Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Rio Claro

For one person, living is cheaper in Rio Claro: $896 a month against $1,771 in Montevideo, rent and utilities included – about $10,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Montevideo
🇺🇾 Uruguay
$1,771
/mo nomad
Rio Claro
🇹🇹 Trinidad And Tobago
$896
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montevideo and in Rio Claro

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

A single person spends $1,771 per month in Montevideo vs $896 in Rio Claro, rent included.

  • Montevideo $1,771
  • Rio Claro $896

A couple spends around $2,740 per month in Montevideo vs $1,559 in Rio Claro, rent included.

  • Montevideo $2,740
  • Rio Claro $1,559

A family of three spends $3,708 per month in Montevideo vs $2,223 in Rio Claro, rent included.

  • Montevideo $3,708
  • Rio Claro $2,223

Montevideo costs about 98% more than Rio Claro, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Montevideo sits 31% above the global median, while Rio Claro is 34% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Montevideo
Rio Claro
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.16 UYU 609
$10.30 TTD 69.3
47.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.2 UYU 2,776
$87.0 TTD 586
-20.55%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.65 UYU 588
$8.82 TTD 59.4
66.10%
Cappuccino
$4.46 UYU 179
$2.09 TTD 14.08
113.40%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 UYU 107
$0.76 TTD 5.10
251.32%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.00 UYU 80.4
$0.61 TTD 4.11
227.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.83 UYU 194
$1.78 TTD 11.99
171.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80 UYU 152
$2.91 TTD 19.56
30.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montevideo
Rio Claro
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.36 UYU 54.8
$2.41 TTD 16.20
-43.57%
White Bread (500g)
$2.87 UYU 115
$2.59 TTD 17.43
10.81%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.75 UYU 70.2
$2.90 TTD 19.50
-39.66%
Eggs
$4.68 UYU 188
$4.33 TTD 29.13
8.08%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.88 UYU 557
$6.66 TTD 44.83
108.41%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.98 UYU 481
$10.21 TTD 68.7
17.34%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.97 UYU 480
$11.58 TTD 77.9
3.37%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 UYU 111
$5.56 TTD 37.41
-50.00%
Banana (1kg)
$2.74 UYU 110
$3.12 TTD 20.97
-12.18%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.77 UYU 71.2
$3.76 TTD 25.32
-52.93%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.24 UYU 130
$4.38 TTD 29.47
-26.03%
Potato (1kg)
$1.97 UYU 79.2
$2.12 TTD 14.23
-7.08%
Onion (1kg)
$2.07 UYU 83.1
$1.92 TTD 12.92
7.81%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.37 UYU 55.1
$1.82 TTD 12.21
-24.73%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.88 UYU 75.3
$1.35 TTD 9.05
39.26%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.59 UYU 224
$5.92 TTD 39.81
-5.57%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.78 UYU 352
$19.09 TTD 128
-54.01%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.26 UYU 90.9
$2.33 TTD 15.68
-3.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 UYU 110
$2.94 TTD 19.76
-6.46%
🚌 Getting Around
Montevideo
Rio Claro
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.53 UYU 61.5
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$74.3 UYU 2,980
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.91 UYU 76.7
$1.05 TTD 7.09
81.90%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.40 UYU 16.18
$1.28 TTD 8.61
-68.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.33 UYU 415
$14.53 TTD 97.8
-28.91%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.13 UYU 85.6
$1.13 TTD 7.59
88.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.1K UYU 1.1M
$36.6K TTD 246.5K
-26.01%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.3K UYU 1.5M
$41.1K TTD 276.8K
-11.87%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montevideo
Rio Claro
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$188 UYU 7,557
$89.8 TTD 604
109.69%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.54 UYU 824
$52.0 TTD 350
-60.52%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$44.81 UYU 1,798
$56.9 TTD 383
-21.21%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montevideo
Rio Claro
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.0 UYU 2,166
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.75 UYU 793
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.95 UYU 480
$8.93 TTD 60.1
33.82%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montevideo
Rio Claro
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$634 UYU 25.5K
$406 TTD 2,734
56.08%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.1K UYU 443.6K
$11.0K TTD 73.9K
0.56%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montevideo
Rio Claro
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 UYU 4,099
$55.8 TTD 375
83.00%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.5 UYU 2,309
$51.3 TTD 345
12.12%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$127 UYU 5,079
$147 TTD 989
-13.88%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$128 UYU 5,131
$101 TTD 682
26.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montevideo
Rio Claro
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$719 UYU 28.8K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$568 UYU 22.8K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,145 UYU 46.0K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,023 UYU 41.1K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,392 UYU 136.1K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,949 UYU 78.2K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Montevideo
Rio Claro
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,245 UYU 50.0K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.74
5.75
-0.17%

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

Last update for Montevideo: October 12, 2026

Last update for Rio Claro: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Montevideo
$568
Rio Claro
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Montevideo
$332
Rio Claro
$357 7.8% $26
Eating Out
Montevideo
$269
Rio Claro
$154 42.7% $115
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montevideo
$254
Rio Claro
$199 21.7% $55
Clothing & Footwear
Montevideo
$186
Rio Claro
$160 14.2% $26
Getting Around
Montevideo
$84
Rio Claro
$7.5 * 91.2% $77
Sport & Entertainment
Montevideo
$78
Rio Claro
$18 * 77.1% $60

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Montevideo versus $87.0 in Rio Claro. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $332 vs $357 – making Montevideo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇾 Montevideo
🇹🇹 Rio Claro
🕒 Local time
10:25 10:25 AM
09:25 9:25 AM
1 h behind Montevideo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,319,108 Capital
35,650
Exchange rates and currency converter

TTD, USD, EUR to UYU – Uruguayan Peso Converter

Uruguayan Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 40.14 UYU (100 UYU = 2.49 USD). 1 EUR = 45.12 UYU (100 UYU = 2.22 EUR).

Trinidad and Tobago Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 6.73 TTD (1 TTD = 0.149 USD). 1 EUR = 7.56 TTD (1 TTD = 0.132 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Montevideo Rio Claro 5,050 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Montevideo
  • Rio Claro

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 Rio Claro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rio Claro cheaper than Montevideo?
Yes – Montevideo is pricier by about 98%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,656 per month in Montevideo and $1,344 in Rio Claro. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Is eating out cheaper in Montevideo or in Rio Claro?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Montevideo and $87.0 in Rio Claro. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Montevideo and in Rio Claro?
Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Montevideo – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Montevideo or in Rio Claro?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Rio Claro, where all-in costs run around $896, than in Montevideo at $1,771. In Rio Claro it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montevideo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Montevideo or Rio Claro more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Rio Claro – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Montevideo or Rio Claro?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Rio Claro. 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.

Montevideo vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?