Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Santo Domingo

For one person, living is cheaper in Santo Domingo: $660 a month against $1,771 in Montevideo, rent and utilities included – about $13,300 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 Santo Domingo
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Santo Domingo Living Index

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Montevideo

🇺🇾 Uruguay

$1,771

/mo nomad

Santo Domingo

🇪🇨 Ecuador

$660

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montevideo and in Santo Domingo

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

A single person spends $1,771 per month in Montevideo vs $660 in Santo Domingo, rent included.

Montevideo $1,771
Santo Domingo $660

A couple spends around $2,740 per month in Montevideo vs $1,141 in Santo Domingo, rent included.

Montevideo $2,740
Santo Domingo $1,141

A family of three spends $3,708 per month in Montevideo vs $1,622 in Santo Domingo, rent included.

Montevideo $3,708
Santo Domingo $1,622

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.16 UYU 610

$4.02 $4.02

277.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 UYU 2,783

$53.2 $53.2

29.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.65 UYU 589

$9.14 $9.14

60.28%

Cappuccino

$4.46 UYU 179

$1.97 $1.97

126.40%

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

$2.67 UYU 107

$0.91 $0.91

193.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 UYU 80.6

$0.70 $0.70

185.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.83 UYU 194

$1.97 $1.97

145.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 UYU 153

$4.16 $4.16

-8.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 UYU 54.9

$0.99 $0.99

37.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 UYU 115

$1.92 $1.92

49.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 UYU 70.3

$1.29 $1.29

35.66%

Eggs

$4.68 UYU 188

$1.99 $1.99

135.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.88 UYU 559

$4.34 $4.34

219.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.98 UYU 482

$3.05 $3.05

292.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.97 UYU 481

$3.41 $3.41

251.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 UYU 112

$1.48 $1.48

87.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.74 UYU 110

$1.01 $1.01

171.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 UYU 71.4

$0.99 $0.99

78.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.24 UYU 130

$0.89 $0.89

264.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 UYU 79.4

$0.98 $0.98

101.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 UYU 83.3

$0.96 $0.96

115.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 UYU 55.3

$0.88 $0.88

55.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 UYU 75.5

$0.94 $0.94

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.59 UYU 225

$5.98 $5.98

-6.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.78 UYU 353

$4.87 $4.87

80.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 UYU 91.1

$1.50 $1.50

50.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 UYU 111

$2.14 $2.14

28.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.53 UYU 61.6

$0.36 $0.36

325.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.3 UYU 2,988

$17.55 $17.55

323.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.91 UYU 76.9

$1.39 $1.39

37.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 UYU 16.23

$1.78 $1.78

-77.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.33 UYU 416

$12.05 $12.05

-14.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 UYU 85.8

$0.87 $0.87

144.83%

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

$27.1K UYU 1.1M

$20.7K $20.7K

30.99%

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

$36.3K UYU 1.5M

$30.8K $30.8K

17.64%

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

$188 UYU 7,577

$40.18 $40.18

368.64%

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

$20.54 UYU 826

$9.86 $9.86

108.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.81 UYU 1,803

$22.82 $22.82

96.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.0 UYU 2,171

$33.64 $33.64

60.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.75 UYU 795

$16.85 $16.85

17.21%

Cinema Ticket

$11.95 UYU 481

$7.45 $7.45

60.40%

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

$634 UYU 25.5K

$371 $371

70.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K UYU 444.7K

$5,686 $5,686

94.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 UYU 4,109

$19.91 $19.91

412.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 UYU 2,315

$29.90 $29.90

92.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 UYU 5,092

$50.9 $50.9

148.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 UYU 5,144

$49.14 $49.14

160.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$719 UYU 28.9K

$305 $305

135.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$568 UYU 22.8K

$191 $191

197.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,145 UYU 46.1K

$712 $712

60.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,023 UYU 41.2K

$420 $420

143.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,392 UYU 136.5K

$1,353 $1,353

150.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,949 UYU 78.4K

$781 $781

149.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,245 UYU 50.1K

$404 $404

208.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.74

10.05

-42.89%

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

Last update for Montevideo: October 12, 2026

Last update for Santo Domingo: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Montevideo

$568 32.1%

Santo Domingo

$191 28.9% 66.4% $377

Groceries & Markets

Montevideo

$332 18.7%

Santo Domingo

$144 21.8% 56.7% $188

Eating Out

Montevideo

$269 15.2%

Santo Domingo

$108 16.3% 59.9% $161

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montevideo

$254 14.3%

Santo Domingo

$73 11% 71.3% $181

Clothing & Footwear

Montevideo

$186 10.5%

Santo Domingo

$67 10.2% 63.8% $119

Getting Around

Montevideo

$84 4.8%

Santo Domingo

$29 4.4% 65.3% $55

Sport & Entertainment

Montevideo

$78 4.4%

Santo Domingo

$49 7.4% 37.7% $29

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $719 in Montevideo versus $305 in Santo Domingo. 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 208% 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 $53.0 in Santo Domingo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $332 vs $144 – making Santo Domingo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇾 Montevideo

🇪🇨 Santo Domingo

🕒 Local time

18:45 6:45 PM

16:45 4:45 PM

2 h behind Montevideo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,319,108 Capital

270,875

💱 Currency

Uruguayan Peso UYU $U

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 UYU = 2.49 USD

100 UYU = 2.21 EUR

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to UYU – Uruguayan Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇺🇾 Uruguayan Peso ($U)

Uruguayan Peso exchange rates as of October 16, 2026: 1 USD = 40.24 UYU (100 UYU = 2.49 USD). 1 EUR = 45.31 UYU (100 UYU = 2.21 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 16, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.13 USD (1 USD = 0.888 EUR).

USD to UYU in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Montevideo Santo Domingo 4,530 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Montevideo
Santo Domingo

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 Santo Domingo: 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 $2,656 per month in Montevideo and $991 in Santo Domingo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Santo Domingo, 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 $371 in Santo Domingo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 131% 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 Santo Domingo, where all-in costs run around $660, than in Montevideo at $1,771. In Santo Domingo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montevideo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Santo Domingo – 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 Santo Domingo. 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.