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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Montevideo vs $1,264 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,510 per month in Montevideo vs $2,256 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,381 per month in Montevideo vs $3,248 in Phuket, rent included.

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

Montevideo sits 23% above the global median, while Phuket is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.87 UYU 638

$4.48 ฿150

254.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.8 UYU 2,205

$45.59 ฿1,525

20.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.19 UYU 490

$8.76 ฿293

39.16%

Cappuccino

$4.14 UYU 167

$2.97 ฿99.3

39.39%

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

$2.25 UYU 90.3

$0.69 ฿22.96

226.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 UYU 71.6

$0.39 ฿13.07

356.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.48 UYU 180

$2.53 ฿84.7

77.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 UYU 151

$3.75 ฿125

0.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 UYU 51.1

$2.15 ฿71.8

-40.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 UYU 116

$1.82 ฿60.7

57.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 UYU 66.7

$2.18 ฿73.1

-23.85%

Eggs

$4.91 UYU 197

$2.25 ฿75.2

118.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.80 UYU 555

$20.00 ฿669

-31.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.67 UYU 429

$3.63 ฿121

193.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.88 UYU 437

$13.56 ฿453

-19.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 UYU 125

$3.24 ฿109

-3.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.42 UYU 97.5

$1.64 ฿54.7

47.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 UYU 60.2

$2.33 ฿78.0

-35.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.69 UYU 148

$2.07 ฿69.3

78.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 UYU 87.2

$1.55 ฿51.8

40.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 UYU 78.7

$1.46 ฿48.67

34.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 UYU 53.0

$0.98 ฿32.94

34.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 UYU 67.9

$0.48 ฿16.13

252.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.29 UYU 213

$4.35 ฿146

21.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.82 UYU 355

$18.57 ฿621

-52.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 UYU 92.4

$1.86 ฿62.1

23.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 UYU 119

$2.65 ฿88.8

11.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.30 UYU 52.3

$1.42 ฿47.40

-8.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.1 UYU 2,217

$11.57 ฿387

376.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 UYU 62.7

$3.17 ฿106

-50.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.44 UYU 138

$1.03 ฿34.51

233.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.55 UYU 505

$13.89 ฿465

-9.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 UYU 75.6

$1.34 ฿44.96

40.30%

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

$34.3K UYU 1.4M

$27.8K ฿929.6K

23.32%

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

$36.7K UYU 1.5M

$33.4K ฿1.1M

9.89%

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

$175 UYU 7,045

$123 ฿4,116

42.36%

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

$16.34 UYU 657

$13.77 ฿461

18.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.56 UYU 1,993

$18.33 ฿613

170.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.9 UYU 2,449

$60.7 ฿2,030

0.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.09 UYU 687

$17.16 ฿574

-0.41%

Cinema Ticket

$10.39 UYU 418

$8.87 ฿297

17.14%

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

$487 UYU 19.6K

$688 ฿23.0K

-29.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,026 UYU 363.0K

$15.8K ฿527.8K

-42.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.4 UYU 3,797

$59.3 ฿1,984

59.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.73 UYU 1,920

$34.69 ฿1,160

37.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 UYU 4,585

$115 ฿3,853

-1.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 UYU 4,888

$83.8 ฿2,802

45.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$614 UYU 24.7K

$621 ฿20.8K

-1.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 UYU 19.4K

$446 ฿14.9K

8.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,095 UYU 44.0K

$2,034 ฿68.0K

-46.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$828 UYU 33.3K

$1,496 ฿50.0K

-44.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,586 UYU 144.2K

$3,455 ฿115.6K

3.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,284 UYU 91.8K

$2,531 ฿84.7K

-9.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,283 UYU 51.6K

$494 ฿16.5K

159.92%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $614 in Montevideo versus $621 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 $55.0 in Montevideo versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $321 vs $291 – 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 $2,459 per month in Montevideo and $1,896 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 $487 per month in Montevideo and $688 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% 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 $1,264, than in Montevideo at $1,639. 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.