Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Siena Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Siena

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,806 per month in Montevideo vs $1,897 in Siena, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,668 per month in Montevideo vs $2,823 in Siena, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,530 per month in Montevideo vs $3,749 in Siena, rent included.

Montevideo is about 5% cheaper than Siena, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Montevideo and Siena sit above the global median – Montevideo by 31%, Siena by 38%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.05 UYU 605

$16.58 €14.30

-9.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.1 UYU 2,541

$80.0 €69.1

-21.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.11 UYU 527

$11.43 €9.86

14.70%

Cappuccino

$4.56 UYU 183

$1.91 €1.65

138.74%

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

$2.69 UYU 108

$3.51 €3.03

-23.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 UYU 78.7

$1.43 €1.24

37.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.63 UYU 186

$5.78 €4.99

-19.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 UYU 147

$4.59 €3.96

-20.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 UYU 54.0

$1.47 €1.27

-8.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 UYU 115

$2.09 €1.80

37.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 UYU 70.6

$2.10 €1.81

-16.67%

Eggs

$4.79 UYU 193

$4.09 €3.53

17.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 UYU 579

$13.94 €12.03

3.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.94 UYU 480

$12.51 €10.79

-4.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 UYU 465

$18.89 €16.30

-38.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 UYU 114

$2.45 €2.11

15.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 UYU 112

$2.16 €1.86

28.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 UYU 71.0

$2.76 €2.38

-36.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.00 UYU 121

$3.47 €2.99

-13.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 UYU 86.1

$1.89 €1.63

13.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 UYU 87.4

$1.62 €1.40

33.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 UYU 58.6

$1.19 €1.03

22.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 UYU 79.6

$0.53 €0.46

273.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.55 UYU 223

$7.02 €6.06

-20.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.31 UYU 334

$7.00 €6.04

18.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 UYU 90.2

$1.55 €1.34

44.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 UYU 116

$2.42 €2.09

19.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.55 UYU 62.3

$1.93 €1.66

-19.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.6 UYU 3,042

$43.31 €37.37

74.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 UYU 72.7

$8.47 €7.31

-78.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 UYU 16.34

$3.56 €3.07

-88.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.35 UYU 417

$23.34 €20.14

-55.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 UYU 84.2

$2.12 €1.83

-1.42%

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

$27.2K UYU 1.1M

$28.3K €24.5K

-4.15%

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

$37.6K UYU 1.5M

$36.7K €31.6K

2.68%

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

$188 UYU 7,549

$168 €145

11.35%

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

$16.86 UYU 678

$16.05 €13.85

5.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.26 UYU 1,821

$28.20 €24.33

60.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.88 UYU 1,967

$71.8 €61.9

-31.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.99 UYU 764

Cinema Ticket

$12.33 UYU 496

$10.87 €9.38

13.43%

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

$640 UYU 25.8K

$519 €448

23.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K UYU 433.8K

$6,919 €5,970

55.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.5 UYU 3,804

$88.9 €76.7

6.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.7 UYU 2,281

$37.94 €32.74

49.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 UYU 4,952

$101 €87.6

21.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 UYU 5,296

$119 €102

10.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$760 UYU 30.6K

$1,186 €1,023

-35.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$602 UYU 24.2K

$767 €661

-21.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 UYU 48.0K

$1,840 €1,588

-35.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$980 UYU 39.4K

$1,183 €1,021

-17.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,484 UYU 140.2K

$4,588 €3,959

-24.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,865 UYU 75.0K

$4,005 €3,456

-53.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,211 UYU 48.7K

$1,937 €1,672

-37.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.49

3.92

40.05%

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

Last update for Montevideo: August 31, 2026

Last update for Siena: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $760 in Montevideo versus $1,186 in Siena. 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 60% higher in Siena, 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 $63.0 in Montevideo versus $80.0 in Siena. Groceries tell a different story – $333 in Montevideo vs $322 in Siena – so Siena wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Siena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Siena is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,709 per month in Montevideo and $2,846 in Siena. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $640 per month in Montevideo and $519 in Siena. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Siena – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Montevideo, where all-in costs run around $1,806, than in Siena at $1,897. In Montevideo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Siena it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Montevideo – 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 Montevideo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Siena makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.