Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Santa Cruz

For one person, living is cheaper in Santa Cruz: $676 a month against $1,813 in Montevideo, rent and utilities included – about $13,600 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
33

Cost of Living Index in Santa Cruz
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Santa Cruz Living Index

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Montevideo

🇺🇾 Uruguay

$1,813

/mo nomad

Santa Cruz

🇧🇴 Bolivia

$676

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montevideo and in Santa Cruz

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

A single person spends $1,813 per month in Montevideo vs $676 in Santa Cruz, rent included.

Montevideo $1,813
Santa Cruz $676

A couple spends around $2,782 per month in Montevideo vs $1,255 in Santa Cruz, rent included.

Montevideo $2,782
Santa Cruz $1,255

A family of three spends $3,750 per month in Montevideo vs $1,834 in Santa Cruz, rent included.

Montevideo $3,750
Santa Cruz $1,834

Montevideo costs about 168% more than Santa Cruz, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Montevideo sits 35% above the global median, while Santa Cruz is 50% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.26 UYU 613

$2.08 BOB 24.47

633.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.4 UYU 2,711

$17.80 BOB 209

278.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.37 UYU 578

$5.59 BOB 65.8

157.07%

Cappuccino

$4.64 UYU 187

$1.89 BOB 22.26

145.50%

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

$2.73 UYU 110

$0.53 BOB 6.24

415.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 UYU 84.0

$0.43 BOB 5.03

386.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.75 UYU 191

$0.98 BOB 11.57

384.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 UYU 147

$1.34 BOB 15.81

173.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 UYU 55.5

$0.82 BOB 9.63

68.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 UYU 112

$1.06 BOB 12.44

161.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 UYU 67.8

$1.09 BOB 12.84

55.05%

Eggs

$4.52 UYU 182

$1.13 BOB 13.27

300.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.17 UYU 570

$3.43 BOB 40.41

313.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.07 UYU 485

$2.77 BOB 32.58

335.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.16 UYU 489

$5.29 BOB 62.3

129.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 UYU 116

$1.89 BOB 22.26

51.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 UYU 110

$0.68 BOB 7.99

304.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 UYU 69.5

$0.80 BOB 9.47

116.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.24 UYU 130

$0.78 BOB 9.14

315.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 UYU 83.1

$0.74 BOB 8.73

179.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 UYU 83.1

$0.70 BOB 8.19

195.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 UYU 55.4

$0.64 BOB 7.51

115.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 UYU 74.5

$0.73 BOB 8.57

153.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.57 UYU 224

$2.07 BOB 24.40

169.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.89 UYU 357

$4.44 BOB 52.2

100.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 UYU 92.2

$1.15 BOB 13.56

99.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 UYU 109

$1.66 BOB 19.54

62.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 UYU 61.3

$0.28 BOB 3.31

442.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.7 UYU 2,962

$24.41 BOB 287

201.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.82 UYU 73.4

$1.84 BOB 21.60

-1.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 UYU 16.05

$0.99 BOB 11.67

-59.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.66 UYU 429

$6.80 BOB 80.0

56.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 UYU 89.2

$0.65 BOB 7.65

241.54%

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

$26.7K UYU 1.1M

$14.7K BOB 173.5K

81.48%

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

$36.7K UYU 1.5M

$20.6K BOB 242.4K

78.43%

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

$191 UYU 7,674

$38.52 BOB 453

395.43%

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

$20.40 UYU 820

$20.51 BOB 241

-0.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.14 UYU 1,775

$18.97 BOB 223

132.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 UYU 2,177

$20.99 BOB 247

157.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.68 UYU 791

$13.61 BOB 160

44.60%

Cinema Ticket

$12.33 UYU 496

$6.38 BOB 75.1

93.26%

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

$613 UYU 24.7K

$120 BOB 1,416

409.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K UYU 444.3K

$3,216 BOB 37.9K

243.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 UYU 4,134

$29.21 BOB 344

251.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 UYU 2,255

$37.59 BOB 442

49.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 UYU 5,000

$72.1 BOB 848

72.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 UYU 5,214

$62.0 BOB 730

109.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$705 UYU 28.4K

$277 BOB 3,258

154.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$575 UYU 23.1K

$255 BOB 3,005

125.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,139 UYU 45.8K

$910 BOB 10.7K

25.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,016 UYU 40.8K

$873 BOB 10.3K

16.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,349 UYU 134.6K

$1,342 BOB 15.8K

149.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,942 UYU 78.1K

$750 BOB 8,822

159.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,229 UYU 49.4K

$302 BOB 3,553

307.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.74

6.17

-6.97%

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

Last update for Montevideo: October 5, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Montevideo

$575 32.3%

Santa Cruz

$255 37.6% 55.6% $320

Groceries & Markets

Montevideo

$332 18.7%

Santa Cruz

$121 17.9% 63.6% $211

Eating Out

Montevideo

$271 15.2%

Santa Cruz

$68 10% 75.1% $204

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montevideo

$255 14.3%

Santa Cruz

$78 11.5% 69.5% $177

Clothing & Footwear

Montevideo

$186 10.4%

Santa Cruz

$90 13.3% 51.4% $95

Getting Around

Montevideo

$84 4.7%

Santa Cruz

$32 4.8% 61.3% $51

Sport & Entertainment

Montevideo

$79 4.4%

Santa Cruz

$34 5% 57.2% $45

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $705 in Montevideo versus $277 in Santa Cruz. 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 307% 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 $67.0 in Montevideo versus $18.00 in Santa Cruz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $332 vs $121 – making Santa Cruz the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇾 Montevideo

🇧🇴 Santa Cruz

🕒 Local time

08:58 8:58 AM

07:58 7:58 AM

1 h behind Montevideo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,319,108 Capital

1,800,000

💱 Currency

Uruguayan Peso UYU $U

Bolivian Boliviano BOB Bs.

📈 Exchange rate

100 UYU = 2.49 USD

100 UYU = 2.22 EUR

100 BOB = 8.5 USD

100 BOB = 7.58 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BOB, USD, EUR to UYU – Uruguayan Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇺🇾 Uruguayan Peso ($U)

Uruguayan Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 40.21 UYU (100 UYU = 2.49 USD). 1 EUR = 45.06 UYU (100 UYU = 2.22 EUR).

Bolivian Boliviano exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 11.77 BOB (100 BOB = 8.5 USD). 1 EUR = 13.19 BOB (100 BOB = 7.58 EUR).

USD to UYU in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Montevideo Santa Cruz 2,030 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Montevideo
Santa Cruz

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 Cruz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Montevideo is pricier by about 168%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,720 per month in Montevideo and $1,014 in Santa Cruz. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $613 per month in Montevideo and $120 in Santa Cruz. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 174% 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 Santa Cruz, where all-in costs run around $676, than in Montevideo at $1,813. In Santa Cruz it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montevideo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Santa Cruz – 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 Santa Cruz. 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.