Cost of Living Comparison Between Salto and Maldonado Cost of Living Comparison Between Salto and Maldonado

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,341 in Salto versus $1,345 in Maldonado.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,953 in Salto versus $2,179 in Maldonado.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,565 in Salto versus $3,014 in Maldonado.

Monthly costs are close between Salto and Maldonado; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Salto 2% lower, Maldonado 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.23 UYU 653

$14.69 UYU 591

10.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.48 UYU 1,508

$55.1 UYU 2,218

-32.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.86 UYU 477

$10.99 UYU 442

7.92%

Cappuccino

$3.40 UYU 137

$4.53 UYU 182

-24.94%

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

$2.13 UYU 85.7

$2.60 UYU 104

-18.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 UYU 63.0

$2.00 UYU 80.4

-21.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.51 UYU 181

$3.62 UYU 146

24.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 UYU 128

$3.71 UYU 149

-14.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 UYU 55.5

$1.18 UYU 47.46

16.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.10 UYU 84.4

$2.79 UYU 112

-24.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 UYU 61.4

$1.79 UYU 71.9

-14.53%

Eggs

$5.24 UYU 211

$4.03 UYU 162

30.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.16 UYU 610

$14.37 UYU 578

5.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.61 UYU 346

$11.63 UYU 468

-25.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.98 UYU 402

$11.63 UYU 468

-14.19%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 UYU 49.25

$2.90 UYU 116

-57.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 UYU 87.3

$2.18 UYU 87.6

-0.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 UYU 50.4

$1.83 UYU 73.5

-31.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.89 UYU 76.2

$3.15 UYU 127

-40.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 UYU 34.17

$2.04 UYU 82.2

-58.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 UYU 67.1

$1.99 UYU 80.1

-16.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 UYU 37.56

$1.40 UYU 56.4

-33.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 UYU 59.2

$1.89 UYU 76.1

-22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 UYU 209

$5.45 UYU 219

-4.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 UYU 306

$8.01 UYU 322

-4.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 UYU 75.4

$2.26 UYU 90.9

-17.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 UYU 104

$2.74 UYU 110

-6.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 UYU 25.73

$1.36 UYU 54.9

-52.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.90 UYU 1,203

$49.26 UYU 1,982

-39.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 UYU 138

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.66 UYU 147

$0.43 UYU 17.41

751.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.98 UYU 402

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.80 UYU 72.5

$1.94 UYU 78.2

-7.22%

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

$27.5K UYU 1.1M

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

$37.0K UYU 1.5M

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

$202 UYU 8,120

$113 UYU 4,552

78.41%

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

$21.33 UYU 858

$16.99 UYU 684

25.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.32 UYU 1,220

$45.82 UYU 1,844

-33.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.89 UYU 1,444

$48.71 UYU 1,960

-26.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.48 UYU 502

$30.07 UYU 1,210

-58.50%

Cinema Ticket

$10.06 UYU 405

$12.35 UYU 497

-18.54%

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

$492 UYU 19.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,543 UYU 182.8K

$6,713 UYU 270.1K

-32.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 UYU 3,469

$90.6 UYU 3,647

-4.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.3 UYU 2,264

$37.96 UYU 1,527

48.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 UYU 4,644

$122 UYU 4,900

-5.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.1 UYU 2,661

$117 UYU 4,693

-43.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 UYU 18.3K

$427 UYU 17.2K

6.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 UYU 12.1K

$317 UYU 12.8K

-5.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 UYU 29.4K

$910 UYU 36.6K

-19.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$428 UYU 17.2K

$587 UYU 23.6K

-27.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$631 UYU 25.4K

$1,008 UYU 40.6K

-37.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Salto: August 31, 2026

Last update for Maldonado: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $455 in Salto and $427 in Maldonado. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Maldonado pays 60% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $37.00 in Salto vs $55.0 in Maldonado for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $271 vs $321 per month, with Salto cheaper across the board.

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

Salto vs Maldonado: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, salaries run 60% lower in Maldonado. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $455 in Salto versus $427 in Maldonado. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Salto – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $55.0 in Maldonado. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Maldonado. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,341 in Salto versus $1,345 in Maldonado, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Salto but tight or insufficient in Maldonado. The gap between the two cities makes Salto the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Salto and Maldonado are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Salto wins on affordability, Maldonado on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.