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 $922 per month in San José vs $1,787 in Montevideo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,443 per month in San José vs $2,687 in Montevideo, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,965 per month in San José vs $3,588 in Montevideo, rent included.

San José is about 48% cheaper than Montevideo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

San José sits 33% below the global median, while Montevideo is 30% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.73 UYU 592

$14.88 UYU 598

-1.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.51 UYU 1,509

$60.9 UYU 2,448

-38.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.66 UYU 509

$13.91 UYU 559

-8.99%

Cappuccino

$4.95 UYU 199

$4.36 UYU 175

13.53%

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

$2.40 UYU 96.7

$2.78 UYU 112

-13.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 UYU 97.6

$2.03 UYU 81.7

19.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.84 UYU 154

$4.73 UYU 190

-18.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.67 UYU 228

$3.76 UYU 151

50.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 UYU 40.02

$1.32 UYU 53.3

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.04 UYU 82.1

$2.91 UYU 117

-29.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 UYU 59.0

$1.74 UYU 69.9

-15.52%

Eggs

$2.63 UYU 106

$4.84 UYU 195

-45.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.97 UYU 482

$14.19 UYU 571

-15.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.53 UYU 303

$11.47 UYU 461

-34.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.67 UYU 469

$11.74 UYU 472

-0.60%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 UYU 50.8

$2.91 UYU 117

-56.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 UYU 59.0

$2.79 UYU 112

-47.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 UYU 50.8

$1.73 UYU 69.6

-27.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 UYU 61.7

$3.14 UYU 127

-51.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 UYU 40.57

$2.00 UYU 80.4

-49.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 UYU 50.5

$2.15 UYU 86.5

-41.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 UYU 60.3

$1.44 UYU 58.0

4.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 UYU 75.4

$1.90 UYU 76.5

-1.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.83 UYU 395

$5.34 UYU 215

84.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.95 UYU 320

$8.64 UYU 348

-7.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.12 UYU 126

$2.27 UYU 91.2

37.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 UYU 131

$2.85 UYU 114

14.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 UYU 61.1

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.2 UYU 2,986

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.50 UYU 141

$1.85 UYU 74.2

89.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.51 UYU 141

$0.41 UYU 16.44

756.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.15 UYU 408

$10.60 UYU 426

-4.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.13 UYU 85.7

$2.17 UYU 87.4

-1.84%

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

$36.1K UYU 1.5M

$27.3K UYU 1.1M

32.18%

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

$40.1K UYU 1.6M

$37.3K UYU 1.5M

7.44%

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

$115 UYU 4,614

$194 UYU 7,792

-40.79%

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

$23.50 UYU 945

$17.71 UYU 712

32.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.61 UYU 1,875

$45.14 UYU 1,816

3.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 UYU 2,152

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.77 UYU 795

Cinema Ticket

$12.58 UYU 506

$11.96 UYU 481

5.18%

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

$488 UYU 19.6K

$622 UYU 25.0K

-21.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,611 UYU 265.9K

$10.6K UYU 427.7K

-37.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.7 UYU 3,606

$97.1 UYU 3,904

-7.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.59 UYU 1,472

$57.4 UYU 2,310

-36.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$166 UYU 6,669

$122 UYU 4,925

35.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 UYU 4,697

$133 UYU 5,335

-11.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$762 UYU 30.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$598 UYU 24.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 UYU 47.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$958 UYU 38.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,581 UYU 144.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,916 UYU 77.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,247 UYU 50.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.49

-8.93%

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

Last update for San José: September 7, 2026

Last update for Montevideo: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in San José versus $61.0 in Montevideo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $331 – 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 94%, 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 $1,383 per month in San José and $2,680 in Montevideo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in San José and $61.0 in Montevideo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap 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 $922, than in Montevideo at $1,787. 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.