Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Paysandú

For one person, living is cheaper in Paysandú: $876 a month against $1,784 in Montevideo, rent and utilities included – about $10,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Montevideo
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Montevideo Living Index

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Montevideo

🇺🇾 Uruguay

$1,784

/mo nomad

Paysandú

🇺🇾 Uruguay

$876

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montevideo and in Paysandú

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Montevideo and in Paysandú actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,784 per month in Montevideo vs $876 in Paysandú, rent included.

Montevideo $1,784
Paysandú $876

A couple spends around $2,756 per month in Montevideo vs $1,148 in Paysandú, rent included.

Montevideo $2,756
Paysandú $1,148

A family of three spends $3,728 per month in Montevideo vs $1,420 in Paysandú, rent included.

Montevideo $3,728
Paysandú $1,420

Montevideo costs about 104% more than Paysandú, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Montevideo sits 32% above the global median, while Paysandú is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.82 UYU 595

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 UYU 2,797

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.68 UYU 589

Cappuccino

$4.65 UYU 186

$3.66 UYU 147

27.05%

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

$2.74 UYU 110

$1.79 UYU 71.7

53.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 UYU 82.9

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.79 UYU 192

$4.03 UYU 162

18.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 UYU 146

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 UYU 55.8

$1.05 UYU 42.20

32.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 UYU 116

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 UYU 68.1

Eggs

$4.62 UYU 185

$1.97 UYU 79.0

134.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.22 UYU 571

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.62 UYU 466

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.23 UYU 491

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 UYU 111

Banana (1kg)

$2.85 UYU 114

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 UYU 72.5

Tomato (1kg)

$3.20 UYU 129

$3.28 UYU 131

-2.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 UYU 77.8

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 UYU 86.5

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 UYU 57.3

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 UYU 77.9

$1.76 UYU 70.5

10.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.47 UYU 219

Wine (Bottle)

$8.95 UYU 359

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 UYU 90.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 UYU 113

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.56 UYU 62.6

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.8 UYU 2,962

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 UYU 76.2

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 UYU 17.36

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.59 UYU 425

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.12 UYU 85.2

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

$26.8K UYU 1.1M

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

$37.0K UYU 1.5M

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

$193 UYU 7,727

$62.1 UYU 2,492

210.07%

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

$20.91 UYU 839

$30.27 UYU 1,215

-30.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.89 UYU 1,802

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.8 UYU 2,038

$34.80 UYU 1,397

45.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.73 UYU 792

Cinema Ticket

$12.30 UYU 494

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

$629 UYU 25.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K UYU 437.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 UYU 4,166

$73.9 UYU 2,966

40.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.4 UYU 2,305

$61.7 UYU 2,475

-6.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 UYU 5,010

$87.5 UYU 3,511

42.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 UYU 5,315

$101 UYU 4,067

30.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$713 UYU 28.6K

$545 UYU 21.9K

30.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$575 UYU 23.1K

$476 UYU 19.1K

20.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,164 UYU 46.7K

$804 UYU 32.3K

44.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,033 UYU 41.5K

$645 UYU 25.9K

60.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,418 UYU 137.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,760 UYU 70.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,244 UYU 49.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.74

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

Last update for Montevideo: October 19, 2026

Last update for Paysandú: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Montevideo

$575 32.2%

Paysandú

–

Groceries & Markets

Montevideo

$334 18.7%

Paysandú

–

Eating Out

Montevideo

$269 15.1%

Paysandú

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montevideo

$258 14.5%

Paysandú

–

Clothing & Footwear

Montevideo

$188 10.6%

Paysandú

–

Getting Around

Montevideo

$84 4.7%

Paysandú

–

Sport & Entertainment

Montevideo

$75 4.2%

Paysandú

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $713 in Montevideo versus $545 in Paysandú. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Good to know

🇺🇾 Montevideo

🇺🇾 Paysandú

🕒 Local time

23:39 11:39 PM

Same time as Montevideo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,319,108 Capital

76,429

💱 Currency

Uruguayan Peso UYU $U

📈 Exchange rate

100 UYU = 2.49 USD

100 UYU = 2.22 EUR

100 UYU = 2.49 USD

100 UYU = 2.22 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Montevideo Paysandú 340 km

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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Paysandú: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Montevideo is pricier by about 104%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,676 per month in Montevideo and $1,315 in Paysandú. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Paysandú, 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 $1,784 in Montevideo and $876 in Paysandú. That's a gap of about 104%.

Groceries cost about 497% 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 Paysandú, where all-in costs run around $876, than in Montevideo at $1,784. In Paysandú it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montevideo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Paysandú – 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 Paysandú. 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.