Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Durango

For one person, living is cheaper in Durango: $1,051 a month against $1,771 in Montevideo, rent and utilities included – about $8,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Montevideo
🇺🇾 Uruguay
$1,771
/mo nomad
Durango
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,051
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montevideo and in Durango

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

A single person spends $1,771 per month in Montevideo vs $1,051 in Durango, rent included.

  • Montevideo $1,771
  • Durango $1,051

A couple spends around $2,740 per month in Montevideo vs $1,656 in Durango, rent included.

  • Montevideo $2,740
  • Durango $1,656

A family of three spends $3,708 per month in Montevideo vs $2,261 in Durango, rent included.

  • Montevideo $3,708
  • Durango $2,261

Montevideo costs about 68% more than Durango, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Montevideo sits 31% above the global median, while Durango is 22% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Montevideo
Durango
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.16 UYU 609
$7.30 MX$135
107.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.2 UYU 2,776
$30.58 MX$565
126.13%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.65 UYU 588
$10.48 MX$194
39.79%
Cappuccino
$4.46 UYU 179
$1.95 MX$35.98
128.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 UYU 107
$1.15 MX$21.31
132.17%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.00 UYU 80.4
$0.76 MX$14.07
163.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.83 UYU 194
$1.39 MX$25.60
247.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80 UYU 152
$2.77 MX$51.1
37.18%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montevideo
Durango
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.36 UYU 54.8
$1.29 MX$23.92
5.43%
White Bread (500g)
$2.87 UYU 115
$2.54 MX$46.94
12.99%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.75 UYU 70.2
$1.24 MX$22.95
41.13%
Eggs
$4.68 UYU 188
$2.27 MX$41.92
106.17%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.88 UYU 557
$8.07 MX$149
72.00%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.98 UYU 481
$8.15 MX$151
46.99%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.97 UYU 480
$9.40 MX$174
27.34%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 UYU 111
$2.54 MX$46.94
9.45%
Banana (1kg)
$2.74 UYU 110
$1.53 MX$28.32
79.08%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.77 UYU 71.2
$1.76 MX$32.46
0.57%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.24 UYU 130
$1.14 MX$21.10
184.21%
Potato (1kg)
$1.97 UYU 79.2
$1.20 MX$22.13
64.17%
Onion (1kg)
$2.07 UYU 83.1
$1.28 MX$23.69
61.72%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.37 UYU 55.1
$0.79 MX$14.54
73.42%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.88 UYU 75.3
$1.11 MX$20.51
69.37%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.59 UYU 224
$3.63 MX$67.1
53.99%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.78 UYU 352
$13.72 MX$253
-36.01%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.26 UYU 90.9
$1.74 MX$32.14
29.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 UYU 110
$2.80 MX$51.7
-1.79%
🚌 Getting Around
Montevideo
Durango
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.53 UYU 61.5
$0.69 MX$12.74
121.74%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$74.3 UYU 2,980
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.91 UYU 76.7
$1.13 MX$20.91
69.03%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.40 UYU 16.18
$1.86 MX$34.45
-78.49%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.33 UYU 415
$10.90 MX$201
-5.23%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.13 UYU 85.6
$1.42 MX$26.26
50.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.1K UYU 1.1M
$19.4K MX$358.9K
39.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.3K UYU 1.5M
$24.0K MX$443.3K
51.18%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montevideo
Durango
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$188 UYU 7,557
$59.1 MX$1,092
218.61%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.54 UYU 824
$21.25 MX$393
-3.34%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$44.81 UYU 1,798
$27.51 MX$508
62.89%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montevideo
Durango
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.0 UYU 2,166
$22.49 MX$416
139.93%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.75 UYU 793
$9.52 MX$176
107.46%
Cinema Ticket
$11.95 UYU 480
$3.91 MX$72.2
205.63%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montevideo
Durango
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$634 UYU 25.5K
$177 MX$3,277
257.72%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.1K UYU 443.6K
$2,325 MX$43.0K
375.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montevideo
Durango
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 UYU 4,099
$55.6 MX$1,027
83.75%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.5 UYU 2,309
$40.30 MX$745
42.75%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$127 UYU 5,079
$101 MX$1,870
25.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$128 UYU 5,131
$90.8 MX$1,677
40.87%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montevideo
Durango
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$719 UYU 28.8K
$601 MX$11.1K
19.55%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$568 UYU 22.8K
$393 MX$7,255
44.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,145 UYU 46.0K
$1,057 MX$19.5K
8.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,023 UYU 41.1K
$777 MX$14.4K
31.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,392 UYU 136.1K
$1,951 MX$36.0K
73.89%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,949 UYU 78.2K
$1,076 MX$19.9K
81.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Montevideo
Durango
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,245 UYU 50.0K
$531 MX$9,814
134.38%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.74
12.3
-53.33%

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

Last update for Montevideo: October 12, 2026

Last update for Durango: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Montevideo
$568
Durango
$393 30.9% $175
Groceries & Markets
Montevideo
$332
Durango
$245 26.3% $87
Eating Out
Montevideo
$269
Durango
$133 50.5% $136
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montevideo
$254
Durango
$108 57.5% $146
Clothing & Footwear
Montevideo
$186
Durango
$130 30.5% $57
Getting Around
Montevideo
$84
Durango
$13 * 84.3% $71
Sport & Entertainment
Montevideo
$78
Durango
$30 61.1% $48

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $719 in Montevideo versus $601 in Durango. 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 134% 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 $31.00 in Durango. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $332 vs $245 – making Durango the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇾 Montevideo
🇲🇽 Durango
🕒 Local time
04:23 4:23 AM
01:23 1:23 AM
3 h behind Montevideo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,319,108 Capital
518,709
💱 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 Durango 8,310 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Montevideo
  • Durango

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 Durango: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Montevideo and in Durango compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,771 in Montevideo, $1,051 in Durango – roughly 68% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Montevideo compared to Durango?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,656 per month in Montevideo and $1,577 in Durango. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Montevideo and Durango?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Durango, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Montevideo and $31.00 in Durango. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 36% more in Montevideo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Durango, where all-in costs run around $1,051, than in Montevideo at $1,771. In Durango it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montevideo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Montevideo and Durango?
It depends on your priorities. Montevideo has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,051 in Durango to $1,771 in Montevideo. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Montevideo or Durango 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 Montevideo and Durango?
If budget matters most, go with Durango. 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.

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