Cost of Living Comparison Between Salto and Montevideo Cost of Living Comparison Between Salto and Montevideo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,341 per month in Salto vs $1,806 in Montevideo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,953 per month in Salto vs $2,668 in Montevideo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,565 per month in Salto vs $3,530 in Montevideo, rent included.

Salto is about 26% cheaper than Montevideo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Salto sits 2% below the global median, while Montevideo is 31% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.23 UYU 653

$15.05 UYU 605

7.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.48 UYU 1,508

$63.1 UYU 2,540

-40.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.86 UYU 477

$13.11 UYU 527

-9.53%

Cappuccino

$3.40 UYU 137

$4.56 UYU 183

-25.44%

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

$2.13 UYU 85.7

$2.69 UYU 108

-20.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 UYU 63.0

$1.96 UYU 78.7

-19.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.51 UYU 181

$4.63 UYU 186

-2.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 UYU 128

$3.65 UYU 147

-12.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 UYU 55.5

$1.34 UYU 54.0

2.99%

White Bread (500g)

$2.10 UYU 84.4

$2.87 UYU 115

-26.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 UYU 61.4

$1.75 UYU 70.6

-12.57%

Eggs

$5.24 UYU 211

$4.79 UYU 193

9.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.16 UYU 610

$14.40 UYU 579

5.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.61 UYU 346

$11.94 UYU 480

-27.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.98 UYU 402

$11.57 UYU 465

-13.74%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 UYU 49.25

$2.83 UYU 114

-56.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 UYU 87.3

$2.78 UYU 112

-21.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 UYU 50.4

$1.76 UYU 71.0

-28.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.89 UYU 76.2

$3.00 UYU 121

-37.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 UYU 34.17

$2.14 UYU 86.1

-60.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 UYU 67.1

$2.17 UYU 87.4

-23.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 UYU 37.56

$1.46 UYU 58.6

-36.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 UYU 59.2

$1.98 UYU 79.6

-25.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 UYU 209

$5.55 UYU 223

-6.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.61 UYU 306

$8.31 UYU 334

-8.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 UYU 75.4

$2.24 UYU 90.2

-16.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 UYU 104

$2.89 UYU 116

-11.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 UYU 25.73

$1.55 UYU 62.3

-58.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.90 UYU 1,203

$75.6 UYU 3,042

-60.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 UYU 72.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.66 UYU 147

$0.41 UYU 16.34

792.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.35 UYU 417

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.80 UYU 72.5

$2.09 UYU 84.2

-13.88%

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

$27.2K UYU 1.1M

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

$37.6K UYU 1.5M

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

$202 UYU 8,120

$188 UYU 7,548

7.57%

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

$21.33 UYU 858

$16.86 UYU 678

26.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.32 UYU 1,220

$45.26 UYU 1,821

-33.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.89 UYU 1,444

$48.88 UYU 1,967

-26.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.48 UYU 502

$18.99 UYU 764

-34.28%

Cinema Ticket

$10.06 UYU 405

$12.33 UYU 496

-18.41%

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

$640 UYU 25.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,543 UYU 182.8K

$10.8K UYU 433.7K

-57.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.2 UYU 3,469

$94.5 UYU 3,804

-8.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.3 UYU 2,264

$56.7 UYU 2,281

-0.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 UYU 4,644

$123 UYU 4,952

-6.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.1 UYU 2,660

$132 UYU 5,296

-49.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 UYU 18.3K

$760 UYU 30.6K

-40.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 UYU 12.1K

$602 UYU 24.2K

-50.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 UYU 29.4K

$1,193 UYU 48.0K

-38.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$428 UYU 17.2K

$980 UYU 39.4K

-56.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,484 UYU 140.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,865 UYU 75.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$631 UYU 25.4K

$1,211 UYU 48.7K

-47.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.49

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

Last update for Salto: August 31, 2026

Last update for Montevideo: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Salto versus $760 in Montevideo. 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 92% higher in Montevideo, 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 $37.00 in Salto versus $63.0 in Montevideo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $271 vs $333 – 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

Salto vs Montevideo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Montevideo is pricier by about 35%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,011 per month in Salto and $2,709 in Montevideo. 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.

Public transport costs about 153% less in Salto. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 23% more in Montevideo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Salto, where all-in costs run around $1,341, than in Montevideo at $1,806. In Salto it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montevideo 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, Montevideo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.