Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Mercedes Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Mercedes

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,667 per month in Montevideo vs $1,330 in Mercedes, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,511 per month in Montevideo vs $2,020 in Mercedes, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,354 per month in Montevideo vs $2,710 in Mercedes, rent included.

Montevideo costs about 25% more than Mercedes, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Montevideo and Mercedes sit above the global median – Montevideo by 25%, Mercedes by 0%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.30 UYU 656

$15.82 UYU 636

3.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.4 UYU 2,228

$55.1 UYU 2,216

0.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.19 UYU 490

$12.37 UYU 498

-1.46%

Cappuccino

$4.26 UYU 171

$4.27 UYU 172

-0.23%

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

$2.19 UYU 88.1

$2.26 UYU 90.8

-3.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 UYU 68.8

$1.70 UYU 68.3

0.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.47 UYU 180

$4.44 UYU 179

0.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 UYU 149

$3.76 UYU 151

-1.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 UYU 50.4

$1.27 UYU 51.1

-1.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.91 UYU 117

$2.85 UYU 115

2.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 UYU 65.7

$1.44 UYU 58.0

13.19%

Eggs

$4.96 UYU 199

$2.62 UYU 105

89.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.31 UYU 535

$13.76 UYU 554

-3.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.83 UYU 436

$10.84 UYU 436

-0.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.96 UYU 441

$7.42 UYU 298

47.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 UYU 124

$1.99 UYU 80.0

54.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 UYU 94.9

$2.47 UYU 99.4

-4.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 UYU 60.4

$1.07 UYU 43.20

40.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.58 UYU 144

$3.01 UYU 121

18.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 UYU 83.6

$2.11 UYU 84.8

-1.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 UYU 78.1

$1.89 UYU 76.2

2.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 UYU 52.7

$1.32 UYU 53.2

-0.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 UYU 69.4

$1.63 UYU 65.5

6.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.23 UYU 210

$4.92 UYU 198

6.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.76 UYU 353

$8.92 UYU 359

-1.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 UYU 93.9

$2.35 UYU 94.4

-0.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 UYU 117

$3.01 UYU 121

-3.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.30 UYU 52.1

$1.19 UYU 47.71

9.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.3 UYU 2,265

$43.60 UYU 1,754

29.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 UYU 62.1

$1.49 UYU 59.9

3.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.63 UYU 146

$1.55 UYU 62.3

134.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.37 UYU 498

$10.85 UYU 436

14.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.83 UYU 73.5

$1.84 UYU 73.9

-0.54%

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

$33.7K UYU 1.4M

$33.9K UYU 1.4M

-0.68%

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

$35.9K UYU 1.4M

$35.6K UYU 1.4M

0.60%

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

$175 UYU 7,032

$174 UYU 6,984

0.70%

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

$16.95 UYU 682

$16.81 UYU 676

0.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.42 UYU 1,948

$48.93 UYU 1,968

-1.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 UYU 2,480

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.76 UYU 715

Cinema Ticket

$10.42 UYU 419

$10.33 UYU 416

0.87%

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

$489 UYU 19.7K

$486 UYU 19.5K

0.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,967 UYU 360.7K

$8,853 UYU 356.2K

1.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.6 UYU 3,847

$96.0 UYU 3,862

-0.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.66 UYU 1,917

$47.96 UYU 1,930

-0.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 UYU 4,608

$114 UYU 4,570

0.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 UYU 4,858

$125 UYU 5,011

-3.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$611 UYU 24.6K

$566 UYU 22.8K

7.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$488 UYU 19.6K

$289 UYU 11.6K

68.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 UYU 44.5K

$620 UYU 24.9K

78.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$818 UYU 32.9K

$441 UYU 17.7K

85.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,598 UYU 144.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,274 UYU 91.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,332 UYU 53.6K

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mercedes: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $611 in Montevideo versus $566 in Mercedes. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in Montevideo versus $55.0 in Mercedes. Groceries tell a different story – $319 in Montevideo vs $290 in Mercedes – so Mercedes wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Mercedes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montevideo costs about 25% more than Mercedes, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,501 per month in Montevideo and $1,996 in Mercedes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,667 in Montevideo and $1,330 in Mercedes. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 29% less in Mercedes. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mercedes, where all-in costs run around $1,330, than in Montevideo at $1,667. In Mercedes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montevideo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mercedes costs $1,330 versus $1,667 in Montevideo. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Mercedes. 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.