Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Jarabacoa

For one person, living is cheaper in Jarabacoa: $696 a month against $1,771 in Montevideo, rent and utilities included – about $12,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Montevideo
🇺🇾 Uruguay
$1,771
/mo nomad
Jarabacoa
🇩🇴 Dominican Republic
$696
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montevideo and in Jarabacoa

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

A single person spends $1,771 per month in Montevideo vs $696 in Jarabacoa, rent included.

  • Montevideo $1,771
  • Jarabacoa $696

A couple spends around $2,740 per month in Montevideo vs $1,148 in Jarabacoa, rent included.

  • Montevideo $2,740
  • Jarabacoa $1,148

A family of three spends $3,708 per month in Montevideo vs $1,600 in Jarabacoa, rent included.

  • Montevideo $3,708
  • Jarabacoa $1,600

Montevideo costs about 155% more than Jarabacoa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Montevideo sits 31% above the global median, while Jarabacoa is 48% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Montevideo
Jarabacoa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.16 UYU 610
$9.68 DOP 591
56.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.2 UYU 2,780
$49.28 DOP 3,010
40.32%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.65 UYU 589
$7.51 DOP 459
95.07%
Cappuccino
$4.46 UYU 179
$2.24 DOP 137
99.11%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 UYU 107
$1.05 DOP 64.2
154.29%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.00 UYU 80.5
$0.55 DOP 33.87
263.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.83 UYU 194
$2.50 DOP 153
93.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80 UYU 153
$3.22 DOP 197
18.01%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montevideo
Jarabacoa
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.36 UYU 54.9
$1.35 DOP 82.2
0.74%
White Bread (500g)
$2.87 UYU 115
$1.48 DOP 90.4
93.92%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.75 UYU 70.3
$1.62 DOP 98.9
8.02%
Eggs
$4.68 UYU 188
$2.39 DOP 146
95.82%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.88 UYU 558
$7.07 DOP 432
96.32%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.98 UYU 482
$5.64 DOP 345
112.41%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.97 UYU 481
$6.68 DOP 408
79.19%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 UYU 112
$3.21 DOP 196
-13.40%
Banana (1kg)
$2.74 UYU 110
$0.77 DOP 47.00
255.84%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.77 UYU 71.3
$2.74 DOP 167
-35.40%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.24 UYU 130
$1.77 DOP 108
83.05%
Potato (1kg)
$1.97 UYU 79.3
$2.02 DOP 124
-2.48%
Onion (1kg)
$2.07 UYU 83.2
$2.25 DOP 137
-8.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.37 UYU 55.2
$0.99 DOP 60.7
38.38%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.88 UYU 75.4
$0.93 DOP 57.0
102.15%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.59 UYU 225
$5.18 DOP 316
7.92%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.78 UYU 353
$10.28 DOP 628
-14.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.26 UYU 91.0
$2.51 DOP 153
-9.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 UYU 111
$2.91 DOP 178
-5.50%
🚌 Getting Around
Montevideo
Jarabacoa
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.53 UYU 61.6
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$74.3 UYU 2,985
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.91 UYU 76.8
$3.21 DOP 196
-40.50%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.40 UYU 16.21
$2.26 DOP 138
-82.30%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.33 UYU 415
$5.82 DOP 356
77.49%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.13 UYU 85.7
$1.42 DOP 86.9
50.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.1K UYU 1.1M
$23.2K DOP 1.4M
16.87%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.3K UYU 1.5M
$33.6K DOP 2.1M
7.96%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montevideo
Jarabacoa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$188 UYU 7,570
$91.9 DOP 5,614
104.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.54 UYU 826
$30.89 DOP 1,886
-33.51%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$44.81 UYU 1,801
$36.01 DOP 2,199
24.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montevideo
Jarabacoa
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.0 UYU 2,169
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.75 UYU 794
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.95 UYU 481
$7.52 DOP 459
58.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montevideo
Jarabacoa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$634 UYU 25.5K
$251 DOP 15.3K
152.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.1K UYU 444.3K
$7,351 DOP 448.9K
50.35%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montevideo
Jarabacoa
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 UYU 4,106
$46.18 DOP 2,820
121.16%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.5 UYU 2,313
$47.17 DOP 2,880
21.96%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$127 UYU 5,088
$84.9 DOP 5,187
49.00%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$128 UYU 5,139
$124 DOP 7,592
2.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montevideo
Jarabacoa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$719 UYU 28.9K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$568 UYU 22.8K
-
-
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 136.4K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,949 UYU 78.4K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Montevideo
Jarabacoa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,245 UYU 50.0K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.74
13.56
-57.67%

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

Last update for Montevideo: October 12, 2026

Last update for Jarabacoa: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Montevideo
$568
Jarabacoa
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Montevideo
$332
Jarabacoa
$219 34% $113
Eating Out
Montevideo
$269
Jarabacoa
$152 43.5% $117
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montevideo
$254
Jarabacoa
$159 37.4% $95
Clothing & Footwear
Montevideo
$186
Jarabacoa
$136 26.9% $50
Getting Around
Montevideo
$84
Jarabacoa
$14 * 82.8% $70
Sport & Entertainment
Montevideo
$78
Jarabacoa
$15 * 80.7% $63

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

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Montevideo versus $49.00 in Jarabacoa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $332 vs $219 – making Jarabacoa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇾 Montevideo
🇩🇴 Jarabacoa
🕒 Local time
14:19 2:19 PM
13:19 1:19 PM
1 h behind Montevideo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,319,108 Capital
69,855
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

DOP, USD, EUR to UYU – Uruguayan Peso Converter

Uruguayan Peso exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 40.2 UYU (100 UYU = 2.49 USD). 1 EUR = 45.02 UYU (100 UYU = 2.22 EUR).

Dominican Peso exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 61.07 DOP (100 DOP = 1.64 USD). 1 EUR = 68.39 DOP (100 DOP = 1.46 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Montevideo Jarabacoa 6,200 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Montevideo
  • Jarabacoa

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 Jarabacoa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Jarabacoa cheaper than Montevideo?
Yes – Montevideo is pricier by about 155%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,656 per month in Montevideo and $1,043 in Jarabacoa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What are total monthly expenses in Montevideo and in Jarabacoa?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,771 in Montevideo and $696 in Jarabacoa. That's a gap of about 155%.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $634 per month in Montevideo and $251 in Jarabacoa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Montevideo or in Jarabacoa?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jarabacoa, where all-in costs run around $696, than in Montevideo at $1,771. In Jarabacoa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montevideo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Montevideo or Jarabacoa more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Jarabacoa – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Montevideo or Jarabacoa?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Jarabacoa. 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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