Cost of Living Comparison Between Punta del Este and Mercedes Cost of Living Comparison Between Punta del Este and Mercedes

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,094 per month in Punta del Este vs $1,330 in Mercedes, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,316 per month in Punta del Este vs $2,006 in Mercedes, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,537 per month in Punta del Este vs $2,682 in Mercedes, rent included.

Punta del Este costs about 57% more than Mercedes, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Punta del Este sits 56% above the global median, while Mercedes is 1% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.35 UYU 739

$15.91 UYU 641

15.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.5 UYU 2,075

$54.0 UYU 2,173

-4.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.51 UYU 463

$12.14 UYU 489

-5.19%

Cappuccino

$4.50 UYU 181

$4.25 UYU 171

5.88%

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

$3.59 UYU 145

$2.18 UYU 88.0

64.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 UYU 111

$1.68 UYU 67.6

64.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 UYU 147

$4.37 UYU 176

-16.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 UYU 202

$3.61 UYU 145

38.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 UYU 53.9

$1.21 UYU 48.84

10.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 UYU 98.8

$2.75 UYU 111

-10.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 UYU 87.6

$1.41 UYU 56.7

53.90%

Eggs

$3.95 UYU 159

$2.74 UYU 110

44.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.91 UYU 560

$13.51 UYU 544

2.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.96 UYU 522

$10.80 UYU 435

20.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.41 UYU 500

$7.38 UYU 297

68.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 UYU 122

$1.90 UYU 76.5

60.00%

Banana (1kg)

$3.62 UYU 146

$2.39 UYU 96.2

51.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 UYU 80.0

$1.11 UYU 44.79

79.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.58 UYU 144

$2.85 UYU 115

25.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 UYU 89.8

$2.02 UYU 81.4

10.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 UYU 81.0

$1.88 UYU 75.8

6.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 UYU 52.7

$1.36 UYU 54.8

-3.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 UYU 78.0

$1.68 UYU 67.8

15.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.79 UYU 193

$4.90 UYU 197

-2.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.96 UYU 320

$9.91 UYU 399

-19.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.18 UYU 128

$2.35 UYU 94.8

35.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.10 UYU 205

$2.90 UYU 117

75.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 UYU 55.3

$1.18 UYU 47.69

16.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.46 UYU 1,951

$43.25 UYU 1,742

12.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 UYU 58.2

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.43 UYU 138

$1.57 UYU 63.2

118.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.43 UYU 541

$10.81 UYU 435

24.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 UYU 74.9

$1.81 UYU 72.7

2.76%

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

$29.9K UYU 1.2M

$33.6K UYU 1.4M

-11.04%

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

$34.4K UYU 1.4M

$36.5K UYU 1.5M

-5.77%

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

$94.9 UYU 3,822

$173 UYU 6,959

-45.07%

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

$15.87 UYU 639

$16.62 UYU 669

-4.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.15 UYU 1,617

$49.63 UYU 1,999

-19.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.8 UYU 3,175

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.64 UYU 992

Cinema Ticket

$9.99 UYU 402

$10.34 UYU 416

-3.38%

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

$628 UYU 25.3K

$484 UYU 19.5K

29.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,454 UYU 300.2K

$8,751 UYU 352.4K

-14.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$123 UYU 4,942

$96.1 UYU 3,871

27.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.3 UYU 2,551

$47.43 UYU 1,910

33.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$141 UYU 5,673

$112 UYU 4,504

25.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 UYU 5,993

$123 UYU 4,958

20.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,129 UYU 45.5K

$552 UYU 22.2K

104.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$899 UYU 36.2K

$297 UYU 11.9K

203.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,542 UYU 102.4K

$617 UYU 24.9K

311.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,890 UYU 76.1K

$437 UYU 17.6K

332.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,195 UYU 128.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,025 UYU 81.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,122 UYU 45.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.68

-11.97%

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

Last update for Punta del Este: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mercedes: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,129 in Punta del Este versus $552 in Mercedes. 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 $52.0 in Punta del Este versus $54.0 in Mercedes. Groceries tell a different story – $350 in Punta del Este vs $288 in Mercedes – so Mercedes wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Punta del Este vs Mercedes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Punta del Este costs about 57% more than Mercedes, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,141 per month in Punta del Este and $1,996 in Mercedes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,094 in Punta del Este and $1,330 in Mercedes. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 12% less in Mercedes. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mercedes, where all-in costs run around $1,330, than in Punta del Este at $2,094. In Mercedes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Punta del Este it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mercedes – 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 Mercedes. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Punta del Este makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.