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 $1,241 per month in Salto vs $993 in San José, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,874 per month in Salto vs $1,583 in San José, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,507 per month in Salto vs $2,173 in San José, rent included.

Salto costs about 25% 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

$20.50 UYU 823

$15.90 UYU 638

28.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.59 UYU 1,589

$55.5 UYU 2,227

-28.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.94 UYU 359

$11.09 UYU 445

-19.39%

Cappuccino

$3.11 UYU 125

$4.30 UYU 173

-27.67%

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

$2.21 UYU 88.6

$2.24 UYU 89.8

-1.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 UYU 62.2

$1.78 UYU 71.5

-12.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.47 UYU 180

$4.47 UYU 179

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 UYU 125

$3.76 UYU 151

-17.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 UYU 38.18

$1.03 UYU 41.21

-7.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 UYU 47.87

$2.00 UYU 80.2

-40.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 UYU 59.8

$1.45 UYU 58.4

2.76%

Eggs

$3.35 UYU 135

$2.62 UYU 105

27.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.85 UYU 797

$12.31 UYU 494

61.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.44 UYU 299

$7.42 UYU 298

0.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.83 UYU 395

$11.14 UYU 447

-11.76%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 UYU 49.72

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 UYU 57.3

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 UYU 40.99

$1.21 UYU 48.43

-15.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 UYU 58.3

$1.44 UYU 57.7

0.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 UYU 40.38

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 UYU 48.01

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 UYU 21.21

$1.32 UYU 53.2

-59.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 UYU 49.82

$1.74 UYU 69.7

-28.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.11 UYU 205

$5.03 UYU 202

1.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.56 UYU 303

$8.20 UYU 329

-7.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 UYU 72.2

$2.31 UYU 92.7

-22.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 UYU 87.5

$3.05 UYU 122

-28.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 UYU 50.2

$1.19 UYU 47.90

5.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.29 UYU 1,738

$43.33 UYU 1,739

-0.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.43 UYU 57.5

$1.44 UYU 57.8

-0.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 UYU 62.1

$1.54 UYU 62.0

0.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.13 UYU 447

$10.93 UYU 439

1.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 UYU 74.8

$1.81 UYU 72.6

2.76%

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

$39.5K UYU 1.6M

$34.5K UYU 1.4M

14.37%

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

$38.7K UYU 1.6M

$35.6K UYU 1.4M

8.52%

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

$181 UYU 7,247

$169 UYU 6,775

6.96%

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

$20.21 UYU 811

$16.47 UYU 661

22.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.72 UYU 1,394

$49.92 UYU 2,004

-30.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.31 UYU 1,297

Cinema Ticket

$9.66 UYU 388

$10.65 UYU 427

-9.30%

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

$490 UYU 19.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,846 UYU 355.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 UYU 2,689

$93.3 UYU 3,745

-28.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.2 UYU 2,496

$48.03 UYU 1,928

29.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 UYU 4,363

$113 UYU 4,553

-4.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.8 UYU 2,681

$125 UYU 5,007

-46.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 UYU 17.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$279 UYU 11.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$759 UYU 30.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$463 UYU 18.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$620 UYU 24.9K

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 19, 2026

Last update for San José: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Salto versus $55.0 in San José. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $224 vs $246 – 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 25%, 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 $1,862 per month in Salto and $1,489 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 $1,241 in Salto and $993 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 $40.00 in Salto and $55.0 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 $993, than in Salto at $1,241. 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.