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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $995 per month in San José vs $1,640 in Montevideo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,550 per month in San José vs $2,477 in Montevideo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,105 per month in San José vs $3,314 in Montevideo, rent included.

San José is about 39% cheaper than Montevideo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

San José sits 26% below the global median, while Montevideo is 22% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.36 UYU 651

$16.35 UYU 650

0.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.5 UYU 2,168

$54.3 UYU 2,161

0.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 UYU 441

$12.15 UYU 483

-8.72%

Cappuccino

$4.30 UYU 171

$4.06 UYU 162

5.91%

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

$2.18 UYU 86.9

$2.27 UYU 90.1

-3.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 UYU 67.6

$1.70 UYU 67.7

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.32 UYU 172

$4.51 UYU 179

-4.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 UYU 148

$3.63 UYU 144

2.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 UYU 40.52

$1.26 UYU 50.3

-19.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.99 UYU 79.3

$2.87 UYU 114

-30.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 UYU 59.3

$1.61 UYU 64.1

-7.45%

Eggs

$2.47 UYU 98.4

$4.71 UYU 188

-47.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.07 UYU 480

$13.42 UYU 534

-10.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.50 UYU 299

$10.74 UYU 427

-30.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.88 UYU 433

$11.19 UYU 445

-2.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 UYU 47.62

$3.13 UYU 125

-61.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 UYU 56.9

$2.34 UYU 93.3

-38.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 UYU 47.26

$1.55 UYU 61.8

-23.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 UYU 60.0

$3.63 UYU 144

-58.40%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 UYU 37.88

$2.14 UYU 85.0

-55.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 UYU 49.62

$1.96 UYU 77.9

-36.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 UYU 52.3

$1.36 UYU 54.2

-3.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 UYU 68.1

$1.73 UYU 68.9

-1.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.16 UYU 205

$5.09 UYU 202

1.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.16 UYU 404

$9.90 UYU 394

2.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 UYU 94.8

$2.33 UYU 92.8

2.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 UYU 118

$3.05 UYU 121

-2.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 UYU 47.71

$1.35 UYU 53.9

-11.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.91 UYU 1,747

$55.2 UYU 2,197

-20.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 UYU 59.9

$1.61 UYU 64.0

-6.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 UYU 59.1

$3.60 UYU 143

-58.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.15 UYU 443

$12.42 UYU 494

-10.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 UYU 71.9

$1.85 UYU 73.5

-2.16%

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

$34.2K UYU 1.4M

$34.8K UYU 1.4M

-1.95%

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

$35.9K UYU 1.4M

$36.3K UYU 1.4M

-1.30%

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

$173 UYU 6,871

$175 UYU 6,968

-1.39%

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

$16.48 UYU 656

$16.91 UYU 673

-2.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.92 UYU 1,947

$50.0 UYU 1,989

-2.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 UYU 2,410

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.35 UYU 691

Cinema Ticket

$10.32 UYU 410

$10.46 UYU 416

-1.34%

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

$487 UYU 19.4K

$494 UYU 19.7K

-1.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,833 UYU 351.5K

$8,985 UYU 357.5K

-1.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.6 UYU 3,722

$96.1 UYU 3,822

-2.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.14 UYU 1,915

$48.11 UYU 1,914

0.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 UYU 4,483

$116 UYU 4,606

-2.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 UYU 4,841

$125 UYU 4,959

-2.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 UYU 24.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 UYU 19.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 UYU 44.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$818 UYU 32.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,484 UYU 138.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,267 UYU 90.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,283 UYU 51.0K

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 San José: April 21, 2026

Last update for Montevideo: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $0 in San José versus $615 in Montevideo. 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 $54 in San José versus $54 in Montevideo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $248 vs $322 – making San José 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

San José vs Montevideo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Montevideo is pricier by about 65%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,492 per month in San José and $2,460 in Montevideo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Kindergarten costs $487 per month in San José and $494 in Montevideo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 30% more in Montevideo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in San José, where all-in costs run around $995, than in Montevideo at $1,640. In San José it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montevideo 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, Montevideo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.