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 $2,051 per month in Punta del Este vs $1,235 in Salto, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,263 per month in Punta del Este vs $1,868 in Salto, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,475 per month in Punta del Este vs $2,501 in Salto, rent included.

Punta del Este costs about 66% more than Salto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Punta del Este sits 54% above the global median, while Salto is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.26 UYU 734

$20.31 UYU 817

-10.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.5 UYU 2,072

$39.31 UYU 1,581

31.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.52 UYU 463

$9.25 UYU 372

24.54%

Cappuccino

$4.60 UYU 185

$2.97 UYU 119

54.88%

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

$3.66 UYU 147

$2.20 UYU 88.4

66.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 UYU 105

$1.51 UYU 60.7

73.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.76 UYU 151

$4.29 UYU 172

-12.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 UYU 194

$3.21 UYU 129

49.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 UYU 52.2

$0.94 UYU 37.87

38.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 UYU 99.1

$1.20 UYU 48.18

105.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 UYU 87.8

$1.45 UYU 58.3

50.34%

Eggs

$3.89 UYU 156

$3.34 UYU 134

16.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.71 UYU 551

$19.71 UYU 793

-30.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.11 UYU 527

$7.30 UYU 294

79.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.76 UYU 513

$9.98 UYU 401

27.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 UYU 126

Banana (1kg)

$3.66 UYU 147

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 UYU 84.2

$0.93 UYU 37.58

124.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.52 UYU 142

$1.49 UYU 60.0

136.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 UYU 87.4

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 UYU 82.7

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 UYU 52.5

$0.52 UYU 20.93

151.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 UYU 80.7

$1.24 UYU 49.87

62.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.91 UYU 197

$5.12 UYU 206

-4.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.04 UYU 323

$7.56 UYU 304

6.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.23 UYU 130

$1.88 UYU 75.6

71.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 UYU 197

$2.18 UYU 87.5

124.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.33 UYU 53.3

$1.24 UYU 49.98

7.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.35 UYU 1,985

$44.06 UYU 1,772

12.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.45 UYU 58.2

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.51 UYU 141

$1.56 UYU 62.9

125.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.30 UYU 535

$11.03 UYU 444

20.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 UYU 76.1

$1.88 UYU 75.6

0.53%

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

$29.9K UYU 1.2M

$39.9K UYU 1.6M

-25.08%

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

$34.5K UYU 1.4M

$38.6K UYU 1.6M

-10.53%

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

$92.9 UYU 3,736

$183 UYU 7,362

-49.25%

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

$15.84 UYU 637

$20.52 UYU 825

-22.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.54 UYU 1,590

$33.74 UYU 1,357

17.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.4 UYU 3,111

$31.25 UYU 1,257

147.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.55 UYU 987

Cinema Ticket

$9.58 UYU 385

$10.05 UYU 404

-4.68%

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

$620 UYU 24.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,600 UYU 305.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$125 UYU 5,014

$68.2 UYU 2,741

82.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.7 UYU 2,560

$60.3 UYU 2,423

5.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 UYU 5,857

$111 UYU 4,480

30.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 UYU 5,794

$67.1 UYU 2,697

114.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,141 UYU 45.9K

$441 UYU 17.7K

159.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$878 UYU 35.3K

$274 UYU 11.0K

220.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,462 UYU 99.0K

$764 UYU 30.7K

222.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,862 UYU 74.9K

$468 UYU 18.8K

297.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,864 UYU 155.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,989 UYU 80.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,139 UYU 45.8K

$632 UYU 25.4K

80.14%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Salto: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,141 in Punta del Este versus $441 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 80% 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 $52.0 in Punta del Este versus $39.00 in Salto. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $223 – 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: $2,051 in Punta del Este, $1,235 in Salto – roughly 66% apart. Punta del Este costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,076 per month in Punta del Este and $1,853 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 $2,051 in Punta del Este and $1,235 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 $52.0 in Punta del Este and $39.00 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 $1,235, than in Punta del Este at $2,051. 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.