Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto Plata and Montevideo

For one person, living is cheaper in Puerto Plata: $824 a month against $1,771 in Montevideo, rent and utilities included – about $11,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

40

Cost of Living Index in Puerto Plata
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Puerto Plata Living Index
86

Cost of Living Index in Montevideo
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Montevideo Living Index

Jump to prices

Puerto Plata

🇩🇴 Dominican Republic

$824

/mo nomad

Montevideo

🇺🇾 Uruguay

$1,771

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Puerto Plata 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 Puerto Plata and in Montevideo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $824 per month in Puerto Plata vs $1,771 in Montevideo, rent included.

Puerto Plata $824
Montevideo $1,771

A couple spends around $1,338 per month in Puerto Plata vs $2,740 in Montevideo, rent included.

Puerto Plata $1,338
Montevideo $2,740

A family of three spends $1,852 per month in Puerto Plata vs $3,708 in Montevideo, rent included.

Puerto Plata $1,852
Montevideo $3,708

Puerto Plata is about 53% cheaper than Montevideo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Puerto Plata sits 39% below the global median, while Montevideo is 31% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.64 DOP 346

$15.16 UYU 609

-62.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.77 DOP 2,007

$69.2 UYU 2,776

-52.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.55 DOP 463

$14.65 UYU 588

-48.46%

Cappuccino

$1.47 DOP 90.1

$4.46 UYU 179

-67.04%

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

$0.70 DOP 42.87

$2.67 UYU 107

-73.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 DOP 21.07

$2.00 UYU 80.4

-83.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 DOP 118

$4.83 UYU 194

-60.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 DOP 155

$3.80 UYU 152

-33.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 DOP 71.4

$1.36 UYU 54.8

-13.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 DOP 92.8

$2.87 UYU 115

-47.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 DOP 62.0

$1.75 UYU 70.2

-42.29%

Eggs

$1.32 DOP 80.6

$4.68 UYU 188

-71.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.82 DOP 234

$13.88 UYU 557

-72.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.38 DOP 329

$11.98 UYU 481

-55.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.38 DOP 330

$11.97 UYU 480

-55.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 DOP 148

$2.78 UYU 111

-12.95%

Banana (1kg)

$0.79 DOP 48.17

$2.74 UYU 110

-71.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 DOP 105

$1.77 UYU 71.2

-2.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 DOP 54.2

$3.24 UYU 130

-72.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 DOP 63.3

$1.97 UYU 79.2

-47.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 DOP 76.3

$2.07 UYU 83.1

-39.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 DOP 52.0

$1.37 UYU 55.1

-37.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 DOP 61.8

$1.88 UYU 75.3

-46.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.40 DOP 147

$5.59 UYU 224

-57.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.39 DOP 575

$8.78 UYU 352

6.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 DOP 127

$2.26 UYU 90.9

-8.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 DOP 184

$2.75 UYU 110

9.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 DOP 59.2

$1.53 UYU 61.5

-36.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.3 UYU 2,980

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 DOP 199

$1.91 UYU 76.7

69.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.28 DOP 140

$0.40 UYU 16.18

470.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.74 DOP 352

$10.33 UYU 415

-44.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 DOP 80.0

$2.13 UYU 85.6

-38.50%

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

$22.9K DOP 1.4M

$27.1K UYU 1.1M

-15.69%

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

$33.0K DOP 2.0M

$36.3K UYU 1.5M

-8.89%

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

$40.58 DOP 2,486

$188 UYU 7,557

-78.45%

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

$23.14 DOP 1,418

$20.54 UYU 824

12.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.33 DOP 2,226

$44.81 UYU 1,798

-18.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.0 UYU 2,166

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.75 UYU 793

Cinema Ticket

$5.00 DOP 306

$11.95 UYU 480

-58.16%

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

$253 DOP 15.5K

$634 UYU 25.5K

-60.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,437 DOP 455.6K

$11.1K UYU 443.6K

-32.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.30 DOP 1,182

$102 UYU 4,099

-81.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.03 DOP 798

$57.5 UYU 2,309

-77.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.6 DOP 5,304

$127 UYU 5,079

-31.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 DOP 7,528

$128 UYU 5,131

-3.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$434 DOP 26.6K

$719 UYU 28.8K

-39.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$308 DOP 18.8K

$568 UYU 22.8K

-45.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$834 DOP 51.1K

$1,145 UYU 46.0K

-27.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$669 DOP 41.0K

$1,023 UYU 41.1K

-34.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,392 UYU 136.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,949 UYU 78.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$328 DOP 20.1K

$1,245 UYU 50.0K

-73.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.56

5.74

136.24%

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

Last update for Puerto Plata: 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

Puerto Plata

$308 37.3%

Montevideo

$568 32.1% 84.7% $260

Groceries & Markets

Puerto Plata

$175 21.2%

Montevideo

$332 18.7% 89.6% $157

Clothing & Footwear

Puerto Plata

$109 13.2%

Montevideo

$186 10.5% 71.2% $78

Eating Out

Puerto Plata

$104 12.7%

Montevideo

$269 15.2% 158% $165

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Puerto Plata

$100 12.1%

Montevideo

$254 14.3% 154% $154

Getting Around

Puerto Plata

$19 * 2.3%

Montevideo

$84 4.8% 356% $66

Sport & Entertainment

Puerto Plata

$10 * 1.2%

Montevideo

$78 4.4% 678% $68

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $434 in Puerto Plata 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 280% 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 $33.00 in Puerto Plata versus $69.0 in Montevideo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $175 vs $332 – making Puerto Plata the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇩🇴 Puerto Plata

🇺🇾 Montevideo

🕒 Local time

03:08 3:08 AM

04:08 4:08 AM

1 h ahead of Puerto Plata

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

130,000

1,319,108 Capital

💱 Currency

Dominican Peso DOP $

Uruguayan Peso UYU $U

📈 Exchange rate

100 DOP = 1.63 USD

100 DOP = 1.45 EUR

100 UYU = 2.49 USD

100 UYU = 2.22 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

UYU, USD, EUR to DOP – Dominican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇩🇴 Dominican Peso ($)

Dominican Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 61.26 DOP (100 DOP = 1.63 USD). 1 EUR = 68.87 DOP (100 DOP = 1.45 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).

USD to DOP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Puerto Plata Montevideo 6,270 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Puerto Plata
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

Puerto Plata vs Montevideo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Montevideo is pricier by about 115%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,236 per month in Puerto Plata and $2,656 in Montevideo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Puerto Plata, 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 $33.00 in Puerto Plata and $69.0 in Montevideo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 90% 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 Puerto Plata, where all-in costs run around $824, than in Montevideo at $1,771. In Puerto Plata it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montevideo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Puerto Plata – 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 Puerto Plata. 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.