Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,646 per month in Montevideo vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,495 per month in Montevideo vs $2,286 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,344 per month in Montevideo vs $3,310 in Phuket, rent included.

Montevideo costs about 30% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Montevideo sits 22% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.24 UYU 658

$4.56 ฿149

256.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.0 UYU 2,272

$46.63 ฿1,524

20.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.28 UYU 498

$8.47 ฿277

44.98%

Cappuccino

$4.11 UYU 166

$3.03 ฿98.9

35.64%

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

$2.26 UYU 91.4

$0.69 ฿22.52

227.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 UYU 71.5

$0.37 ฿11.96

375.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.38 UYU 178

$2.49 ฿81.3

75.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 UYU 152

$3.66 ฿120

2.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 UYU 48.94

$2.18 ฿71.3

-44.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 UYU 115

$1.90 ฿62.2

49.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 UYU 67.6

$2.20 ฿71.8

-24.09%

Eggs

$4.80 UYU 195

$2.22 ฿72.6

116.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.77 UYU 558

$19.99 ฿653

-31.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.84 UYU 439

$3.66 ฿120

196.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.19 UYU 454

$13.25 ฿433

-15.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 UYU 126

$3.23 ฿106

-4.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 UYU 97.1

$1.70 ฿55.5

40.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 UYU 60.8

$2.39 ฿78.2

-37.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.75 UYU 152

$2.08 ฿67.9

80.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 UYU 87.0

$1.59 ฿52.0

35.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 UYU 78.8

$1.48 ฿48.47

31.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 UYU 53.8

$1.03 ฿33.65

29.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 UYU 69.3

$0.52 ฿16.89

228.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.23 UYU 212

$4.25 ฿139

23.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.14 UYU 411

$18.79 ฿614

-46.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 UYU 93.4

$1.76 ฿57.4

30.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 UYU 122

$2.76 ฿90.1

9.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 UYU 52.3

$1.36 ฿44.47

-5.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.1 UYU 2,275

$11.36 ฿371

394.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 UYU 63.1

$3.14 ฿103

-50.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.47 UYU 141

$1.04 ฿33.85

233.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.35 UYU 501

$13.77 ฿450

-10.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 UYU 76.0

$1.34 ฿43.94

39.55%

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

$34.0K UYU 1.4M

$27.7K ฿904.5K

23.02%

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

$36.9K UYU 1.5M

$33.9K ฿1.1M

9.10%

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

$170 UYU 6,873

$124 ฿4,039

37.18%

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

$16.98 UYU 688

$13.52 ฿442

25.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.75 UYU 1,976

$18.69 ฿611

160.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.0 UYU 2,512

$61.8 ฿2,020

0.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.74 UYU 719

$17.25 ฿564

2.84%

Cinema Ticket

$10.40 UYU 422

$9.14 ฿299

13.79%

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

$486 UYU 19.7K

$703 ฿23.0K

-30.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,923 UYU 361.7K

$15.9K ฿518.7K

-43.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.4 UYU 3,826

$59.5 ฿1,943

58.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.75 UYU 1,895

$35.07 ฿1,146

33.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 UYU 4,531

$115 ฿3,767

-3.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 UYU 5,009

$84.1 ฿2,747

47.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 UYU 25.1K

$619 ฿20.2K

0.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 UYU 19.7K

$433 ฿14.1K

12.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 UYU 44.4K

$2,062 ฿67.4K

-46.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$811 UYU 32.9K

$1,511 ฿49.4K

-46.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,553 UYU 144.1K

$3,646 ฿119.1K

-2.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,245 UYU 91.0K

$2,626 ฿85.8K

-14.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,317 UYU 53.4K

$507 ฿16.6K

159.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.68

5.33

6.57%

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

Last update for Montevideo: June 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Montevideo versus $619 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 160% higher in Montevideo, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $56.0 in Montevideo versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $324 vs $293 – making Phuket 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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Montevideo is pricier by about 30%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,469 per month in Montevideo and $1,892 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $486 per month in Montevideo and $703 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,261, than in Montevideo at $1,646. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montevideo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – 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 Phuket. 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.