Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Canelones Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Canelones

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,661 per month in Montevideo vs $1,064 in Canelones, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,471 per month in Montevideo vs $2,271 in Canelones, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,281 per month in Montevideo vs $3,477 in Canelones, rent included.

Montevideo costs about 56% more than Canelones, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Montevideo sits 24% above the global median, while Canelones is 20% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.41 UYU 659

$16.35 UYU 656

0.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.5 UYU 2,187

$55.5 UYU 2,227

-1.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.00 UYU 482

$12.43 UYU 499

-3.46%

Cappuccino

$4.13 UYU 166

$4.14 UYU 166

-0.24%

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

$2.24 UYU 89.8

$2.25 UYU 90.1

-0.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 UYU 70.9

$1.77 UYU 71.2

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.42 UYU 177

$4.28 UYU 172

3.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 UYU 151

$3.60 UYU 144

4.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 UYU 49.31

$1.23 UYU 49.34

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 UYU 115

$2.88 UYU 115

-0.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 UYU 63.9

$1.66 UYU 66.8

-4.22%

Eggs

$4.91 UYU 197

$4.71 UYU 189

4.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.33 UYU 535

$13.74 UYU 551

-2.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.90 UYU 438

$10.67 UYU 428

2.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.12 UYU 446

$10.95 UYU 440

1.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 UYU 121

$3.00 UYU 120

0.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 UYU 99.3

$2.45 UYU 98.6

0.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 UYU 59.6

$1.51 UYU 60.8

-1.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.73 UYU 150

$3.74 UYU 150

-0.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 UYU 84.3

$2.06 UYU 82.8

1.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 UYU 75.1

$1.94 UYU 77.7

-3.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 UYU 55.0

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 UYU 66.4

$1.71 UYU 68.8

-3.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.11 UYU 205

$5.20 UYU 209

-1.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.74 UYU 351

$8.83 UYU 354

-1.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 UYU 91.1

$2.38 UYU 95.6

-4.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 UYU 120

$3.01 UYU 121

-0.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 UYU 51.9

$1.24 UYU 49.62

4.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.3 UYU 2,259

$44.19 UYU 1,774

27.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.57 UYU 62.8

$1.45 UYU 58.2

8.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.45 UYU 139

$1.52 UYU 60.9

126.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.40 UYU 498

$11.16 UYU 448

11.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 UYU 75.7

$1.90 UYU 76.2

-1.05%

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

$34.8K UYU 1.4M

$34.4K UYU 1.4M

0.99%

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

$36.8K UYU 1.5M

$37.0K UYU 1.5M

-0.60%

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

$170 UYU 6,835

$171 UYU 6,878

-0.64%

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

$16.69 UYU 670

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.56 UYU 1,949

$50.1 UYU 2,011

-3.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.2 UYU 2,455

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 UYU 691

Cinema Ticket

$10.35 UYU 416

$10.46 UYU 420

-1.05%

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

$478 UYU 19.2K

$483 UYU 19.4K

-1.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,037 UYU 362.8K

$8,929 UYU 358.4K

1.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.2 UYU 3,782

$93.9 UYU 3,770

0.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.87 UYU 1,921

$46.99 UYU 1,886

1.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 UYU 4,517

$112 UYU 4,493

0.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 UYU 5,034

$121 UYU 4,866

3.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 UYU 24.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 UYU 19.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,080 UYU 43.3K

$985 UYU 39.6K

9.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$824 UYU 33.1K

$1,174 UYU 47.1K

-29.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,631 UYU 145.7K

$3,982 UYU 159.8K

-8.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,309 UYU 92.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,318 UYU 52.9K

$878 UYU 35.2K

50.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.68

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

Last update for Montevideo: July 22, 2026

Last update for Canelones: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 50% higher in Montevideo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Montevideo versus $55.0 in Canelones. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $320 vs $320 – making Montevideo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Canelones: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Montevideo is pricier by about 56%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,491 per month in Montevideo and $1,597 in Canelones. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Montevideo and $55.0 in Canelones. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,661 in Montevideo and $1,064 in Canelones. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Canelones, where all-in costs run around $1,064, than in Montevideo at $1,661. In Canelones it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montevideo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Canelones – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Canelones. 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.