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 $1,257 per month in Salto vs $1,003 in San José, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,893 per month in Salto vs $1,558 in San José, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,529 per month in Salto vs $2,113 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 6% lower, San José 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.09 UYU 809

$16.11 UYU 649

24.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.02 UYU 1,571

$55.2 UYU 2,223

-29.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.44 UYU 380

$10.94 UYU 440

-13.71%

Cappuccino

$3.08 UYU 124

$4.14 UYU 167

-25.60%

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

$2.20 UYU 88.7

$2.16 UYU 87.0

1.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 UYU 62.9

$1.75 UYU 70.4

-10.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.33 UYU 174

$4.32 UYU 174

0.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 UYU 131

$3.59 UYU 145

-9.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 UYU 38.15

$1.02 UYU 41.20

-6.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 UYU 49.99

$1.91 UYU 77.0

-35.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 UYU 60.0

$1.43 UYU 57.6

4.20%

Eggs

$3.33 UYU 134

$2.51 UYU 101

32.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.70 UYU 793

$12.05 UYU 485

63.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.30 UYU 294

$7.31 UYU 294

-0.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.61 UYU 387

$11.06 UYU 445

-13.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 UYU 49.70

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 UYU 58.7

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 UYU 37.58

$1.20 UYU 48.38

-22.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 UYU 58.2

$1.49 UYU 59.9

-2.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 UYU 40.10

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 UYU 49.62

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 UYU 21.03

$1.30 UYU 52.5

-60.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 UYU 47.88

$1.69 UYU 68.0

-29.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.88 UYU 196

$5.11 UYU 206

-4.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 UYU 295

$10.15 UYU 409

-27.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 UYU 75.0

$2.36 UYU 95.0

-21.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 UYU 89.8

$3.05 UYU 123

-26.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 UYU 48.25

$1.25 UYU 50.4

-4.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.19 UYU 1,779

$44.42 UYU 1,788

-0.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 UYU 60.8

$1.51 UYU 60.9

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 UYU 60.3

$1.56 UYU 62.9

-3.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.80 UYU 435

$11.05 UYU 445

-2.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.83 UYU 73.8

$1.87 UYU 75.4

-2.14%

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

$39.6K UYU 1.6M

$34.6K UYU 1.4M

14.28%

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

$39.2K UYU 1.6M

$36.2K UYU 1.5M

8.37%

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

$181 UYU 7,305

$168 UYU 6,783

7.70%

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

$20.48 UYU 825

$16.39 UYU 660

24.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.77 UYU 1,400

$49.72 UYU 2,002

-30.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.41 UYU 1,264

Cinema Ticket

$10.06 UYU 405

$10.46 UYU 421

-3.82%

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

$482 UYU 19.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,892 UYU 357.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.1 UYU 2,741

$94.4 UYU 3,798

-27.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.5 UYU 2,436

$46.71 UYU 1,880

29.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 UYU 4,404

$116 UYU 4,661

-5.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.0 UYU 2,739

$123 UYU 4,949

-44.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 UYU 17.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$277 UYU 11.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$759 UYU 30.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 UYU 19.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$615 UYU 24.8K

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for San José: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Salto versus $55.0 in San José. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $221 vs $247 – 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 $1,886 per month in Salto and $1,505 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 $1,257 in Salto and $1,003 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 $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 $1,003, than in Salto at $1,257. 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.