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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,066 per month in Punta del Este vs $1,267 in Salto, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,304 per month in Punta del Este vs $1,876 in Salto, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,542 per month in Punta del Este vs $2,485 in Salto, rent included.

Punta del Este costs about 63% more than Salto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Punta del Este sits 54% above the global median, while Salto is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.70 UYU 741

$20.05 UYU 794

-6.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.1 UYU 2,023

$39.86 UYU 1,579

28.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.33 UYU 449

$9.39 UYU 372

20.66%

Cappuccino

$4.42 UYU 175

$3.08 UYU 122

43.51%

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

$3.56 UYU 141

$2.31 UYU 91.4

54.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 UYU 109

$1.50 UYU 59.6

83.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.79 UYU 150

$4.34 UYU 172

-12.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.92 UYU 195

$3.23 UYU 128

52.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 UYU 51.1

$1.03 UYU 40.74

25.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 UYU 94.5

$1.19 UYU 47.06

100.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.21 UYU 87.6

$1.44 UYU 57.2

53.47%

Eggs

$3.96 UYU 157

$3.29 UYU 130

20.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.56 UYU 537

$19.42 UYU 770

-30.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.04 UYU 517

$7.33 UYU 290

77.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.46 UYU 494

$10.05 UYU 398

23.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.07 UYU 122

Banana (1kg)

$3.52 UYU 140

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 UYU 78.8

$0.96 UYU 38.22

107.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.66 UYU 145

$1.45 UYU 57.3

152.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 UYU 85.7

Onion (1kg)

$2.04 UYU 80.9

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 UYU 50.3

$0.49 UYU 19.55

159.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 UYU 77.1

$1.21 UYU 47.94

61.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.75 UYU 188

$5.09 UYU 202

-6.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.86 UYU 351

$7.37 UYU 292

20.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.25 UYU 129

$1.88 UYU 74.6

72.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 UYU 194

$2.27 UYU 89.8

115.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.34 UYU 53.3

$1.24 UYU 48.94

8.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.93 UYU 1,938

$44.29 UYU 1,755

10.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 UYU 58.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.50 UYU 139

$1.51 UYU 59.7

131.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.65 UYU 541

$10.82 UYU 429

26.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 UYU 76.2

$1.89 UYU 74.8

1.59%

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

$29.5K UYU 1.2M

$39.5K UYU 1.6M

-25.32%

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

$33.9K UYU 1.3M

$39.5K UYU 1.6M

-14.08%

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

$94.6 UYU 3,750

$183 UYU 7,262

-48.37%

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

$16.30 UYU 646

$20.35 UYU 806

-19.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.28 UYU 1,556

$33.98 UYU 1,346

15.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.1 UYU 3,093

$31.46 UYU 1,247

148.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.63 UYU 976

Cinema Ticket

$9.83 UYU 390

$9.52 UYU 377

3.26%

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

$623 UYU 24.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,554 UYU 299.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$123 UYU 4,855

$68.5 UYU 2,715

78.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.2 UYU 2,505

$61.5 UYU 2,436

2.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$145 UYU 5,748

$111 UYU 4,382

31.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 UYU 5,815

$68.0 UYU 2,693

115.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,119 UYU 44.3K

$424 UYU 16.8K

164.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$869 UYU 34.4K

$277 UYU 11.0K

213.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,517 UYU 99.7K

$752 UYU 29.8K

234.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,859 UYU 73.7K

$470 UYU 18.6K

295.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,974 UYU 157.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$899 UYU 35.6K

$640 UYU 25.4K

40.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Punta del Este: April 27, 2026

Last update for Salto: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,119 in Punta del Este versus $424 in Salto. 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 40% higher in Punta del Este, 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 $51.0 in Punta del Este versus $40.00 in Salto. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $350 vs $222 – making Salto the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Salto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,066 in Punta del Este, $1,267 in Salto – roughly 63% apart. Punta del Este costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,099 per month in Punta del Este and $1,901 in Salto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Salto, 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 $2,066 in Punta del Este and $1,267 in Salto. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Punta del Este and $40.00 in Salto. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Salto, where all-in costs run around $1,267, than in Punta del Este at $2,066. In Salto it covers expenses comfortably, while in Punta del Este it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Salto – 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 Salto. 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.