Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and San José Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and San José

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,787 per month in Montevideo vs $922 in San José, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,687 per month in Montevideo vs $1,443 in San José, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,588 per month in Montevideo vs $1,965 in San José, rent included.

Montevideo costs about 94% more than San José, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Montevideo sits 30% above the global median, while San José is 33% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.88 UYU 598

$14.73 UYU 592

1.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.9 UYU 2,448

$37.51 UYU 1,509

62.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.91 UYU 559

$12.66 UYU 509

9.87%

Cappuccino

$4.36 UYU 175

$4.95 UYU 199

-11.92%

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

$2.78 UYU 112

$2.40 UYU 96.7

15.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 UYU 81.7

$2.43 UYU 97.6

-16.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.73 UYU 190

$3.84 UYU 154

23.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 UYU 151

$5.67 UYU 228

-33.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 UYU 53.3

$0.99 UYU 40.02

33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.91 UYU 117

$2.04 UYU 82.1

42.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 UYU 69.9

$1.47 UYU 59.0

18.37%

Eggs

$4.84 UYU 195

$2.63 UYU 106

84.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.19 UYU 571

$11.97 UYU 482

18.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.47 UYU 461

$7.53 UYU 303

52.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.74 UYU 472

$11.67 UYU 469

0.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 UYU 117

$1.26 UYU 50.8

130.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.79 UYU 112

$1.47 UYU 59.0

89.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 UYU 69.6

$1.26 UYU 50.8

37.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.14 UYU 127

$1.53 UYU 61.7

105.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 UYU 80.4

$1.01 UYU 40.57

98.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 UYU 86.5

$1.26 UYU 50.5

70.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 UYU 58.0

$1.50 UYU 60.3

-4.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 UYU 76.5

$1.87 UYU 75.4

1.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.34 UYU 215

$9.83 UYU 395

-45.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.64 UYU 348

$7.95 UYU 320

8.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 UYU 91.2

$3.12 UYU 126

-27.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 UYU 114

$3.26 UYU 131

-12.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 UYU 61.1

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.2 UYU 2,986

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 UYU 74.2

$3.50 UYU 141

-47.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 UYU 16.44

$3.51 UYU 141

-88.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.60 UYU 426

$10.15 UYU 408

4.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.17 UYU 87.4

$2.13 UYU 85.7

1.88%

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

$27.3K UYU 1.1M

$36.1K UYU 1.5M

-24.35%

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

$37.3K UYU 1.5M

$40.1K UYU 1.6M

-6.92%

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

$194 UYU 7,792

$115 UYU 4,614

68.88%

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

$17.71 UYU 712

$23.50 UYU 945

-24.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.14 UYU 1,816

$46.61 UYU 1,875

-3.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 UYU 2,152

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.77 UYU 795

Cinema Ticket

$11.96 UYU 481

$12.58 UYU 506

-4.93%

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

$622 UYU 25.0K

$488 UYU 19.6K

27.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K UYU 427.7K

$6,611 UYU 265.9K

60.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.1 UYU 3,904

$89.7 UYU 3,606

8.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.4 UYU 2,310

$36.59 UYU 1,472

56.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 UYU 4,925

$166 UYU 6,669

-26.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 UYU 5,335

$117 UYU 4,697

13.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$762 UYU 30.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$598 UYU 24.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 UYU 47.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$958 UYU 38.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,581 UYU 144.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,916 UYU 77.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,247 UYU 50.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.49

9.80%

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

Last update for Montevideo: September 5, 2026

Last update for San José: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Montevideo versus $38.00 in San José. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $331 vs $255 – making San José 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 San José: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Montevideo is pricier by about 94%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,383 in San José. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61.0 in Montevideo and $38.00 in San José. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 30% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in San José, where all-in costs run around $922, than in Montevideo at $1,787. In San José it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montevideo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San José – 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 San José. 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.