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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,094 per month in Punta del Este vs $1,025 in Minas, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,316 per month in Punta del Este vs $1,637 in Minas, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,537 per month in Punta del Este vs $2,248 in Minas, rent included.

Punta del Este costs about 104% more than Minas, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Punta del Este sits 56% above the global median, while Minas is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.35 UYU 739

$16.09 UYU 648

14.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.5 UYU 2,074

$54.7 UYU 2,201

-5.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.51 UYU 463

$12.17 UYU 490

-5.42%

Cappuccino

$4.50 UYU 181

$4.11 UYU 165

9.49%

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

$3.59 UYU 145

$2.20 UYU 88.4

63.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 UYU 111

$1.75 UYU 70.5

57.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 UYU 147

$4.28 UYU 172

-14.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 UYU 202

$3.62 UYU 146

38.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 UYU 53.9

$1.25 UYU 50.1

7.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 UYU 98.8

$2.85 UYU 115

-14.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 UYU 87.5

$1.59 UYU 64.2

36.48%

Eggs

$3.95 UYU 159

$4.81 UYU 193

-17.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.91 UYU 560

$13.58 UYU 547

2.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.96 UYU 522

$10.97 UYU 442

18.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.41 UYU 500

$11.19 UYU 450

10.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 UYU 122

$3.07 UYU 124

-0.98%

Banana (1kg)

$3.62 UYU 146

$2.37 UYU 95.6

52.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 UYU 80.0

$1.57 UYU 63.3

26.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.58 UYU 144

$3.66 UYU 148

-2.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 UYU 89.7

$2.09 UYU 84.1

6.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 UYU 81.0

$1.90 UYU 76.4

5.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 UYU 52.7

$1.33 UYU 53.5

-1.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 UYU 78.0

$1.72 UYU 69.3

12.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.79 UYU 193

$5.23 UYU 211

-8.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.96 UYU 320

$9.96 UYU 401

-20.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.18 UYU 128

$2.30 UYU 92.6

38.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.10 UYU 205

$2.94 UYU 118

73.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 UYU 55.3

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.46 UYU 1,951

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.55 UYU 62.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.43 UYU 138

$3.46 UYU 139

-0.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.43 UYU 540

$12.36 UYU 498

8.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 UYU 74.9

$1.82 UYU 73.4

2.20%

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

$29.9K UYU 1.2M

$34.8K UYU 1.4M

-14.12%

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

$34.4K UYU 1.4M

$36.7K UYU 1.5M

-6.37%

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

$94.9 UYU 3,821

$169 UYU 6,820

-43.97%

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

$15.87 UYU 639

$16.49 UYU 664

-3.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.15 UYU 1,616

$49.76 UYU 2,003

-19.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.8 UYU 3,174

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.64 UYU 992

Cinema Ticket

$9.99 UYU 402

$10.56 UYU 425

-5.40%

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

$628 UYU 25.3K

$487 UYU 19.6K

28.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,454 UYU 300.1K

$9,082 UYU 365.6K

-17.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$123 UYU 4,940

$92.8 UYU 3,734

32.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.3 UYU 2,550

$47.58 UYU 1,915

33.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$141 UYU 5,670

$116 UYU 4,668

21.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 UYU 5,991

$121 UYU 4,876

22.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,129 UYU 45.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$899 UYU 36.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,542 UYU 102.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,890 UYU 76.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,195 UYU 128.6K

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 Minas: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Punta del Este versus $55.0 in Minas. Groceries tell a different story – $350 in Punta del Este vs $323 in Minas – so Minas 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 Minas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,094 in Punta del Este, $1,025 in Minas – roughly 104% apart. Punta del Este costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,141 per month in Punta del Este and $1,538 in Minas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,094 in Punta del Este and $1,025 in Minas. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $628 per month in Punta del Este and $487 in Minas. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Minas, where all-in costs run around $1,025, than in Punta del Este at $2,094. In Minas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Punta del Este it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Minas – 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 Minas. 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.