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 $1,834 per month in Punta del Este vs $1,263 in Mercedes, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,728 per month in Punta del Este vs $1,924 in Mercedes, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,622 per month in Punta del Este vs $2,585 in Mercedes, rent included.

Punta del Este costs about 45% more than Mercedes, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Punta del Este sits 34% above the global median, while Mercedes is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.29 UYU 534

$14.80 UYU 595

-10.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.92 UYU 1,764

$61.2 UYU 2,459

-28.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.91 UYU 559

$13.59 UYU 546

2.35%

Cappuccino

$4.54 UYU 182

$2.49 UYU 100

82.33%

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

$2.26 UYU 90.9

$2.73 UYU 110

-17.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 UYU 81.6

$0.91 UYU 36.63

123.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.75 UYU 151

$2.43 UYU 97.5

54.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 UYU 143

$3.80 UYU 153

-6.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 UYU 45.62

$1.36 UYU 54.7

-16.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 UYU 109

$2.88 UYU 116

-5.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 UYU 68.1

$1.46 UYU 58.8

16.44%

Eggs

$4.25 UYU 171

$2.75 UYU 110

54.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.17 UYU 489

$13.91 UYU 559

-12.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.70 UYU 470

$11.47 UYU 461

2.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.85 UYU 476

$7.40 UYU 297

60.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 UYU 118

$2.02 UYU 81.1

45.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 UYU 112

$2.51 UYU 101

10.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 UYU 71.6

$1.14 UYU 45.90

56.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.12 UYU 125

$3.04 UYU 122

2.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.01 UYU 80.6

$2.08 UYU 83.5

-3.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 UYU 84.1

$2.17 UYU 87.2

-3.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 UYU 56.1

$1.40 UYU 56.4

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 UYU 78.8

$1.65 UYU 66.4

18.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.42 UYU 218

$5.00 UYU 201

8.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.13 UYU 327

$8.63 UYU 346

-5.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 UYU 94.4

$2.28 UYU 91.8

3.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 UYU 115

$2.86 UYU 115

0.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 UYU 56.8

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.6 UYU 2,030

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.91 UYU 76.6

$1.91 UYU 76.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 UYU 17.58

$0.43 UYU 17.41

2.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.87 UYU 396

$10.33 UYU 415

-4.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.12 UYU 85.0

$2.17 UYU 87.3

-2.30%

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

$27.3K UYU 1.1M

$26.8K UYU 1.1M

2.04%

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

$36.9K UYU 1.5M

$37.8K UYU 1.5M

-2.27%

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

$113 UYU 4,522

$192 UYU 7,695

-41.23%

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

$18.96 UYU 762

$18.83 UYU 756

0.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.81 UYU 1,800

$43.59 UYU 1,751

2.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.3 UYU 2,301

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.51 UYU 744

Cinema Ticket

$12.13 UYU 487

$11.99 UYU 482

1.17%

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

$495 UYU 19.9K

$611 UYU 24.5K

-18.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,512 UYU 261.5K

$10.8K UYU 432.8K

-39.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.0 UYU 3,613

$101 UYU 4,039

-10.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.04 UYU 1,488

$57.5 UYU 2,309

-35.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 UYU 5,073

$124 UYU 4,985

1.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 UYU 4,796

$134 UYU 5,377

-10.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 UYU 44.5K

$578 UYU 23.2K

91.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$819 UYU 32.9K

$294 UYU 11.8K

178.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,981 UYU 79.6K

$614 UYU 24.7K

222.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,291 UYU 51.9K

$443 UYU 17.8K

191.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,817 UYU 153.3K

$3,045 UYU 122.3K

25.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,005 UYU 80.5K

$2,000 UYU 80.3K

0.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,031 UYU 41.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.6

-10.71%

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

Last update for Punta del Este: September 13, 2026

Last update for Mercedes: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,107 in Punta del Este versus $578 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 $44.00 in Punta del Este versus $61.0 in Mercedes. Groceries tell a different story – $320 in Punta del Este vs $296 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 45% 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 $2,750 per month in Punta del Este and $1,894 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Punta del Este and $61.0 in Mercedes. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Punta del Este, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mercedes, where all-in costs run around $1,263, than in Punta del Este at $1,834. 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.