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: $1,273 in Salto versus $1,299 in Maldonado.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,869 in Salto versus $2,116 in Maldonado.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,464 in Salto versus $2,933 in Maldonado.

Living in Salto costs roughly 2% less than in Maldonado, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Salto 5% lower, Maldonado 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.41 UYU 820

$16.01 UYU 643

27.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.63 UYU 1,593

$54.5 UYU 2,190

-27.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.95 UYU 360

$11.04 UYU 444

-18.93%

Cappuccino

$2.98 UYU 120

$4.19 UYU 168

-28.88%

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

$2.23 UYU 89.6

$2.16 UYU 86.7

3.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 UYU 60.3

$1.71 UYU 68.8

-12.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.51 UYU 181

$2.43 UYU 97.8

85.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 UYU 131

$3.65 UYU 147

-10.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 UYU 38.25

$1.13 UYU 45.31

-15.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 UYU 48.39

$2.79 UYU 112

-56.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 UYU 60.4

$1.60 UYU 64.3

-6.25%

Eggs

$3.45 UYU 139

$4.75 UYU 191

-27.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.86 UYU 798

$13.69 UYU 550

45.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.41 UYU 298

$10.71 UYU 430

-30.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.05 UYU 404

$10.87 UYU 437

-7.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.20 UYU 88.5

Banana (1kg)

$2.40 UYU 96.6

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 UYU 39.84

$1.54 UYU 62.1

-35.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 UYU 57.7

$3.49 UYU 140

-58.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 UYU 71.8

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 UYU 78.8

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 UYU 21.05

$1.24 UYU 49.67

-58.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 UYU 50.4

$1.59 UYU 64.0

-21.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.10 UYU 205

$5.29 UYU 213

-3.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.42 UYU 298

$8.04 UYU 323

-7.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 UYU 72.9

$1.96 UYU 78.7

-7.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 UYU 87.1

$2.67 UYU 107

-18.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 UYU 48.60

$1.38 UYU 55.3

-12.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.45 UYU 1,786

$44.18 UYU 1,776

0.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 UYU 60.7

$1.44 UYU 57.8

4.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 UYU 59.8

$2.09 UYU 84.1

-28.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.03 UYU 443

$11.21 UYU 450

-1.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 UYU 75.9

$1.83 UYU 73.4

3.28%

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

$39.8K UYU 1.6M

$34.6K UYU 1.4M

15.01%

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

$38.5K UYU 1.5M

$36.6K UYU 1.5M

5.20%

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

$186 UYU 7,494

$155 UYU 6,218

20.52%

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

$20.12 UYU 809

$16.47 UYU 662

22.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.80 UYU 1,359

$42.44 UYU 1,705

-20.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.17 UYU 1,293

$46.40 UYU 1,865

-30.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.58 UYU 1,189

Cinema Ticket

$9.53 UYU 383

$7.91 UYU 318

20.48%

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

$492 UYU 19.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,401 UYU 297.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.1 UYU 2,738

$86.6 UYU 3,479

-21.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.6 UYU 2,434

$47.65 UYU 1,915

27.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 UYU 4,471

$88.5 UYU 3,557

25.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.6 UYU 2,678

$93.1 UYU 3,743

-28.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$426 UYU 17.1K

$370 UYU 14.9K

15.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 UYU 11.3K

$282 UYU 11.3K

-0.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 UYU 29.7K

$886 UYU 35.6K

-16.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$457 UYU 18.4K

$620 UYU 24.9K

-26.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,511 UYU 60.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,306 UYU 52.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$613 UYU 24.7K

$861 UYU 34.6K

-28.78%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Maldonado: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $426 in Salto and $370 in Maldonado. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Maldonado pays 40% 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: $40.00 in Salto vs $54.0 in Maldonado for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $305 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 2% in total monthly costs ($1,273 vs $1,299 including rent). Salto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 40% 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: $426 in Salto versus $370 in Maldonado. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 36% higher in Maldonado. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,273 per month in Salto versus $1,299 in Maldonado – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,273 in Salto versus $1,299 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 2% less than in Maldonado. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.