Cost of Living Comparison Between Salto and San José Cost of Living Comparison Between Salto and San José

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,249 per month in Salto vs $995 in San José, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,886 per month in Salto vs $1,550 in San José, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,522 per month in Salto vs $2,105 in San José, rent included.

Salto costs about 26% more than San José, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Salto and San José are more affordable than the global median – Salto 7% lower, San José 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.91 UYU 792

$16.36 UYU 651

21.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.69 UYU 1,540

$54.5 UYU 2,168

-28.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 UYU 356

$11.09 UYU 441

-19.21%

Cappuccino

$3.09 UYU 123

$4.30 UYU 171

-28.14%

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

$2.32 UYU 92.3

$2.18 UYU 86.9

6.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 UYU 62.0

$1.70 UYU 67.6

-8.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.49 UYU 179

$4.32 UYU 172

3.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 UYU 124

$3.71 UYU 148

-15.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 UYU 38.65

$1.02 UYU 40.52

-4.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 UYU 48.12

$1.99 UYU 79.3

-39.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 UYU 57.1

$1.49 UYU 59.3

-3.36%

Eggs

$3.31 UYU 132

$2.47 UYU 98.4

34.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 UYU 763

$12.07 UYU 480

58.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.25 UYU 289

$7.50 UYU 299

-3.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.55 UYU 380

$10.88 UYU 433

-12.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 UYU 47.62

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 UYU 56.9

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 UYU 40.31

$1.19 UYU 47.26

-15.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 UYU 60.1

$1.51 UYU 60.0

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 UYU 37.88

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 UYU 49.62

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.50 UYU 19.74

$1.31 UYU 52.3

-61.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 UYU 49.30

$1.71 UYU 68.1

-27.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.88 UYU 194

$5.16 UYU 205

-5.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.69 UYU 306

$10.16 UYU 404

-24.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 UYU 72.4

$2.38 UYU 94.8

-23.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 UYU 89.3

$2.96 UYU 118

-23.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 UYU 47.52

$1.20 UYU 47.71

-0.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.86 UYU 1,745

$43.91 UYU 1,747

-0.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 UYU 57.4

$1.50 UYU 59.9

-4.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 UYU 60.1

$1.49 UYU 59.1

1.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.97 UYU 436

$11.15 UYU 443

-1.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 UYU 74.5

$1.81 UYU 71.9

3.31%

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

$39.1K UYU 1.6M

$34.2K UYU 1.4M

14.51%

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

$39.4K UYU 1.6M

$35.9K UYU 1.4M

9.71%

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

$184 UYU 7,341

$173 UYU 6,871

6.83%

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

$20.42 UYU 813

$16.48 UYU 656

23.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.09 UYU 1,356

$48.92 UYU 1,947

-30.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.21 UYU 1,282

Cinema Ticket

$9.54 UYU 380

$10.32 UYU 410

-7.56%

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

$487 UYU 19.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,833 UYU 351.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.8 UYU 2,698

$93.6 UYU 3,722

-27.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.1 UYU 2,432

$48.14 UYU 1,915

26.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 UYU 4,308

$113 UYU 4,483

-3.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.0 UYU 2,704

$122 UYU 4,841

-44.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 UYU 16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 UYU 10.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$742 UYU 29.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$457 UYU 18.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$640 UYU 25.5K

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for San José: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Salto versus $0 in San José. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39 in Salto versus $54 in San José. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $221 vs $248 – 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 San José: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Salto is pricier by about 26%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,873 per month in Salto and $1,492 in San José. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,249 in Salto and $995 in San José. 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 $54.0 in San José. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in San José, where all-in costs run around $995, than in Salto at $1,249. In San José it covers expenses comfortably, while in Salto it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San José – 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 San José. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Salto makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.