Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Pando Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Pando

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,813 per month in Montevideo vs $1,002 in Pando, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,782 per month in Montevideo vs $1,912 in Pando, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,750 per month in Montevideo vs $2,823 in Pando, rent included.

Montevideo costs about 81% more than Pando, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Montevideo sits 35% above the global median, while Pando is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.26 UYU 615

$13.13 UYU 530

16.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.4 UYU 2,720

$43.23 UYU 1,744

55.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.37 UYU 580

$13.50 UYU 544

6.44%

Cappuccino

$4.64 UYU 187

$5.02 UYU 202

-7.57%

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

$2.73 UYU 110

$2.34 UYU 94.5

16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 UYU 84.3

$2.19 UYU 88.4

-4.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.75 UYU 192

$3.04 UYU 123

56.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 UYU 148

$3.56 UYU 143

3.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 UYU 55.6

$1.14 UYU 45.85

21.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 UYU 112

$2.79 UYU 112

-0.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 UYU 68.0

$1.66 UYU 66.9

1.81%

Eggs

$4.52 UYU 183

$4.19 UYU 169

7.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.17 UYU 572

$11.87 UYU 479

19.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.07 UYU 487

$11.72 UYU 473

2.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.16 UYU 490

$11.96 UYU 482

1.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 UYU 116

$2.99 UYU 121

-4.01%

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 UYU 111

$3.35 UYU 135

-17.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 UYU 69.7

$2.22 UYU 89.4

-22.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.24 UYU 131

$4.04 UYU 163

-19.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 UYU 83.4

$2.12 UYU 85.7

-2.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 UYU 83.4

$2.02 UYU 81.4

2.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 UYU 55.6

$1.51 UYU 60.9

-8.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 UYU 74.8

$1.90 UYU 76.7

-2.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.57 UYU 225

$10.08 UYU 407

-44.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.89 UYU 359

$8.26 UYU 333

7.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 UYU 92.5

$2.99 UYU 121

-23.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 UYU 109

$3.38 UYU 137

-20.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 UYU 61.5

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.7 UYU 2,972

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.82 UYU 73.6

$3.45 UYU 139

-47.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 UYU 16.10

$3.50 UYU 141

-88.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.66 UYU 430

$9.72 UYU 392

9.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 UYU 89.5

$2.15 UYU 86.6

3.26%

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

$26.7K UYU 1.1M

$35.9K UYU 1.4M

-25.41%

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

$36.7K UYU 1.5M

$39.8K UYU 1.6M

-7.59%

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

$191 UYU 7,699

$113 UYU 4,548

69.29%

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

$20.40 UYU 823

$23.84 UYU 962

-14.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.14 UYU 1,781

$47.67 UYU 1,923

-7.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 UYU 2,184

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.68 UYU 794

Cinema Ticket

$12.33 UYU 498

$12.29 UYU 496

0.33%

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

$613 UYU 24.7K

$499 UYU 20.1K

22.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K UYU 445.8K

$6,612 UYU 266.7K

67.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 UYU 4,148

$87.7 UYU 3,538

17.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 UYU 2,262

$36.98 UYU 1,492

51.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 UYU 5,017

$167 UYU 6,724

-25.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 UYU 5,232

$118 UYU 4,777

9.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$705 UYU 28.5K

$341 UYU 13.7K

107.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$575 UYU 23.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,139 UYU 45.9K

$732 UYU 29.5K

55.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,016 UYU 41.0K

$587 UYU 23.7K

73.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,349 UYU 135.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,942 UYU 78.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,229 UYU 49.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.74

14.80%

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

Last update for Montevideo: October 5, 2026

Last update for Pando: October 4, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $705 in Montevideo versus $341 in Pando. 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 $67.0 in Montevideo versus $43.00 in Pando. Groceries tell a different story – $332 in Montevideo vs $334 in Pando – so Montevideo 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 Pando: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Montevideo is pricier by about 81%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,720 per month in Montevideo and $1,502 in Pando. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Montevideo and $43.00 in Pando. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Montevideo – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pando, where all-in costs run around $1,002, than in Montevideo at $1,813. In Pando it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montevideo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pando – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Pando. 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.