Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Las Tablas

For one person, living is cheaper in Las Tablas: $458 a month against $1,771 in Montevideo, rent and utilities included – about $15,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Montevideo
🇺🇾 Uruguay
$1,771
/mo nomad
Las Tablas
🇵🇦 Panama
$458
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montevideo and in Las Tablas

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

A single person spends $1,771 per month in Montevideo vs $458 in Las Tablas, rent included.

  • Montevideo $1,771
  • Las Tablas $458

A couple spends around $2,740 per month in Montevideo vs $680 in Las Tablas, rent included.

  • Montevideo $2,740
  • Las Tablas $680

A family of three spends $3,708 per month in Montevideo vs $902 in Las Tablas, rent included.

  • Montevideo $3,708
  • Las Tablas $902

Montevideo costs about 287% more than Las Tablas, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Montevideo sits 31% above the global median, while Las Tablas is 66% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Montevideo
Las Tablas
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.16 UYU 609
$9.99 PAB 9.99
51.75%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.2 UYU 2,776
$29.72 PAB 29.72
132.67%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.65 UYU 588
$8.34 PAB 8.34
75.66%
Cappuccino
$4.46 UYU 179
-
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 UYU 107
$0.99 PAB 0.99
169.70%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.00 UYU 80.4
$1.03 PAB 1.03
94.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.83 UYU 194
$1.24 PAB 1.24
289.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80 UYU 152
$2.69 PAB 2.69
41.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montevideo
Las Tablas
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.36 UYU 54.8
-
-
White Bread (500g)
$2.87 UYU 115
$1.93 PAB 1.93
48.70%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.75 UYU 70.2
-
-
Eggs
$4.68 UYU 188
$2.11 PAB 2.11
121.80%
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
$4.34 PAB 4.34
-35.94%
Banana (1kg)
$2.74 UYU 110
$1.26 PAB 1.26
117.46%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.77 UYU 71.2
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$3.24 UYU 130
$1.55 PAB 1.55
109.03%
Potato (1kg)
$1.97 UYU 79.2
-
-
Onion (1kg)
$2.07 UYU 83.1
-
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.37 UYU 55.1
$1.24 PAB 1.24
10.48%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.88 UYU 75.3
$1.03 PAB 1.03
82.52%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.59 UYU 224
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$8.78 UYU 352
$5.68 PAB 5.68
54.58%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.26 UYU 90.9
$1.31 PAB 1.31
72.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 UYU 110
$1.72 PAB 1.72
59.88%
🚌 Getting Around
Montevideo
Las Tablas
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.53 UYU 61.5
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$74.3 UYU 2,980
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.91 UYU 76.7
$0.99 PAB 0.99
92.93%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.40 UYU 16.18
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.33 UYU 415
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.13 UYU 85.6
$0.89 PAB 0.89
139.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.1K UYU 1.1M
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.3K UYU 1.5M
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montevideo
Las Tablas
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$188 UYU 7,557
$149 PAB 149
26.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.54 UYU 824
$22.86 PAB 22.86
-10.15%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$44.81 UYU 1,798
$37.04 PAB 37.04
20.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montevideo
Las Tablas
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.0 UYU 2,166
$19.94 PAB 19.94
170.61%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.75 UYU 793
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.95 UYU 480
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montevideo
Las Tablas
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$634 UYU 25.5K
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.1K UYU 443.6K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montevideo
Las Tablas
Difference
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
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montevideo
Las Tablas
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$719 UYU 28.8K
-
-
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 136.1K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,949 UYU 78.2K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Montevideo
Las Tablas
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,245 UYU 50.0K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.74
0
-

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

Last update for Montevideo: October 12, 2026

Last update for Las Tablas: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Montevideo
$568
Las Tablas
–
Groceries & Markets
Montevideo
$332
Las Tablas
–
Eating Out
Montevideo
$269
Las Tablas
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montevideo
$254
Las Tablas
–
Clothing & Footwear
Montevideo
$186
Las Tablas
–
Getting Around
Montevideo
$84
Las Tablas
–
Sport & Entertainment
Montevideo
$78
Las Tablas
–

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Montevideo versus $30.00 in Las Tablas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $332 vs $103 – making Las Tablas the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇾 Montevideo
🇵🇦 Las Tablas
🕒 Local time
08:44 8:44 AM
06:44 6:44 AM
2 h behind Montevideo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,319,108 Capital
8,939
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PAB, 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).

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Montevideo Las Tablas 5,380 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Montevideo
  • Las Tablas

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 Las Tablas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Montevideo or Las Tablas?
Montevideo costs about 287% more than Las Tablas, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Montevideo and in Las Tablas?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,656 per month in Montevideo and $687 in Las Tablas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How much does it cost to live in Montevideo compared to Las Tablas?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,771 in Montevideo and $458 in Las Tablas. That's a gap of about 287%.
Are groceries more expensive in Montevideo or in Las Tablas?
Groceries cost about 221% more in Montevideo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Montevideo or in Las Tablas?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Las Tablas, where all-in costs run around $458, than in Montevideo at $1,771. In Las Tablas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montevideo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Montevideo or Las Tablas?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Las Tablas costs $458 versus $1,771 in Montevideo. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Montevideo compared to Las Tablas?
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.
Should I move to Montevideo or to Las Tablas?
If budget matters most, go with Las Tablas. 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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