Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Santa Clara de Valladares

For one person, living is cheaper in Santa Clara de Valladares: $1,205 a month against $1,771 in Montevideo, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Montevideo
🇺🇾 Uruguay
$1,771
/mo nomad
Santa Clara de Valladares
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,205
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montevideo and in Santa Clara de Valladares

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 Santa Clara de Valladares actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,771 per month in Montevideo vs $1,205 in Santa Clara de Valladares, rent included.

  • Montevideo $1,771
  • Santa Clara de Valladares $1,205

A couple spends around $2,740 per month in Montevideo vs $1,933 in Santa Clara de Valladares, rent included.

  • Montevideo $2,740
  • Santa Clara de Valladares $1,933

A family of three spends $3,708 per month in Montevideo vs $2,661 in Santa Clara de Valladares, rent included.

  • Montevideo $3,708
  • Santa Clara de Valladares $2,661

Montevideo costs about 47% more than Santa Clara de Valladares, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Montevideo sits 31% above the global median, while Santa Clara de Valladares is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Montevideo
Santa Clara de Valladares
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.16 UYU 609
$11.14 MX$206
36.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.2 UYU 2,776
$64.3 MX$1,189
7.49%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.65 UYU 588
$9.63 MX$178
52.13%
Cappuccino
$4.46 UYU 179
$3.54 MX$65.4
25.99%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 UYU 107
$1.57 MX$29.08
70.06%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.00 UYU 80.4
$1.10 MX$20.25
81.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.83 UYU 194
$3.27 MX$60.5
47.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80 UYU 152
$5.46 MX$101
-30.40%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montevideo
Santa Clara de Valladares
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.36 UYU 54.8
$1.86 MX$34.33
-26.88%
White Bread (500g)
$2.87 UYU 115
$2.79 MX$51.6
2.87%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.75 UYU 70.2
$2.02 MX$37.30
-13.37%
Eggs
$4.68 UYU 188
$2.75 MX$50.8
70.18%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.88 UYU 557
$8.73 MX$161
58.99%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.98 UYU 481
$8.81 MX$163
35.98%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.97 UYU 480
$13.51 MX$250
-11.40%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 UYU 111
$3.48 MX$64.3
-20.11%
Banana (1kg)
$2.74 UYU 110
$1.59 MX$29.45
72.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.77 UYU 71.2
$2.25 MX$41.67
-21.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.24 UYU 130
$1.95 MX$36.01
66.15%
Potato (1kg)
$1.97 UYU 79.2
$1.79 MX$33.08
10.06%
Onion (1kg)
$2.07 UYU 83.1
$1.74 MX$32.11
18.97%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.37 UYU 55.1
$1.53 MX$28.34
-10.46%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.88 UYU 75.3
$1.19 MX$22.04
57.98%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.59 UYU 224
$4.46 MX$82.5
25.34%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.78 UYU 352
$17.65 MX$326
-50.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.26 UYU 90.9
$2.13 MX$39.40
6.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 UYU 110
$3.82 MX$70.6
-28.01%
🚌 Getting Around
Montevideo
Santa Clara de Valladares
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.53 UYU 61.5
$0.65 MX$11.98
135.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$74.3 UYU 2,980
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.91 UYU 76.7
$3.32 MX$61.3
-42.47%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.40 UYU 16.18
$2.65 MX$49.04
-84.91%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.33 UYU 415
$10.85 MX$201
-4.79%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.13 UYU 85.6
$1.51 MX$27.99
41.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.1K UYU 1.1M
$20.8K MX$384.4K
30.32%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.3K UYU 1.5M
$24.1K MX$444.7K
50.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montevideo
Santa Clara de Valladares
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$188 UYU 7,557
$57.2 MX$1,057
229.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.54 UYU 824
$27.38 MX$506
-24.98%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$44.81 UYU 1,798
$24.95 MX$461
79.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montevideo
Santa Clara de Valladares
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.0 UYU 2,166
$35.73 MX$660
51.02%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.75 UYU 793
$21.81 MX$403
-9.45%
Cinema Ticket
$11.95 UYU 480
$7.52 MX$139
58.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montevideo
Santa Clara de Valladares
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$634 UYU 25.5K
$270 MX$4,987
135.06%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.1K UYU 443.6K
$5,084 MX$94.0K
117.39%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montevideo
Santa Clara de Valladares
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 UYU 4,099
$51.7 MX$955
97.54%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.5 UYU 2,309
$45.36 MX$838
26.83%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$127 UYU 5,079
$101 MX$1,875
24.74%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$128 UYU 5,131
$98.8 MX$1,826
29.39%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montevideo
Santa Clara de Valladares
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$719 UYU 28.8K
$626 MX$11.6K
14.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$568 UYU 22.8K
$388 MX$7,176
46.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,145 UYU 46.0K
$1,108 MX$20.5K
3.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,023 UYU 41.1K
$655 MX$12.1K
56.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,392 UYU 136.1K
$1,778 MX$32.9K
90.80%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,949 UYU 78.2K
$1,220 MX$22.5K
59.74%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Montevideo
Santa Clara de Valladares
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,245 UYU 50.0K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.74
11.99
-52.13%

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

Last update for Montevideo: October 12, 2026

Last update for Santa Clara de Valladares: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Montevideo
$568
Santa Clara de Valladares
$388 31.6% $180
Groceries & Markets
Montevideo
$332
Santa Clara de Valladares
$305 8% $27
Eating Out
Montevideo
$269
Santa Clara de Valladares
$199 26.3% $71
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montevideo
$254
Santa Clara de Valladares
$110 56.8% $144
Clothing & Footwear
Montevideo
$186
Santa Clara de Valladares
$134 28.2% $53
Getting Around
Montevideo
$84
Santa Clara de Valladares
$19 * 77.3% $65
Sport & Entertainment
Montevideo
$78
Santa Clara de Valladares
$51 34.8% $27

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $719 in Montevideo versus $626 in Santa Clara de Valladares. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Montevideo versus $64.0 in Santa Clara de Valladares. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $332 vs $305 – making Santa Clara de Valladares the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇾 Montevideo
🇲🇽 Santa Clara de Valladares
🕒 Local time
04:31 4:31 AM
01:31 1:31 AM
3 h behind Montevideo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,319,108 Capital
2,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to UYU – Uruguayan Peso Converter

Uruguayan Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 40.14 UYU (100 UYU = 2.49 USD). 1 EUR = 45.12 UYU (100 UYU = 2.22 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Montevideo Santa Clara de Valladares 7,790 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Montevideo
  • Santa Clara de Valladares

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 Santa Clara de Valladares: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Santa Clara de Valladares cheaper than Montevideo?
Yes – Montevideo is pricier by about 47%, 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 $1,808 in Santa Clara de Valladares. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Santa Clara de Valladares, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Montevideo or in Santa Clara de Valladares?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Montevideo and $64.0 in Santa Clara de Valladares. 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 Santa Clara de Valladares?
Groceries cost about 9% more in Montevideo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Montevideo or in Santa Clara de Valladares?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Santa Clara de Valladares, where all-in costs run around $1,205, than in Montevideo at $1,771. In Santa Clara de Valladares it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montevideo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Montevideo or Santa Clara de Valladares more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Santa Clara de Valladares – 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 Santa Clara de Valladares?
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 Santa Clara de Valladares. 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.

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