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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,816 per month in Montevideo vs $1,007 in Pando, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,663 per month in Montevideo vs $1,876 in Pando, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,510 per month in Montevideo vs $2,746 in Pando, rent included.

Montevideo costs about 80% more than Pando, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Montevideo sits 33% above the global median, while Pando is 26% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.21 UYU 612

$14.75 UYU 593

3.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 UYU 2,541

$37.53 UYU 1,509

68.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.76 UYU 553

$12.44 UYU 500

10.61%

Cappuccino

$4.74 UYU 190

$4.87 UYU 196

-2.67%

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

$2.68 UYU 108

$2.53 UYU 102

5.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 UYU 81.1

$2.42 UYU 97.1

-16.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.98 UYU 200

$3.78 UYU 152

31.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 UYU 146

$5.63 UYU 226

-35.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 UYU 56.4

$1.14 UYU 45.74

22.81%

White Bread (500g)

$3.19 UYU 128

$2.76 UYU 111

15.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 UYU 73.7

$1.66 UYU 66.8

10.24%

Eggs

$4.90 UYU 197

$4.15 UYU 167

18.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.23 UYU 572

$12.02 UYU 483

18.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.69 UYU 470

$11.50 UYU 462

1.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 UYU 480

$11.57 UYU 465

3.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 UYU 118

$3.04 UYU 122

-3.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.86 UYU 115

$3.30 UYU 133

-13.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 UYU 74.5

$2.20 UYU 88.4

-15.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.19 UYU 128

$3.95 UYU 159

-19.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 UYU 89.6

$2.06 UYU 82.9

8.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 UYU 87.1

$2.10 UYU 84.4

2.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 UYU 55.4

$1.55 UYU 62.2

-10.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 UYU 79.7

$1.95 UYU 78.3

1.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.61 UYU 226

$10.16 UYU 409

-44.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.13 UYU 327

$8.30 UYU 334

-2.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 UYU 97.0

$3.08 UYU 124

-21.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 UYU 117

$3.29 UYU 132

-11.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 UYU 59.7

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.9 UYU 3,053

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 UYU 76.3

$3.51 UYU 141

-45.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 UYU 16.32

$3.41 UYU 137

-87.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.46 UYU 421

$9.70 UYU 390

7.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.17 UYU 87.2

$2.12 UYU 85.1

2.36%

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

$27.4K UYU 1.1M

$35.9K UYU 1.4M

-23.56%

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

$37.8K UYU 1.5M

$40.1K UYU 1.6M

-5.72%

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

$185 UYU 7,456

$116 UYU 4,662

59.92%

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

$19.67 UYU 791

$24.09 UYU 969

-18.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.02 UYU 1,810

$47.61 UYU 1,914

-5.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.15 UYU 1,976

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.19 UYU 772

Cinema Ticket

$12.25 UYU 492

$12.27 UYU 493

-0.16%

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

$640 UYU 25.7K

$493 UYU 19.8K

29.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K UYU 416.2K

$6,653 UYU 267.5K

55.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.1 UYU 3,745

$88.6 UYU 3,564

5.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.4 UYU 2,027

$37.38 UYU 1,503

34.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 UYU 4,847

$168 UYU 6,741

-28.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 UYU 4,929

$116 UYU 4,676

5.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$731 UYU 29.4K

$347 UYU 13.9K

110.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$584 UYU 23.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 UYU 49.0K

$751 UYU 30.2K

62.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$939 UYU 37.7K

$588 UYU 23.7K

59.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,556 UYU 143.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,945 UYU 78.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,244 UYU 50.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.6

12.00%

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

Last update for Montevideo: August 15, 2026

Last update for Pando: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $731 in Montevideo versus $347 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 $63.0 in Montevideo versus $38.00 in Pando. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $339 vs $333 – making Pando 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 Pando: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Montevideo is pricier by about 80%, 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 $2,725 per month in Montevideo and $1,511 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 $63.0 in Montevideo and $38.00 in Pando. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% more in Montevideo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Pando, where all-in costs run around $1,007, than in Montevideo at $1,816. 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.