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: $1,257 in Salto versus $1,325 in Maldonado.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,893 in Salto versus $2,090 in Maldonado.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,529 in Salto versus $2,856 in Maldonado.

Living in Salto costs roughly 5% less than in Maldonado, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Salto 6% lower, Maldonado 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.09 UYU 809

$16.02 UYU 645

25.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.02 UYU 1,571

$54.8 UYU 2,205

-28.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.44 UYU 380

$11.03 UYU 444

-14.42%

Cappuccino

$3.08 UYU 124

$4.15 UYU 167

-25.78%

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

$2.20 UYU 88.8

$2.27 UYU 91.3

-3.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 UYU 62.9

$1.75 UYU 70.7

-10.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.33 UYU 174

$2.39 UYU 96.3

81.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 UYU 131

$3.69 UYU 149

-11.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 UYU 38.16

$1.13 UYU 45.41

-15.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 UYU 50.0

$2.86 UYU 115

-56.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 UYU 60.0

$1.55 UYU 62.3

-3.87%

Eggs

$3.33 UYU 134

$4.63 UYU 186

-28.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.70 UYU 793

$13.74 UYU 553

43.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.30 UYU 294

$10.77 UYU 434

-32.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.61 UYU 387

$10.97 UYU 442

-12.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 UYU 88.2

Banana (1kg)

$2.39 UYU 96.2

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 UYU 37.60

$1.57 UYU 63.4

-40.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 UYU 58.2

$3.54 UYU 142

-59.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.77 UYU 71.4

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 UYU 77.6

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 UYU 21.04

$1.20 UYU 48.24

-56.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 UYU 47.90

$1.61 UYU 64.9

-26.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.88 UYU 196

$5.25 UYU 212

-7.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 UYU 295

$3.55 UYU 143

106.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 UYU 75.0

$1.88 UYU 75.8

-1.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 UYU 89.9

$2.65 UYU 107

-15.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 UYU 48.27

$1.32 UYU 53.2

-9.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.19 UYU 1,779

$44.20 UYU 1,780

-0.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 UYU 60.9

$1.49 UYU 60.2

1.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 UYU 60.3

$2.10 UYU 84.5

-28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.80 UYU 435

$11.22 UYU 452

-3.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.83 UYU 73.9

$1.81 UYU 73.0

1.10%

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

$39.6K UYU 1.6M

$34.4K UYU 1.4M

15.10%

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

$39.2K UYU 1.6M

$35.8K UYU 1.4M

9.57%

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

$181 UYU 7,308

$155 UYU 6,262

16.71%

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

$20.48 UYU 825

$16.93 UYU 682

20.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.77 UYU 1,400

$43.30 UYU 1,744

-19.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.41 UYU 1,265

$45.88 UYU 1,848

-31.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.76 UYU 1,199

Cinema Ticket

$10.06 UYU 405

$7.95 UYU 320

26.54%

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

$478 UYU 19.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,205 UYU 290.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.1 UYU 2,742

$85.1 UYU 3,427

-19.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.5 UYU 2,437

$46.83 UYU 1,886

29.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 UYU 4,406

$88.9 UYU 3,581

23.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.0 UYU 2,740

$91.4 UYU 3,682

-25.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 UYU 17.4K

$366 UYU 14.7K

18.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$277 UYU 11.2K

$285 UYU 11.5K

-2.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$759 UYU 30.6K

$890 UYU 35.8K

-14.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 UYU 19.1K

$600 UYU 24.2K

-21.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,526 UYU 61.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,299 UYU 52.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$615 UYU 24.8K

$886 UYU 35.7K

-30.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.68

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

Last update for Salto: May 30, 2026

Last update for Maldonado: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $433 in Salto and $366 in Maldonado. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Maldonado pays 44% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $39.00 in Salto vs $55.0 in Maldonado for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $221 vs $297 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

Salto and Maldonado differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($1,257 vs $1,325 including rent). Salto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Maldonado earns 44% less. 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: $433 in Salto versus $366 in Maldonado. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in Maldonado. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,257 per month in Salto versus $1,325 in Maldonado – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,257 in Salto versus $1,325 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.

Expats usually find Salto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Maldonado. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.