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 $1,257 per month in Salto vs $2,094 in Punta del Este, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,893 per month in Salto vs $3,316 in Punta del Este, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,529 per month in Salto vs $4,537 in Punta del Este, rent included.

Salto is about 40% cheaper than Punta del Este, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Salto sits 6% below the global median, while Punta del Este is 56% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.09 UYU 810

$18.35 UYU 740

9.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.02 UYU 1,573

$51.5 UYU 2,078

-24.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.44 UYU 380

$11.51 UYU 464

-17.98%

Cappuccino

$3.08 UYU 124

$4.50 UYU 182

-31.56%

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

$2.20 UYU 88.9

$3.59 UYU 145

-38.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 UYU 63.0

$2.76 UYU 111

-43.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.33 UYU 175

$3.64 UYU 147

18.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 UYU 131

$5.01 UYU 202

-34.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 UYU 38.21

$1.34 UYU 54.0

-29.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 UYU 50.1

$2.45 UYU 98.9

-49.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 UYU 60.1

$2.17 UYU 87.7

-31.34%

Eggs

$3.33 UYU 134

$3.95 UYU 159

-15.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.70 UYU 794

$13.91 UYU 561

41.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.30 UYU 294

$12.96 UYU 523

-43.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.61 UYU 387

$12.41 UYU 500

-22.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 UYU 122

Banana (1kg)

$3.62 UYU 146

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 UYU 37.64

$1.99 UYU 80.1

-53.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 UYU 58.3

$3.58 UYU 144

-59.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 UYU 89.9

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 UYU 81.1

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 UYU 21.06

$1.31 UYU 52.8

-60.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 UYU 47.96

$1.94 UYU 78.1

-38.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.88 UYU 197

$4.79 UYU 193

1.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 UYU 296

$7.96 UYU 321

-7.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 UYU 75.1

$3.18 UYU 128

-41.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 UYU 90.0

$5.10 UYU 206

-56.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 UYU 48.33

$1.37 UYU 55.4

-12.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.19 UYU 1,782

$48.46 UYU 1,954

-8.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 UYU 60.9

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 UYU 60.4

$3.43 UYU 138

-56.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.80 UYU 435

$13.43 UYU 541

-19.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.83 UYU 73.9

$1.86 UYU 75.0

-1.61%

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

$39.6K UYU 1.6M

$29.9K UYU 1.2M

32.46%

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

$39.2K UYU 1.6M

$34.4K UYU 1.4M

14.00%

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

$181 UYU 7,316

$94.9 UYU 3,827

91.17%

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

$20.48 UYU 826

$15.87 UYU 640

29.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.77 UYU 1,402

$40.15 UYU 1,619

-13.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.41 UYU 1,266

$78.8 UYU 3,179

-60.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.64 UYU 994

Cinema Ticket

$10.06 UYU 406

$9.99 UYU 403

0.70%

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

$628 UYU 25.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,454 UYU 300.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.1 UYU 2,746

$123 UYU 4,948

-44.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.5 UYU 2,440

$63.3 UYU 2,554

-4.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 UYU 4,411

$141 UYU 5,679

-22.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.0 UYU 2,743

$149 UYU 6,000

-54.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 UYU 17.5K

$1,129 UYU 45.5K

-61.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$277 UYU 11.2K

$899 UYU 36.3K

-69.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$759 UYU 30.6K

$2,542 UYU 102.5K

-70.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 UYU 19.1K

$1,890 UYU 76.2K

-74.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,195 UYU 128.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,025 UYU 81.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$615 UYU 24.8K

$1,122 UYU 45.2K

-45.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

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

Last update for Salto: May 30, 2026

Last update for Punta del Este: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $433 in Salto versus $1,129 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 82% 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 $39.00 in Salto versus $52.0 in Punta del Este. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $221 vs $350 – 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: $1,257 in Salto, $2,094 in Punta del Este – roughly 67% apart. Punta del Este costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,886 per month in Salto and $3,141 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 $1,257 in Salto and $2,094 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 $39.00 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 $1,257, than in Punta del Este at $2,094. 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.