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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,787 per month in Montevideo vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,687 per month in Montevideo vs $2,089 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,588 per month in Montevideo vs $2,913 in Phuket, rent included.

Montevideo costs about 41% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Montevideo sits 30% above the global median, while Phuket is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.88 UYU 599

$4.66 ฿154

219.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.9 UYU 2,450

$32.22 ฿1,065

88.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.91 UYU 560

$8.68 ฿287

60.25%

Cappuccino

$4.36 UYU 175

$2.90 ฿95.8

50.34%

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

$2.78 UYU 112

$0.84 ฿27.89

230.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 UYU 81.8

$0.49 ฿16.16

314.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.73 UYU 190

$2.48 ฿82.0

90.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 UYU 151

$3.73 ฿123

0.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 UYU 53.3

$1.89 ฿62.3

-30.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.91 UYU 117

$1.41 ฿46.54

106.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 UYU 69.9

$1.62 ฿53.6

7.41%

Eggs

$4.84 UYU 195

$2.24 ฿74.1

116.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.19 UYU 571

$19.84 ฿656

-28.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.47 UYU 462

$3.48 ฿115

229.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.74 UYU 472

$11.37 ฿376

3.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 UYU 117

$2.90 ฿95.8

0.34%

Banana (1kg)

$2.79 UYU 112

$1.72 ฿57.0

62.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 UYU 69.7

$2.27 ฿75.1

-23.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.14 UYU 127

$2.13 ฿70.4

47.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 UYU 80.5

$1.47 ฿48.72

36.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 UYU 86.6

$1.42 ฿46.92

51.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 UYU 58.0

$1.10 ฿36.25

30.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 UYU 76.5

$0.60 ฿19.76

216.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.34 UYU 215

$4.31 ฿142

23.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.64 UYU 348

$18.60 ฿615

-53.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 UYU 91.3

$1.80 ฿59.5

26.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 UYU 115

$2.97 ฿98.0

-4.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 UYU 61.1

$2.25 ฿74.2

-32.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.2 UYU 2,988

$23.49 ฿776

216.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 UYU 74.3

$3.10 ฿102

-40.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 UYU 16.45

$1.08 ฿35.56

-62.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.60 UYU 427

$3.87 ฿128

173.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.17 UYU 87.5

$1.43 ฿47.16

51.75%

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

$27.3K UYU 1.1M

$27.8K ฿918.0K

-1.76%

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

$37.3K UYU 1.5M

$27.0K ฿891.5K

38.28%

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

$194 UYU 7,799

$105 ฿3,462

84.85%

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

$17.71 UYU 713

$11.39 ฿376

55.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.14 UYU 1,817

$17.54 ฿580

157.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 UYU 2,154

$54.3 ฿1,795

-1.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.77 UYU 796

$11.44 ฿378

72.81%

Cinema Ticket

$11.96 UYU 482

$7.78 ฿257

53.73%

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

$622 UYU 25.0K

$576 ฿19.0K

7.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K UYU 428.1K

$11.6K ฿382.7K

-8.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.1 UYU 3,907

$63.6 ฿2,103

52.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.4 UYU 2,312

$29.10 ฿961

97.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 UYU 4,930

$96.2 ฿3,179

27.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 UYU 5,340

$90.0 ฿2,974

47.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$762 UYU 30.7K

$733 ฿24.2K

3.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$598 UYU 24.1K

$501 ฿16.5K

19.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 UYU 48.0K

$2,126 ฿70.2K

-43.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$958 UYU 38.6K

$1,252 ฿41.4K

-23.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,581 UYU 144.2K

$3,534 ฿116.8K

1.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,916 UYU 77.1K

$2,622 ฿86.6K

-26.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,247 UYU 50.2K

$508 ฿16.8K

145.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.49

5.57

-1.44%

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

Last update for Montevideo: September 5, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $762 in Montevideo versus $733 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 146% 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 $61.0 in Montevideo versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $331 vs $275 – 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 41%, 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 $2,680 per month in Montevideo and $1,898 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 $622 per month in Montevideo and $576 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% 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 $1,265, than in Montevideo at $1,787. 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.