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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,632 per month in Montevideo vs $1,330 in Mercedes, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,480 per month in Montevideo vs $2,006 in Mercedes, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Montevideo vs $2,682 in Mercedes, rent included.

Montevideo costs about 23% more than Mercedes, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Montevideo sits 22% above the global median, while Mercedes is 1% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.85 UYU 639

$15.91 UYU 641

-0.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.6 UYU 2,200

$54.0 UYU 2,175

1.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 UYU 489

$12.14 UYU 489

-0.16%

Cappuccino

$4.23 UYU 170

$4.25 UYU 172

-0.47%

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

$2.19 UYU 88.2

$2.18 UYU 88.1

0.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 UYU 68.3

$1.68 UYU 67.7

0.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.52 UYU 182

$4.37 UYU 176

3.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 UYU 145

$3.61 UYU 145

-0.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 UYU 51.3

$1.21 UYU 48.90

4.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 UYU 112

$2.75 UYU 111

0.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 UYU 63.9

$1.41 UYU 56.7

12.06%

Eggs

$4.79 UYU 193

$2.74 UYU 111

74.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.41 UYU 541

$13.51 UYU 545

-0.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.67 UYU 430

$10.80 UYU 435

-1.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.24 UYU 453

$7.38 UYU 298

52.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 UYU 121

$1.90 UYU 76.6

57.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.43 UYU 98.1

$2.39 UYU 96.3

1.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 UYU 62.3

$1.11 UYU 44.84

38.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.66 UYU 148

$2.85 UYU 115

28.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 UYU 84.9

$2.02 UYU 81.5

4.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 UYU 76.0

$1.88 UYU 75.9

0.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 UYU 55.1

$1.36 UYU 54.9

0.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 UYU 69.0

$1.68 UYU 67.9

1.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.10 UYU 205

$4.90 UYU 198

4.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.05 UYU 405

$9.91 UYU 400

1.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 UYU 95.0

$2.35 UYU 94.9

0.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 UYU 118

$2.90 UYU 117

0.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 UYU 52.1

$1.18 UYU 47.75

9.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.8 UYU 2,250

$43.25 UYU 1,744

29.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.60 UYU 64.3

$1.44 UYU 58.2

11.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.63 UYU 146

$1.57 UYU 63.3

131.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.43 UYU 501

$10.81 UYU 436

14.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 UYU 73.1

$1.81 UYU 72.8

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

$34.5K UYU 1.4M

$33.6K UYU 1.4M

2.69%

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

$36.0K UYU 1.4M

$36.5K UYU 1.5M

-1.44%

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

$170 UYU 6,872

$173 UYU 6,967

-1.37%

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

$16.51 UYU 666

$16.62 UYU 670

-0.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.77 UYU 2,007

$49.63 UYU 2,001

0.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 UYU 2,492

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.67 UYU 712

Cinema Ticket

$10.45 UYU 421

$10.34 UYU 417

1.06%

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

$482 UYU 19.4K

$484 UYU 19.5K

-0.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,873 UYU 357.7K

$8,751 UYU 352.8K

1.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.9 UYU 3,825

$96.1 UYU 3,876

-1.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.22 UYU 1,904

$47.43 UYU 1,912

-0.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 UYU 4,507

$112 UYU 4,510

-0.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 UYU 4,970

$123 UYU 4,964

0.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$628 UYU 25.3K

$552 UYU 22.3K

13.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$492 UYU 19.8K

$297 UYU 12.0K

65.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,112 UYU 44.8K

$617 UYU 24.9K

80.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$801 UYU 32.3K

$437 UYU 17.6K

83.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,582 UYU 144.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,272 UYU 91.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,334 UYU 53.8K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mercedes: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $628 in Montevideo versus $552 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 $54.0 in Mercedes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $321 vs $288 – making Mercedes the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 23% 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 $2,448 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 $1,632 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 $1,632. 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 $1,632 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.