Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Santo Domingo

For one person, living is cheaper in Santo Domingo: $1,122 a month against $1,813 in Montevideo, rent and utilities included – about $8,300 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
54

Cost of Living Index in Santo Domingo
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Santo Domingo Living Index

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Montevideo

🇺🇾 Uruguay

$1,813

/mo nomad

Santo Domingo

🇩🇴 Dominican Republic

$1,122

/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 $1,813 per month in Montevideo vs $1,122 in Santo Domingo, rent included.

Montevideo $1,813
Santo Domingo $1,122

A couple spends around $2,782 per month in Montevideo vs $1,761 in Santo Domingo, rent included.

Montevideo $2,782
Santo Domingo $1,761

A family of three spends $3,750 per month in Montevideo vs $2,401 in Santo Domingo, rent included.

Montevideo $3,750
Santo Domingo $2,401

Montevideo costs about 62% more than Santo Domingo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Montevideo sits 35% above the global median, while Santo Domingo is 16% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.26 UYU 613

$10.19 DOP 621

49.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.4 UYU 2,711

$50.5 DOP 3,075

33.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.37 UYU 578

$7.79 DOP 474

84.47%

Cappuccino

$4.64 UYU 187

$2.23 DOP 136

108.07%

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

$2.73 UYU 110

$1.02 DOP 62.3

167.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 UYU 84.0

$0.54 DOP 33.07

287.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.75 UYU 191

$2.55 DOP 155

86.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 UYU 147

$3.30 DOP 201

11.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 UYU 55.5

$1.33 DOP 81.0

3.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 UYU 112

$1.50 DOP 91.3

84.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 UYU 67.8

$1.63 DOP 99.1

3.68%

Eggs

$4.52 UYU 182

$2.36 DOP 143

91.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.17 UYU 570

$7.40 DOP 450

91.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.07 UYU 485

$5.59 DOP 340

115.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.16 UYU 489

$6.71 DOP 408

81.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 UYU 116

$3.19 DOP 194

-10.03%

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 UYU 110

$0.85 DOP 51.7

223.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 UYU 69.5

$2.76 DOP 168

-37.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.24 UYU 130

$1.86 DOP 113

74.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 UYU 83.1

$2.07 DOP 126

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 UYU 83.1

$2.25 DOP 137

-8.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 UYU 55.4

$1.03 DOP 62.9

33.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 UYU 74.5

$0.97 DOP 58.9

90.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.57 UYU 224

$5.19 DOP 316

7.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.89 UYU 357

$10.24 DOP 623

-13.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 UYU 92.2

$2.53 DOP 154

-9.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 UYU 109

$2.97 DOP 181

-9.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 UYU 61.3

$0.60 DOP 36.51

153.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.7 UYU 2,962

$18.04 DOP 1,098

308.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.82 UYU 73.4

$3.36 DOP 205

-45.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 UYU 16.05

$2.21 DOP 134

-81.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.66 UYU 429

$5.71 DOP 347

86.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.22 UYU 89.2

$1.43 DOP 87.2

55.24%

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

$26.7K UYU 1.1M

$23.4K DOP 1.4M

14.43%

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

$36.7K UYU 1.5M

$34.2K DOP 2.1M

7.58%

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

$191 UYU 7,674

$93.8 DOP 5,708

103.52%

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

$20.40 UYU 820

$31.81 DOP 1,936

-35.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.14 UYU 1,775

$37.01 DOP 2,253

19.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 UYU 2,177

$29.96 DOP 1,824

80.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.68 UYU 791

$24.22 DOP 1,474

-18.74%

Cinema Ticket

$12.33 UYU 496

$7.30 DOP 445

68.90%

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

$613 UYU 24.7K

$256 DOP 15.6K

139.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K UYU 444.3K

$7,297 DOP 444.2K

51.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 UYU 4,134

$45.66 DOP 2,780

125.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 UYU 2,255

$46.81 DOP 2,849

19.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 UYU 5,000

$88.1 DOP 5,362

41.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 UYU 5,214

$126 DOP 7,674

2.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$705 UYU 28.4K

$712 DOP 43.3K

-0.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$575 UYU 23.1K

$348 DOP 21.2K

65.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,139 UYU 45.8K

$1,451 DOP 88.4K

-21.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,016 UYU 40.8K

$622 DOP 37.9K

63.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,349 UYU 134.6K

$2,205 DOP 134.2K

51.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,942 UYU 78.1K

$1,203 DOP 73.2K

61.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,229 UYU 49.4K

$590 DOP 35.9K

108.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.74

13.56

-57.67%

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

Last update for Montevideo: October 5, 2026

Last update for Santo Domingo: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Montevideo

$575 32.3%

Santo Domingo

$348 31.5% 39.5% $227

Groceries & Markets

Montevideo

$332 18.7%

Santo Domingo

$221 20% 33.4% $111

Eating Out

Montevideo

$271 15.2%

Santo Domingo

$157 14.2% 42% $114

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montevideo

$255 14.3%

Santo Domingo

$163 14.7% 36.3% $93

Clothing & Footwear

Montevideo

$186 10.4%

Santo Domingo

$138 12.5% 25.7% $48

Getting Around

Montevideo

$84 4.7%

Santo Domingo

$35 3.2% 58.3% $49

Sport & Entertainment

Montevideo

$79 4.4%

Santo Domingo

$45 4% 43.4% $34

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $705 in Montevideo versus $712 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 108% 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 $51.0 in Santo Domingo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $332 vs $221 – making Santo Domingo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇾 Montevideo

🇩🇴 Santo Domingo

🕒 Local time

07:21 7:21 AM

06:21 6:21 AM

1 h behind Montevideo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,319,108 Capital

965,040 Capital

💱 Currency

Uruguayan Peso UYU $U

Dominican Peso DOP $

📈 Exchange rate

100 UYU = 2.49 USD

100 UYU = 2.22 EUR

100 DOP = 1.64 USD

100 DOP = 1.47 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

DOP, 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).

Dominican Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 60.87 DOP (100 DOP = 1.64 USD). 1 EUR = 68.21 DOP (100 DOP = 1.47 EUR).

USD to UYU in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Montevideo Santo Domingo 6,110 km ≈ 8 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 62%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,720 per month in Montevideo and $1,683 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 $613 per month in Montevideo and $256 in Santo Domingo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 50% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Santo Domingo, where all-in costs run around $1,122, than in Montevideo at $1,813. 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.