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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,677 per month in Montevideo vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,515 per month in Montevideo vs $2,255 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,353 per month in Montevideo vs $3,279 in Phuket, rent included.

Montevideo costs about 36% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Montevideo sits 25% above the global median, while Phuket is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.11 UYU 638

$4.63 ฿151

247.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.9 UYU 2,176

$46.84 ฿1,523

17.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.04 UYU 477

$8.84 ฿287

36.20%

Cappuccino

$4.26 UYU 169

$3.00 ฿97.4

42.00%

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

$2.20 UYU 87.1

$0.74 ฿24.11

197.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 UYU 67.1

$0.37 ฿11.88

356.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.29 UYU 170

$2.44 ฿79.3

75.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 UYU 143

$3.61 ฿117

-0.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 UYU 49.80

$2.26 ฿73.5

-44.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 UYU 111

$1.84 ฿59.8

52.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 UYU 65.3

$2.24 ฿73.0

-26.34%

Eggs

$4.92 UYU 195

$2.32 ฿75.3

112.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 UYU 534

$19.67 ฿639

-31.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.73 UYU 425

$3.65 ฿119

193.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.19 UYU 443

$13.10 ฿426

-14.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 UYU 124

$3.39 ฿110

-7.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 UYU 98.1

$1.64 ฿53.4

51.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 UYU 61.4

$2.41 ฿78.5

-35.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.74 UYU 148

$2.03 ฿66.0

84.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 UYU 85.3

$1.56 ฿50.6

37.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 UYU 74.8

$1.50 ฿48.66

26.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 UYU 54.0

$1.02 ฿33.30

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 UYU 65.8

$0.49 ฿15.91

238.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.07 UYU 201

$4.45 ฿145

13.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.18 UYU 403

$18.88 ฿614

-46.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 UYU 93.5

$1.78 ฿57.7

32.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 UYU 117

$2.75 ฿89.5

6.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 UYU 50.9

$1.40 ฿45.54

-7.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.9 UYU 2,213

$11.48 ฿373

386.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 UYU 61.1

$3.12 ฿101

-50.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.48 UYU 138

$1.00 ฿32.48

248.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.29 UYU 487

$14.09 ฿458

-12.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 UYU 72.1

$1.35 ฿43.93

34.81%

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

$33.7K UYU 1.3M

$27.2K ฿883.7K

24.09%

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

$37.0K UYU 1.5M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

12.48%

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

$173 UYU 6,835

$125 ฿4,063

38.04%

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

$16.74 UYU 663

$13.57 ฿441

23.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.89 UYU 1,937

$18.52 ฿602

163.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.4 UYU 2,432

$61.5 ฿1,999

-0.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.46 UYU 692

$16.84 ฿547

3.68%

Cinema Ticket

$10.66 UYU 422

$9.19 ฿299

16.00%

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

$477 UYU 18.9K

$698 ฿22.7K

-31.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,942 UYU 354.3K

$15.6K ฿506.9K

-42.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.9 UYU 3,722

$57.8 ฿1,878

62.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.23 UYU 1,911

$35.24 ฿1,146

36.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 UYU 4,430

$113 ฿3,677

-1.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 UYU 4,958

$86.4 ฿2,808

44.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 UYU 24.8K

$616 ฿20.0K

1.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$494 UYU 19.6K

$446 ฿14.5K

10.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,085 UYU 43.0K

$2,048 ฿66.6K

-47.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$806 UYU 31.9K

$1,492 ฿48.5K

-45.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,508 UYU 139.0K

$3,779 ฿122.8K

-7.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,251 UYU 89.2K

$2,649 ฿86.1K

-15.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,245 UYU 49.3K

$524 ฿17.0K

137.61%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Montevideo versus $616 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 138% 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 $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $324 vs $292 – 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 36%, 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 $2,515 per month in Montevideo and $1,847 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 $477 per month in Montevideo and $698 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 $1,232, than in Montevideo at $1,677. 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.