UYU 352
$17.90 MX$331
-50.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.26 UYU 90.9
$2.18 MX$40.27
3.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 UYU 110
$4.00 MX$73.8
-31.25%
🚌 Getting Around
Montevideo
Atotonilco el Alto
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.53 UYU 61.5
$0.64 MX$11.75
139.06%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$74.3 UYU 2,980
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.91 UYU 76.7
$3.39 MX$62.6
-43.66%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.40 UYU 16.18
$2.67 MX$49.41
-85.02%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.33 UYU 415
$11.15 MX$206
-7.35%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.13 UYU 85.6
$1.58 MX$29.15
34.81%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.1K UYU 1.1M
$21.6K MX$398.3K
25.78%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.3K UYU 1.5M
$24.0K MX$443.1K
51.25%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montevideo
Atotonilco el Alto
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$188 UYU 7,557
$57.6 MX$1,065
226.80%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.54 UYU 824
$26.59 MX$491
-22.75%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$44.81 UYU 1,798
$24.26 MX$448
84.71%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montevideo
Atotonilco el Alto
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.0 UYU 2,166
$31.31 MX$579
72.34%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.75 UYU 793
$21.29 MX$393
-7.23%
Cinema Ticket
$11.95 UYU 480
$7.32 MX$135
63.25%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montevideo
Atotonilco el Alto
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$634 UYU 25.5K
$270 MX$4,997
134.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.1K UYU 443.6K
$4,971 MX$91.9K
122.33%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montevideo
Atotonilco el Alto
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 UYU 4,099
$53.6 MX$990
90.61%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.5 UYU 2,309
$44.97 MX$831
27.93%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$127 UYU 5,079
$100.0 MX$1,848
26.59%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$128 UYU 5,131
$98.8 MX$1,826
29.35%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montevideo
Atotonilco el Alto
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$719 UYU 28.8K
$565 MX$10.4K
27.32%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$568 UYU 22.8K
$438 MX$8,100
29.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,145 UYU 46.0K
$923 MX$17.1K
24.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,023 UYU 41.1K
$775 MX$14.3K
32.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,392 UYU 136.1K
$1,790 MX$33.1K
89.51%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,949 UYU 78.2K
$1,018 MX$18.8K
91.48%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Montevideo
Atotonilco el Alto
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,245 UYU 50.0K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.74
11.99
-52.13%

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

Last update for Montevideo: October 12, 2026

Last update for Atotonilco el Alto: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Montevideo
$568
Atotonilco el Alto
$438 22.8% $130
Groceries & Markets
Montevideo
$332
Atotonilco el Alto
$307 7.4% $25
Eating Out
Montevideo
$269
Atotonilco el Alto
$200 25.7% $69
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montevideo
$254
Atotonilco el Alto
$108 57.2% $145
Clothing & Footwear
Montevideo
$186
Atotonilco el Alto
$134 28.2% $53
Getting Around
Montevideo
$84
Atotonilco el Alto
$19 * 77.1% $65
Sport & Entertainment
Montevideo
$78
Atotonilco el Alto
$46 41% $32

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

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $719 in Montevideo and $565 in Atotonilco el Alto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $69.0 in Montevideo vs $63.0 in Atotonilco el Alto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $332 vs $307 per month, with Atotonilco el Alto cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇾 Montevideo
🇲🇽 Atotonilco el Alto
🕒 Local time
00:02 12:02 AM
21:02 9:02 PM
3 h behind Montevideo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,319,108 Capital
26,874
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to UYU – Uruguayan Peso Converter

Uruguayan Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 40.14 UYU (100 UYU = 2.49 USD). 1 EUR = 45.12 UYU (100 UYU = 2.22 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Montevideo Atotonilco el Alto 7,870 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Montevideo
  • Atotonilco el Alto

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
Montevideo vs Atotonilco el Alto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Atotonilco el Alto cheaper than Montevideo?
Atotonilco el Alto is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $2,656 in Montevideo and $1,879 in Atotonilco el Alto to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Montevideo and Atotonilco el Alto?
Rent for a central apartment: $719 in Montevideo versus $565 in Atotonilco el Alto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $634 in Montevideo versus $270 in Atotonilco el Alto. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Montevideo or in Atotonilco el Alto?
Dining out is cheaper in Atotonilco el Alto – a meal for two runs $63.0 versus $69.0 in Montevideo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Montevideo or in Atotonilco el Alto?
At $1,253 in Atotonilco el Alto versus $1,771 in Montevideo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Atotonilco el Alto but tight or insufficient in Montevideo. The gap between the two cities makes Atotonilco el Alto the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Montevideo or Atotonilco el Alto more family-friendly?
For families, Atotonilco el Alto is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Montevideo, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Montevideo or Atotonilco el Alto?
Safety-wise, Montevideo and Atotonilco el Alto are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Atotonilco el Alto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Montevideo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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