Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Tacuarembo Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Tacuarembo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,749 per month in Montevideo vs $778 in Tacuarembo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,666 per month in Montevideo vs $1,097 in Tacuarembo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,582 per month in Montevideo vs $1,417 in Tacuarembo, rent included.

Montevideo costs about 125% more than Tacuarembo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Montevideo sits 28% above the global median, while Tacuarembo is 43% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.25 UYU 613

$17.30 UYU 695

-11.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.3 UYU 2,501

$29.76 UYU 1,195

109.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.86 UYU 557

Cappuccino

$4.39 UYU 176

$2.04 UYU 82.0

115.20%

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

$2.77 UYU 111

$0.96 UYU 38.47

188.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 UYU 81.4

$0.77 UYU 31.04

163.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.95 UYU 199

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 UYU 147

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 UYU 55.3

$1.32 UYU 53.0

4.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 UYU 113

$1.39 UYU 56.0

102.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 UYU 69.3

Eggs

$4.74 UYU 191

$3.21 UYU 129

47.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.57 UYU 545

$10.21 UYU 410

32.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.51 UYU 462

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.75 UYU 472

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 UYU 114

Banana (1kg)

$2.76 UYU 111

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 UYU 68.8

Tomato (1kg)

$3.12 UYU 125

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 UYU 79.3

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 UYU 86.5

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 UYU 54.4

$1.25 UYU 50.4

8.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 UYU 77.3

$1.04 UYU 41.84

84.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.59 UYU 225

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 UYU 331

$3.71 UYU 149

122.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 UYU 93.5

$1.68 UYU 67.3

38.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 UYU 115

$2.06 UYU 82.7

38.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.53 UYU 61.6

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.6 UYU 2,996

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 UYU 72.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 UYU 17.66

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.69 UYU 429

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 UYU 88.9

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

$27.5K UYU 1.1M

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

$37.8K UYU 1.5M

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

$192 UYU 7,716

$292 UYU 11.7K

-34.30%

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

$18.93 UYU 760

$15.20 UYU 610

24.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.31 UYU 1,820

$45.05 UYU 1,810

0.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 UYU 2,072

$37.64 UYU 1,512

37.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.68 UYU 791

Cinema Ticket

$11.95 UYU 480

$10.21 UYU 410

17.04%

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

$608 UYU 24.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K UYU 429.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$100 UYU 4,027

$29.76 UYU 1,195

236.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.7 UYU 2,277

$20.26 UYU 814

179.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 UYU 4,991

$49.97 UYU 2,007

148.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 UYU 5,327

$62.2 UYU 2,498

113.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 UYU 29.6K

$302 UYU 12.1K

143.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 UYU 23.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,165 UYU 46.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$947 UYU 38.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,415 UYU 137.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,873 UYU 75.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,164 UYU 46.8K

$864 UYU 34.7K

34.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.6

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

Last update for Montevideo: September 14, 2026

Last update for Tacuarembo: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $737 in Montevideo versus $302 in Tacuarembo. 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 35% 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 $62.0 in Montevideo versus $30.00 in Tacuarembo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $327 vs $108 – making Tacuarembo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Tacuarembo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Montevideo is pricier by about 125%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,624 per month in Montevideo and $1,166 in Tacuarembo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 203% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $62.0 in Montevideo and $30.00 in Tacuarembo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Tacuarembo, where all-in costs run around $778, than in Montevideo at $1,749. In Tacuarembo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montevideo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tacuarembo – 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 Tacuarembo. 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.