Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and David

For one person, living is cheaper in David: $882 a month against $1,771 in Montevideo, rent and utilities included – about $10,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Montevideo
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Montevideo Living Index

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Montevideo

🇺🇾 Uruguay

$1,771

/mo nomad

David

🇵🇦 Panama

$882

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montevideo and in David

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 David actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,771 per month in Montevideo vs $882 in David, rent included.

Montevideo $1,771
David $882

A couple spends around $2,740 per month in Montevideo vs $946 in David, rent included.

Montevideo $2,740
David $946

A family of three spends $3,708 per month in Montevideo vs $1,011 in David, rent included.

Montevideo $3,708
David $1,011

Montevideo costs about 101% more than David, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Montevideo sits 31% above the global median, while David is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.16 UYU 609

$5.52 PAB 5.52

174.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 UYU 2,776

$37.03 PAB 37.03

86.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.65 UYU 588

$7.27 PAB 7.27

101.51%

Cappuccino

$4.46 UYU 179

$3.13 PAB 3.13

42.49%

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

$2.67 UYU 107

$1.47 PAB 1.47

81.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 UYU 80.4

$1.52 PAB 1.52

31.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.83 UYU 194

$1.99 PAB 1.99

142.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 UYU 152

$2.72 PAB 2.72

39.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 UYU 54.8

$1.73 PAB 1.73

-21.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 UYU 115

$2.26 PAB 2.26

26.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 UYU 70.2

$2.46 PAB 2.46

-28.86%

Eggs

$4.68 UYU 188

$2.41 PAB 2.41

94.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.88 UYU 557

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.98 UYU 481

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.97 UYU 480

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 UYU 111

Banana (1kg)

$2.74 UYU 110

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 UYU 71.2

Tomato (1kg)

$3.24 UYU 130

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 UYU 79.2

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 UYU 83.1

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 UYU 55.1

$1.99 PAB 1.99

-31.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 UYU 75.3

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.59 UYU 224

Wine (Bottle)

$8.78 UYU 352

$10.18 PAB 10.18

-13.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 UYU 90.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 UYU 110

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.53 UYU 61.5

$0.76 PAB 0.76

101.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.3 UYU 2,980

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.91 UYU 76.7

$2.96 PAB 2.96

-35.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 UYU 16.18

$2.04 PAB 2.04

-80.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.33 UYU 415

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 UYU 85.6

$1.07 PAB 1.07

99.07%

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

$27.1K UYU 1.1M

$25.0K PAB 25.0K

8.60%

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

$36.3K UYU 1.5M

$30.6K PAB 30.6K

18.70%

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

$188 UYU 7,557

$184 PAB 184

2.52%

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

$20.54 UYU 824

$28.48 PAB 28.48

-27.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.81 UYU 1,798

$49.40 PAB 49.40

-9.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.0 UYU 2,166

$31.21 PAB 31.21

72.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.75 UYU 793

Cinema Ticket

$11.95 UYU 480

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

$634 UYU 25.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K UYU 443.6K

$6,091 PAB 6,091

81.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 UYU 4,099

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 UYU 2,309

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 UYU 5,079

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 UYU 5,131

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$719 UYU 28.8K

$343 PAB 343

109.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$568 UYU 22.8K

$354 PAB 354

60.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,145 UYU 46.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,023 UYU 41.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,392 UYU 136.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,949 UYU 78.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,245 UYU 50.0K

$604 PAB 604

106.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.74

-18.00%

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

Last update for Montevideo: October 12, 2026

Last update for David: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Montevideo

$568 32.1%

David

–

Groceries & Markets

Montevideo

$332 18.7%

David

–

Eating Out

Montevideo

$269 15.2%

David

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montevideo

$254 14.3%

David

–

Clothing & Footwear

Montevideo

$186 10.5%

David

–

Getting Around

Montevideo

$84 4.8%

David

–

Sport & Entertainment

Montevideo

$78 4.4%

David

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $719 in Montevideo versus $343 in David. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 106% 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 $69.0 in Montevideo versus $37.00 in David. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $332 vs $88.0 – making David the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇾 Montevideo

🇵🇦 David

🕒 Local time

07:59 7:59 AM

05:59 5:59 AM

2 h behind Montevideo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,319,108 Capital

82,907

💱 Currency

Uruguayan Peso UYU $U

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

📈 Exchange rate

100 UYU = 2.49 USD

100 UYU = 2.22 EUR

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PAB, USD, EUR to UYU – Uruguayan Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇺🇾 Uruguayan Peso ($U)

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).

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.89 EUR).

USD to UYU in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Montevideo David 5,550 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Montevideo
David

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 David: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Montevideo is pricier by about 101%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,656 per month in Montevideo and $1,323 in David. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in David, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 278% more in Montevideo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Montevideo and $37.00 in David. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in David, where all-in costs run around $882, than in Montevideo at $1,771. In David it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montevideo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward David – 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 David. 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.