Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Pisco

For one person, living is cheaper in Pisco: $658 a month against $1,771 in Montevideo, rent and utilities included – about $13,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

86

Cost of Living Index in Montevideo
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Montevideo Living Index
32

Cost of Living Index in Pisco
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Pisco Living Index

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Montevideo

🇺🇾 Uruguay

$1,771

/mo nomad

Pisco

🇵🇪 Peru

$658

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montevideo and in Pisco

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 Pisco actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,771 per month in Montevideo vs $658 in Pisco, rent included.

Montevideo $1,771
Pisco $658

A couple spends around $2,740 per month in Montevideo vs $1,019 in Pisco, rent included.

Montevideo $2,740
Pisco $1,019

A family of three spends $3,708 per month in Montevideo vs $1,380 in Pisco, rent included.

Montevideo $3,708
Pisco $1,380

Montevideo costs about 169% more than Pisco, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Montevideo sits 31% above the global median, while Pisco is 51% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.16 UYU 609

$4.37 PEN 15.02

246.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 UYU 2,776

$34.60 PEN 119

99.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.65 UYU 588

$6.86 PEN 23.56

113.56%

Cappuccino

$4.46 UYU 179

$3.18 PEN 10.93

40.25%

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

$2.67 UYU 107

$1.06 PEN 3.64

151.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 UYU 80.4

$0.65 PEN 2.22

207.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.83 UYU 194

$2.69 PEN 9.23

79.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 UYU 152

$4.48 PEN 15.38

-15.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 UYU 54.8

$1.64 PEN 5.64

-17.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 UYU 115

$2.27 PEN 7.80

26.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 UYU 70.2

$1.25 PEN 4.28

40.00%

Eggs

$4.68 UYU 188

$1.29 PEN 4.44

262.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.88 UYU 557

$6.22 PEN 21.36

123.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.98 UYU 481

$4.82 PEN 16.56

148.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.97 UYU 480

$6.40 PEN 21.98

87.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 UYU 111

$1.32 PEN 4.54

110.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.74 UYU 110

$0.99 PEN 3.41

176.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 UYU 71.2

$1.36 PEN 4.66

30.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.24 UYU 130

$0.61 PEN 2.08

431.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 UYU 79.2

$0.45 PEN 1.55

337.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 UYU 83.1

$0.92 PEN 3.14

125.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 UYU 55.1

$0.82 PEN 2.81

67.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 UYU 75.3

$0.93 PEN 3.18

102.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.59 UYU 224

$5.74 PEN 19.72

-2.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.78 UYU 352

$8.54 PEN 29.34

2.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 UYU 90.9

$1.85 PEN 6.34

22.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 UYU 110

$2.43 PEN 8.34

13.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.53 UYU 61.5

$0.85 PEN 2.93

80.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.3 UYU 2,980

$35.08 PEN 120

111.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.91 UYU 76.7

$3.87 PEN 13.29

-50.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 UYU 16.18

$2.07 PEN 7.10

-80.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.33 UYU 415

$7.43 PEN 25.52

39.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 UYU 85.6

$1.64 PEN 5.64

29.88%

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

$27.1K UYU 1.1M

$22.4K PEN 77.0K

20.87%

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

$36.3K UYU 1.5M

$25.3K PEN 86.9K

43.38%

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

$188 UYU 7,557

$43.24 PEN 149

335.48%

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

$20.54 UYU 824

$16.04 PEN 55.1

28.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.81 UYU 1,798

$11.49 PEN 39.46

289.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.0 UYU 2,166

$20.15 PEN 69.2

167.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.75 UYU 793

$8.94 PEN 30.72

120.92%

Cinema Ticket

$11.95 UYU 480

$7.38 PEN 25.36

61.92%

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

$634 UYU 25.5K

$176 PEN 604

260.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K UYU 443.6K

$13.3K PEN 45.6K

-16.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 UYU 4,099

$53.7 PEN 185

90.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 UYU 2,309

$13.00 PEN 44.65

342.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 UYU 5,079

$45.65 PEN 157

177.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 UYU 5,131

$35.25 PEN 121

262.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$719 UYU 28.8K

$161 PEN 554

345.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$568 UYU 22.8K

$129 PEN 443

340.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,145 UYU 46.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,023 UYU 41.1K

$144 PEN 494

611.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,392 UYU 136.1K

$1,834 PEN 6,300

84.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,949 UYU 78.2K

$1,331 PEN 4,572

46.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,245 UYU 50.0K

$565 PEN 1,941

120.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.74

8.94

-35.79%

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

Last update for Montevideo: October 12, 2026

Last update for Pisco: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Montevideo

$568 32.1%

Pisco

$129 19.6% 77.3% $439

Groceries & Markets

Montevideo

$332 18.7%

Pisco

$181 27.5% 45.4% $151

Eating Out

Montevideo

$269 15.2%

Pisco

$123 18.7% 54.3% $146

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montevideo

$254 14.3%

Pisco

$71 10.8% 72.1% $183

Clothing & Footwear

Montevideo

$186 10.5%

Pisco

$66 10.1% 64.3% $120

Getting Around

Montevideo

$84 4.8%

Pisco

$53 8% 37.5% $32

Sport & Entertainment

Montevideo

$78 4.4%

Pisco

$35 5.3% 55.2% $43

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $719 in Montevideo versus $161 in Pisco. 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 120% 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 $69.0 in Montevideo versus $35.00 in Pisco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $332 vs $181 – making Pisco the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇾 Montevideo

🇵🇪 Pisco

🕒 Local time

12:36 12:36 PM

10:36 10:36 AM

2 h behind Montevideo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,319,108 Capital

14,917

💱 Currency

Uruguayan Peso UYU $U

Peruvian Sol PEN S/

📈 Exchange rate

100 UYU = 2.49 USD

100 UYU = 2.22 EUR

1 PEN = 0.291 USD

1 PEN = 0.259 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PEN, USD, EUR to UYU – Uruguayan Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇺🇾 Uruguayan Peso ($U)

Uruguayan Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 40.14 UYU (100 UYU = 2.49 USD). 1 EUR = 45.13 UYU (100 UYU = 2.22 EUR).

Peruvian Sol exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 3.43 PEN (1 PEN = 0.291 USD). 1 EUR = 3.86 PEN (1 PEN = 0.259 EUR).

USD to UYU in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Montevideo Pisco 3,100 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Montevideo
Pisco

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 Pisco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Montevideo is pricier by about 169%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,656 per month in Montevideo and $987 in Pisco. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $634 per month in Montevideo and $176 in Pisco. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 83% 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 Pisco, where all-in costs run around $658, than in Montevideo at $1,771. In Pisco it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montevideo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pisco – 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 Pisco. 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.