Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Minas Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Minas

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,640 per month in Montevideo vs $1,047 in Minas, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,477 per month in Montevideo vs $1,633 in Minas, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,314 per month in Montevideo vs $2,219 in Minas, rent included.

Montevideo costs about 57% more than Minas, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.35 UYU 650

$15.91 UYU 633

2.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.3 UYU 2,161

$55.2 UYU 2,198

-1.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.15 UYU 483

$12.14 UYU 483

0.08%

Cappuccino

$4.06 UYU 162

$4.14 UYU 165

-1.93%

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

$2.27 UYU 90.1

$2.23 UYU 88.7

1.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 UYU 67.7

$1.78 UYU 70.6

-4.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.51 UYU 179

$4.48 UYU 178

0.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 UYU 144

$3.76 UYU 150

-3.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 UYU 50.3

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 UYU 114

$2.89 UYU 115

-0.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 UYU 64.1

$1.64 UYU 65.3

-1.83%

Eggs

$4.71 UYU 188

$4.81 UYU 191

-2.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.42 UYU 534

$13.41 UYU 534

0.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.74 UYU 427

$10.92 UYU 435

-1.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.19 UYU 445

$11.14 UYU 443

0.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 UYU 125

$3.04 UYU 121

2.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 UYU 93.3

$2.38 UYU 94.8

-1.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 UYU 61.8

$1.51 UYU 60.0

2.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.63 UYU 144

$3.72 UYU 148

-2.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 UYU 85.0

$2.11 UYU 83.8

1.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 UYU 77.9

$1.89 UYU 75.3

3.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 UYU 54.2

$1.31 UYU 51.9

3.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 UYU 68.9

$1.74 UYU 69.4

-0.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.09 UYU 202

$5.29 UYU 210

-3.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.90 UYU 394

$10.17 UYU 405

-2.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 UYU 92.8

$2.27 UYU 90.5

2.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 UYU 121

$2.91 UYU 116

4.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.35 UYU 53.9

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.2 UYU 2,197

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 UYU 64.0

$1.54 UYU 61.3

4.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.60 UYU 143

$3.48 UYU 138

3.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.42 UYU 494

$12.08 UYU 481

2.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 UYU 73.5

$1.88 UYU 74.8

-1.60%

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

$34.8K UYU 1.4M

$34.9K UYU 1.4M

-0.14%

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

$36.3K UYU 1.4M

$36.0K UYU 1.4M

1.00%

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

$175 UYU 6,968

$170 UYU 6,778

2.79%

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

$16.91 UYU 673

$16.70 UYU 664

1.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.0 UYU 1,989

$49.91 UYU 1,986

0.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 UYU 2,410

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.35 UYU 691

Cinema Ticket

$10.46 UYU 416

$10.47 UYU 417

-0.10%

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

$494 UYU 19.7K

$490 UYU 19.5K

0.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,985 UYU 357.5K

$8,916 UYU 354.8K

0.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.1 UYU 3,822

$93.4 UYU 3,716

2.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.11 UYU 1,914

$46.65 UYU 1,856

3.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 UYU 4,606

$116 UYU 4,608

-0.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 UYU 4,959

$125 UYU 4,961

-0.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 UYU 24.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 UYU 19.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 UYU 44.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$818 UYU 32.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,484 UYU 138.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,267 UYU 90.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,283 UYU 51.0K

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: April 22, 2026

Last update for Minas: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $615 in Montevideo versus $0 in Minas. 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 $54 in Montevideo versus $55 in Minas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $322 vs $324 – making Montevideo 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 Minas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,640 in Montevideo, $1,047 in Minas – roughly 57% apart. Montevideo costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,460 per month in Montevideo and $1,571 in Minas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,640 in Montevideo and $1,047 in Minas. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $494 per month in Montevideo and $490 in Minas. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Minas, where all-in costs run around $1,047, than in Montevideo at $1,640. In Minas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montevideo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Montevideo has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,047 in Minas to $1,640 in Montevideo. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Minas. 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.