Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Montevideo Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Montevideo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,787 in Montevideo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,089 per month in Phuket vs $2,687 in Montevideo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Phuket vs $3,588 in Montevideo, rent included.

Phuket is about 29% cheaper than Montevideo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 8% below the global median, while Montevideo is 30% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$14.88 UYU 599

-68.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$60.9 UYU 2,450

-47.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$13.91 UYU 560

-37.60%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$4.36 UYU 175

-33.49%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$2.78 UYU 112

-69.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$2.03 UYU 81.8

-75.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$4.73 UYU 190

-47.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$3.76 UYU 151

-0.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.32 UYU 53.3

43.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$2.91 UYU 117

-51.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$1.74 UYU 69.9

-6.90%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$4.84 UYU 195

-53.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$14.19 UYU 571

39.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$11.47 UYU 462

-69.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$11.74 UYU 472

-3.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.91 UYU 117

-0.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$2.79 UYU 112

-38.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$1.73 UYU 69.7

31.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$3.14 UYU 127

-32.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$2.00 UYU 80.5

-26.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$2.15 UYU 86.6

-33.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$1.44 UYU 58.0

-23.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$1.90 UYU 76.5

-68.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$5.34 UYU 215

-19.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$8.64 UYU 348

115.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$2.27 UYU 91.3

-20.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$2.85 UYU 115

4.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$1.52 UYU 61.1

48.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

$74.2 UYU 2,988

-68.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$1.85 UYU 74.3

67.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$0.41 UYU 16.45

163.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$10.60 UYU 427

-63.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$2.17 UYU 87.5

-34.10%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$27.3K UYU 1.1M

1.79%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$37.3K UYU 1.5M

-27.68%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$194 UYU 7,799

-45.90%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$17.71 UYU 713

-35.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$45.14 UYU 1,817

-61.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$53.5 UYU 2,154

1.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

$19.77 UYU 796

-42.13%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$11.96 UYU 482

-34.95%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$622 UYU 25.0K

-7.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$10.6K UYU 428.1K

8.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$97.1 UYU 3,907

-34.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$57.4 UYU 2,312

-49.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$122 UYU 4,930

-21.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$133 UYU 5,340

-32.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$762 UYU 30.7K

-3.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$598 UYU 24.1K

-16.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$1,192 UYU 48.0K

78.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$958 UYU 38.6K

30.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

$3,581 UYU 144.2K

-1.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

$1,916 UYU 77.1K

36.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$1,247 UYU 50.2K

-59.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.49

1.46%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Montevideo: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $733 in Phuket versus $762 in Montevideo. 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 146% 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $61.0 in Montevideo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $331 – making Phuket 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

Phuket vs Montevideo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Montevideo is pricier by about 41%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $2,680 in Montevideo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $576 per month in Phuket and $622 in Montevideo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% 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 Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Montevideo at $1,787. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montevideo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – 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 Phuket. 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.