Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Piedras Negras and Montevideo

For one person, living is cheaper in Piedras Negras: $1,137 a month against $1,771 in Montevideo, rent and utilities included – about $7,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Piedras Negras
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,137
/mo nomad
Montevideo
🇺🇾 Uruguay
$1,771
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Piedras Negras and in Montevideo

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Piedras Negras and in Montevideo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,137 per month in Piedras Negras vs $1,771 in Montevideo, rent included.

  • Piedras Negras $1,137
  • Montevideo $1,771

A couple spends around $1,838 per month in Piedras Negras vs $2,740 in Montevideo, rent included.

  • Piedras Negras $1,838
  • Montevideo $2,740

A family of three spends $2,539 per month in Piedras Negras vs $3,708 in Montevideo, rent included.

  • Piedras Negras $2,539
  • Montevideo $3,708

Piedras Negras is about 36% cheaper than Montevideo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Piedras Negras sits 16% below the global median, while Montevideo is 31% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Piedras Negras
Montevideo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.12 MX$205
$15.16 UYU 609
-26.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.57 MX$824
$69.2 UYU 2,776
-35.55%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.45 MX$156
$14.65 UYU 588
-42.32%
Cappuccino
$3.63 MX$67.1
$4.46 UYU 179
-18.61%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42 MX$26.26
$2.67 UYU 107
-46.82%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.00 MX$18.50
$2.00 UYU 80.4
-50.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.53 MX$46.72
$4.83 UYU 194
-47.62%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.05 MX$74.9
$3.80 UYU 152
6.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Piedras Negras
Montevideo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 MX$30.69
$1.36 UYU 54.8
22.06%
White Bread (500g)
$2.53 MX$46.83
$2.87 UYU 115
-11.85%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.71 MX$31.52
$1.75 UYU 70.2
-2.29%
Eggs
$2.45 MX$45.35
$4.68 UYU 188
-47.65%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.36 MX$155
$13.88 UYU 557
-39.77%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.11 MX$150
$11.98 UYU 481
-32.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.28 MX$209
$11.97 UYU 480
-5.76%
Apples (1kg)
$2.76 MX$51.1
$2.78 UYU 111
-0.72%
Banana (1kg)
$1.59 MX$29.34
$2.74 UYU 110
-41.97%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.88 MX$34.68
$1.77 UYU 71.2
6.21%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.82 MX$33.67
$3.24 UYU 130
-43.83%
Potato (1kg)
$1.99 MX$36.84
$1.97 UYU 79.2
1.02%
Onion (1kg)
$1.80 MX$33.24
$2.07 UYU 83.1
-13.04%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.48 MX$27.36
$1.37 UYU 55.1
8.03%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.08 MX$19.96
$1.88 UYU 75.3
-42.55%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.50 MX$83.1
$5.59 UYU 224
-19.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.60 MX$196
$8.78 UYU 352
20.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.81 MX$33.37
$2.26 UYU 90.9
-19.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.12 MX$57.7
$2.75 UYU 110
13.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Piedras Negras
Montevideo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.68 MX$12.55
$1.53 UYU 61.5
-55.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$74.3 UYU 2,980
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.66 MX$49.22
$1.91 UYU 76.7
39.27%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.25 MX$41.56
$0.40 UYU 16.18
462.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.14 MX$206
$10.33 UYU 415
7.84%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.33 MX$24.65
$2.13 UYU 85.6
-37.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.8K MX$385.2K
$27.1K UYU 1.1M
-23.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.0K MX$443.9K
$36.3K UYU 1.5M
-33.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Piedras Negras
Montevideo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$49.75 MX$919
$188 UYU 7,557
-73.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.89 MX$423
$20.54 UYU 824
11.44%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.83 MX$551
$44.81 UYU 1,798
-33.43%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Piedras Negras
Montevideo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$34.41 MX$636
$54.0 UYU 2,166
-36.23%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.06 MX$371
$19.75 UYU 793
1.57%
Cinema Ticket
$5.31 MX$98.0
$11.95 UYU 480
-55.56%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Piedras Negras
Montevideo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$221 MX$4,089
$634 UYU 25.5K
-65.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,069 MX$75.2K
$11.1K UYU 443.6K
-63.19%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Piedras Negras
Montevideo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.1 MX$1,018
$102 UYU 4,099
-46.06%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.69 MX$752
$57.5 UYU 2,309
-29.27%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$100 MX$1,854
$127 UYU 5,079
-20.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.7 MX$1,675
$128 UYU 5,131
-29.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Piedras Negras
Montevideo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$596 MX$11.0K
$719 UYU 28.8K
-17.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$393 MX$7,263
$568 UYU 22.8K
-30.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,039 MX$19.2K
$1,145 UYU 46.0K
-9.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$776 MX$14.3K
$1,023 UYU 41.1K
-24.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,876 MX$34.7K
$3,392 UYU 136.1K
-44.69%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,173 MX$21.7K
$1,949 UYU 78.2K
-39.81%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Piedras Negras
Montevideo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,618 MX$29.9K
$1,245 UYU 50.0K
30.00%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.3
5.74
96.86%

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

Last update for Piedras Negras: October 11, 2026

Last update for Montevideo: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Piedras Negras
$393
Montevideo
$568 44.5% $175
Groceries & Markets
Piedras Negras
$263
Montevideo
$332 26.1% $69
Eating Out
Piedras Negras
$188
Montevideo
$269 43% $81
Clothing & Footwear
Piedras Negras
$129
Montevideo
$186 44.4% $57
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Piedras Negras
$102
Montevideo
$254 148% $151
Sport & Entertainment
Piedras Negras
$45
Montevideo
$78 73% $33
Getting Around
Piedras Negras
$17 *
Montevideo
$84 407% $68

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $596 in Piedras Negras versus $719 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 30% higher in Piedras Negras, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Piedras Negras versus $69.0 in Montevideo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $263 vs $332 – making Piedras Negras the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Piedras Negras
🇺🇾 Montevideo
🕒 Local time
23:17 11:17 PM
01:17 1:17 AM
2 h ahead of Piedras Negras
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
173,959
1,319,108 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

UYU, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

Uruguayan Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 40.14 UYU (100 UYU = 2.49 USD). 1 EUR = 45.12 UYU (100 UYU = 2.22 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Piedras Negras Montevideo 8,470 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Piedras Negras
  • Montevideo

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
Piedras Negras vs Montevideo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Montevideo cheaper than Piedras Negras?
Yes – Montevideo is pricier by about 56%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,706 per month in Piedras Negras and $2,656 in Montevideo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Piedras Negras, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Piedras Negras or in Montevideo?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Piedras Negras and $69.0 in Montevideo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Piedras Negras and in Montevideo?
Groceries cost about 26% more in Montevideo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Piedras Negras or in Montevideo?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Piedras Negras, where all-in costs run around $1,137, than in Montevideo at $1,771. In Piedras Negras it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montevideo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Piedras Negras or Montevideo more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Piedras Negras – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Piedras Negras or Montevideo?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Piedras Negras. 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.

Piedras Negras vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?