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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,632 per month in Montevideo vs $1,078 in Canelones, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,480 per month in Montevideo vs $2,253 in Canelones, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Montevideo vs $3,429 in Canelones, rent included.

Montevideo costs about 51% more than Canelones, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Montevideo sits 22% above the global median, while Canelones is 20% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.85 UYU 638

$16.45 UYU 662

-3.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.6 UYU 2,196

$54.1 UYU 2,177

0.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 UYU 488

$12.38 UYU 498

-2.10%

Cappuccino

$4.23 UYU 170

$4.21 UYU 169

0.48%

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

$2.19 UYU 88.1

$2.25 UYU 90.6

-2.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 UYU 68.2

$1.75 UYU 70.3

-3.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.52 UYU 182

$4.34 UYU 175

4.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 UYU 145

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 UYU 51.2

$1.27 UYU 50.9

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 UYU 112

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 UYU 63.8

$1.65 UYU 66.2

-4.24%

Eggs

$4.79 UYU 193

$4.82 UYU 194

-0.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.41 UYU 540

$13.49 UYU 543

-0.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.67 UYU 429

$10.76 UYU 433

-0.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.24 UYU 452

$11.07 UYU 445

1.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 UYU 121

$3.01 UYU 121

-0.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.43 UYU 97.9

$2.47 UYU 99.5

-1.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 UYU 62.2

$1.52 UYU 61.1

1.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.66 UYU 148

$3.60 UYU 145

1.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 UYU 84.8

$2.11 UYU 84.9

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 UYU 75.9

$1.92 UYU 77.3

-1.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 UYU 55.0

$1.37 UYU 55.2

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 UYU 68.9

$1.73 UYU 69.8

-1.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.10 UYU 205

$5.00 UYU 201

2.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.05 UYU 404

$8.87 UYU 357

13.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 UYU 94.9

$2.30 UYU 92.7

2.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 UYU 118

$2.91 UYU 117

0.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 UYU 52.0

$1.25 UYU 50.3

3.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.8 UYU 2,247

$44.80 UYU 1,803

24.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.60 UYU 64.2

$1.43 UYU 57.5

11.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.63 UYU 146

$1.56 UYU 63.0

132.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.43 UYU 500

$11.22 UYU 452

10.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 UYU 72.9

$1.89 UYU 76.2

-4.23%

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

$34.5K UYU 1.4M

$34.4K UYU 1.4M

0.40%

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

$36.0K UYU 1.4M

$36.6K UYU 1.5M

-1.74%

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

$170 UYU 6,861

$169 UYU 6,796

0.97%

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

$16.51 UYU 665

$16.63 UYU 670

-0.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.77 UYU 2,004

$48.66 UYU 1,959

2.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 UYU 2,488

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.67 UYU 711

Cinema Ticket

$10.45 UYU 421

$10.46 UYU 421

-0.10%

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

$482 UYU 19.4K

$483 UYU 19.5K

-0.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,873 UYU 357.2K

$8,753 UYU 352.4K

1.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.9 UYU 3,819

$93.6 UYU 3,767

1.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.22 UYU 1,901

$48.04 UYU 1,934

-1.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 UYU 4,500

$112 UYU 4,526

-0.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 UYU 4,962

$121 UYU 4,878

1.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$628 UYU 25.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$492 UYU 19.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,112 UYU 44.8K

$969 UYU 39.0K

14.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$801 UYU 32.2K

$1,156 UYU 46.5K

-30.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,582 UYU 144.2K

$4,065 UYU 163.6K

-11.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,272 UYU 91.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,334 UYU 53.7K

$887 UYU 35.7K

50.44%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Canelones: May 31, 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 $55.0 in Montevideo versus $54.0 in Canelones. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $321 vs $319 – making Canelones 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 51%, 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 $2,448 per month in Montevideo and $1,616 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 $55.0 in Montevideo and $54.0 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 $1,632 in Montevideo and $1,078 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 $1,078, than in Montevideo at $1,632. 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.