Cost of Living Comparison Between Pando and Montevideo Cost of Living Comparison Between Pando and Montevideo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,014 per month in Pando vs $1,796 in Montevideo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,921 per month in Pando vs $2,696 in Montevideo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,827 per month in Pando vs $3,595 in Montevideo, rent included.

Pando is about 44% cheaper than Montevideo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Pando sits 25% below the global median, while Montevideo is 33% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.17 UYU 533

$15.21 UYU 616

-13.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.23 UYU 1,749

$61.5 UYU 2,489

-29.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.87 UYU 561

$13.68 UYU 553

1.39%

Cappuccino

$5.00 UYU 202

$4.43 UYU 179

12.87%

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

$2.31 UYU 93.5

$2.68 UYU 109

-13.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 UYU 89.8

$2.07 UYU 83.8

7.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 UYU 119

$4.89 UYU 198

-40.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 UYU 148

$3.84 UYU 156

-4.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 UYU 45.28

$1.35 UYU 54.7

-17.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.70 UYU 109

$2.86 UYU 116

-5.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 UYU 70.6

$1.70 UYU 68.7

2.35%

Eggs

$4.18 UYU 169

$4.76 UYU 193

-12.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.17 UYU 493

$14.16 UYU 573

-14.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.45 UYU 463

$11.94 UYU 483

-4.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.70 UYU 473

$11.85 UYU 479

-1.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 UYU 124

$2.91 UYU 118

5.15%

Banana (1kg)

$3.42 UYU 138

$2.89 UYU 117

18.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 UYU 93.3

$1.79 UYU 72.3

28.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.91 UYU 158

$3.26 UYU 132

19.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 UYU 86.5

$2.07 UYU 83.9

3.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 UYU 80.6

$2.13 UYU 86.4

-6.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 UYU 61.1

$1.35 UYU 54.5

11.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 UYU 76.8

$1.87 UYU 75.8

1.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.84 UYU 398

$5.43 UYU 220

81.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.86 UYU 318

$8.80 UYU 356

-10.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.04 UYU 123

$2.32 UYU 94.0

31.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 UYU 138

$2.82 UYU 114

21.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 UYU 60.1

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.8 UYU 2,985

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 UYU 144

$1.83 UYU 74.1

93.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.45 UYU 140

$0.42 UYU 16.95

721.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.18 UYU 412

$10.52 UYU 426

-3.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 UYU 86.8

$2.15 UYU 87.0

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

$36.1K UYU 1.5M

$27.5K UYU 1.1M

31.15%

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

$39.2K UYU 1.6M

$36.8K UYU 1.5M

6.36%

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

$116 UYU 4,697

$189 UYU 7,638

-38.51%

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

$23.95 UYU 969

$19.24 UYU 778

24.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.10 UYU 1,946

$45.32 UYU 1,834

6.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 UYU 2,200

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.48 UYU 788

Cinema Ticket

$12.52 UYU 507

$12.13 UYU 491

3.22%

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

$489 UYU 19.8K

$621 UYU 25.1K

-21.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,672 UYU 270.0K

$10.9K UYU 439.7K

-38.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.0 UYU 3,681

$97.2 UYU 3,934

-6.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.77 UYU 1,528

$57.6 UYU 2,329

-34.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$164 UYU 6,644

$125 UYU 5,040

31.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 UYU 4,792

$131 UYU 5,308

-9.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$343 UYU 13.9K

$717 UYU 29.0K

-52.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$592 UYU 23.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$748 UYU 30.3K

$1,158 UYU 46.9K

-35.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$603 UYU 24.4K

$982 UYU 39.7K

-38.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,433 UYU 138.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,967 UYU 79.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,185 UYU 47.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.74

-12.89%

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

Last update for Pando: September 27, 2026

Last update for Montevideo: September 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $343 in Pando versus $717 in Montevideo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Pando versus $62.0 in Montevideo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $332 vs $334 – making Pando 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

Pando vs Montevideo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Montevideo is pricier by about 77%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,521 per month in Pando and $2,694 in Montevideo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Pando and $62.0 in Montevideo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% 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 Pando, where all-in costs run around $1,014, than in Montevideo at $1,796. In Pando it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montevideo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pando – 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 Pando. 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.