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 $2,097 per month in Punta del Este vs $1,240 in Salto, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,329 per month in Punta del Este vs $1,849 in Salto, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,562 per month in Punta del Este vs $2,458 in Salto, rent included.

Punta del Este costs about 69% more than Salto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Punta del Este sits 56% above the global median, while Salto is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.71 UYU 758

$20.08 UYU 814

-6.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.7 UYU 2,055

$38.39 UYU 1,556

32.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.16 UYU 452

$8.90 UYU 361

25.39%

Cappuccino

$4.44 UYU 180

$3.12 UYU 127

42.31%

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

$3.67 UYU 149

$2.29 UYU 92.7

60.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 UYU 112

$1.55 UYU 62.8

78.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.73 UYU 151

$4.32 UYU 175

-13.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 UYU 195

$3.24 UYU 131

48.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 UYU 52.4

$0.96 UYU 39.00

34.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 UYU 99.2

$1.19 UYU 48.37

105.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 UYU 91.9

$1.44 UYU 58.3

57.64%

Eggs

$3.82 UYU 155

$3.40 UYU 138

12.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.50 UYU 547

$19.86 UYU 805

-32.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.22 UYU 536

$7.32 UYU 297

80.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.38 UYU 502

$9.52 UYU 386

30.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 UYU 127

Banana (1kg)

$3.60 UYU 146

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 UYU 84.6

$1.00 UYU 40.45

109.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.45 UYU 140

$1.50 UYU 61.0

130.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 UYU 90.3

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 UYU 81.8

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 UYU 52.9

$0.50 UYU 20.16

160.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 UYU 77.8

$1.24 UYU 50.1

54.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.85 UYU 197

$4.98 UYU 202

-2.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.84 UYU 318

$7.53 UYU 305

4.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.18 UYU 129

$1.86 UYU 75.3

70.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.11 UYU 207

$2.24 UYU 90.9

128.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.38 UYU 56.0

$1.19 UYU 48.37

15.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.35 UYU 2,001

$44.60 UYU 1,808

10.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 UYU 60.1

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.50 UYU 142

$1.57 UYU 63.5

122.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.48 UYU 546

$11.21 UYU 454

20.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 UYU 78.3

$1.90 UYU 77.1

1.58%

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

$29.4K UYU 1.2M

$38.8K UYU 1.6M

-24.18%

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

$34.4K UYU 1.4M

$38.9K UYU 1.6M

-11.52%

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

$94.8 UYU 3,843

$180 UYU 7,309

-47.42%

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

$16.08 UYU 652

$20.36 UYU 826

-21.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.02 UYU 1,622

$34.87 UYU 1,414

14.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.1 UYU 3,126

$31.80 UYU 1,289

142.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.45 UYU 991

Cinema Ticket

$10.07 UYU 408

$9.52 UYU 386

5.78%

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

$622 UYU 25.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,594 UYU 307.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$125 UYU 5,053

$66.1 UYU 2,679

88.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.8 UYU 2,587

$61.9 UYU 2,509

3.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$142 UYU 5,772

$109 UYU 4,412

30.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 UYU 5,881

$66.6 UYU 2,698

117.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,138 UYU 46.1K

$433 UYU 17.6K

162.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$901 UYU 36.5K

$282 UYU 11.4K

219.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,504 UYU 101.5K

$749 UYU 30.4K

234.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,902 UYU 77.1K

$460 UYU 18.6K

313.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,315 UYU 134.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,963 UYU 79.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,138 UYU 46.1K

$627 UYU 25.4K

81.42%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Salto: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,138 in Punta del Este versus $433 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 81% 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 $38.00 in Salto. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $349 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: $2,097 in Punta del Este, $1,240 in Salto – roughly 69% apart. Punta del Este costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,145 per month in Punta del Este and $1,860 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 $2,097 in Punta del Este and $1,240 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 $38.00 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 $1,240, than in Punta del Este at $2,097. 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.