Cost of Living Comparison Between Salto and Punta del Este Cost of Living Comparison Between Salto and Punta del Este

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,273 per month in Salto vs $2,031 in Punta del Este, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,869 per month in Salto vs $3,264 in Punta del Este, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,464 per month in Salto vs $4,498 in Punta del Este, rent included.

Salto is about 37% cheaper than Punta del Este, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Salto sits 5% below the global median, while Punta del Este is 52% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.41 UYU 821

$18.61 UYU 749

9.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.63 UYU 1,594

$52.2 UYU 2,099

-24.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.95 UYU 360

$11.51 UYU 463

-22.24%

Cappuccino

$2.98 UYU 120

$4.60 UYU 185

-35.22%

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

$2.23 UYU 89.7

$3.69 UYU 149

-39.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 UYU 60.3

$2.73 UYU 110

-45.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.51 UYU 182

$3.80 UYU 153

18.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 UYU 131

$4.83 UYU 194

-32.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 UYU 38.28

$1.36 UYU 54.6

-30.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 UYU 48.44

$2.35 UYU 94.4

-48.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 UYU 60.4

$2.21 UYU 88.8

-32.13%

Eggs

$3.45 UYU 139

$3.86 UYU 155

-10.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.86 UYU 799

$14.03 UYU 565

41.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.41 UYU 298

$13.00 UYU 523

-43.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.05 UYU 404

$12.70 UYU 511

-20.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 UYU 125

Banana (1kg)

$3.55 UYU 143

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 UYU 39.87

$2.02 UYU 81.3

-50.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 UYU 57.8

$3.62 UYU 146

-60.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 UYU 87.4

Onion (1kg)

$2.12 UYU 85.3

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 UYU 21.07

$1.32 UYU 52.9

-60.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 UYU 50.4

$1.98 UYU 79.9

-36.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.10 UYU 205

$4.85 UYU 195

5.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.42 UYU 298

$7.87 UYU 317

-5.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 UYU 73.0

$3.20 UYU 129

-43.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 UYU 87.2

$5.06 UYU 204

-57.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 UYU 48.64

$1.32 UYU 53.3

-8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.45 UYU 1,788

$49.88 UYU 2,006

-10.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 UYU 60.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 UYU 59.9

$3.48 UYU 140

-57.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.03 UYU 444

$13.55 UYU 545

-18.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 UYU 76.0

$1.82 UYU 73.4

3.85%

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

$39.8K UYU 1.6M

$29.1K UYU 1.2M

36.56%

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

$38.5K UYU 1.5M

$34.3K UYU 1.4M

12.31%

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

$186 UYU 7,501

$94.9 UYU 3,817

96.54%

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

$20.12 UYU 809

$16.11 UYU 648

24.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.80 UYU 1,360

$40.50 UYU 1,629

-16.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.17 UYU 1,294

$77.2 UYU 3,104

-58.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.14 UYU 971

Cinema Ticket

$9.53 UYU 383

$9.61 UYU 387

-0.83%

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

$614 UYU 24.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,651 UYU 307.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.1 UYU 2,741

$125 UYU 5,013

-45.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.6 UYU 2,436

$65.0 UYU 2,614

-6.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 UYU 4,476

$142 UYU 5,696

-21.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.6 UYU 2,681

$148 UYU 5,943

-54.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$426 UYU 17.2K

$1,126 UYU 45.3K

-62.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 UYU 11.3K

$901 UYU 36.2K

-68.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 UYU 29.7K

$2,516 UYU 101.2K

-70.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$457 UYU 18.4K

$1,831 UYU 73.7K

-75.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,790 UYU 152.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,012 UYU 81.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$613 UYU 24.7K

$1,113 UYU 44.8K

-44.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Salto: July 13, 2026

Last update for Punta del Este: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $426 in Salto versus $1,126 in Punta del Este. 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 $40.00 in Salto versus $52.0 in Punta del Este. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $225 vs $351 – 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 Punta del Este: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,273 in Salto, $2,031 in Punta del Este – roughly 60% apart. Punta del Este costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,910 per month in Salto and $3,047 in Punta del Este. 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 $1,273 in Salto and $2,031 in Punta del Este. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Salto and $52.0 in Punta del Este. 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 $1,273, than in Punta del Este at $2,031. 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.