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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $993 per month in San José vs $1,241 in Salto, rent included.

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

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

San José is about 20% cheaper than Salto, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.90 UYU 638

$20.50 UYU 823

-22.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.5 UYU 2,227

$39.59 UYU 1,589

40.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 UYU 445

$8.94 UYU 359

24.05%

Cappuccino

$4.30 UYU 173

$3.11 UYU 125

38.26%

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

$2.24 UYU 89.8

$2.21 UYU 88.6

1.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 UYU 71.5

$1.55 UYU 62.2

14.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.47 UYU 179

$4.47 UYU 180

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 UYU 151

$3.11 UYU 125

20.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 UYU 41.21

$0.95 UYU 38.18

8.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.00 UYU 80.2

$1.19 UYU 47.87

68.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 UYU 58.4

$1.49 UYU 59.8

-2.68%

Eggs

$2.62 UYU 105

$3.35 UYU 135

-21.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.31 UYU 494

$19.85 UYU 797

-37.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.42 UYU 298

$7.44 UYU 299

-0.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.14 UYU 447

$9.83 UYU 395

13.33%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 UYU 49.72

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 UYU 57.3

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 UYU 48.43

$1.02 UYU 40.99

18.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 UYU 57.7

$1.45 UYU 58.3

-0.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 UYU 40.38

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 UYU 48.01

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 UYU 53.2

$0.53 UYU 21.21

149.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 UYU 69.7

$1.24 UYU 49.82

40.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.03 UYU 202

$5.11 UYU 205

-1.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.20 UYU 329

$7.56 UYU 303

8.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 UYU 92.7

$1.80 UYU 72.2

28.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 UYU 122

$2.18 UYU 87.5

39.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 UYU 47.90

$1.25 UYU 50.2

-4.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.33 UYU 1,739

$43.29 UYU 1,738

0.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 UYU 57.8

$1.43 UYU 57.5

0.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 UYU 62.0

$1.55 UYU 62.1

-0.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.93 UYU 439

$11.13 UYU 447

-1.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 UYU 72.6

$1.86 UYU 74.8

-2.69%

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

$34.5K UYU 1.4M

$39.5K UYU 1.6M

-12.56%

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

$35.6K UYU 1.4M

$38.7K UYU 1.6M

-7.85%

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

$169 UYU 6,775

$181 UYU 7,247

-6.51%

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

$16.47 UYU 661

$20.21 UYU 811

-18.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.92 UYU 2,004

$34.72 UYU 1,394

43.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.31 UYU 1,297

Cinema Ticket

$10.65 UYU 427

$9.66 UYU 388

10.25%

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)

$93.3 UYU 3,745

$67.0 UYU 2,689

39.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.03 UYU 1,928

$62.2 UYU 2,496

-22.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 UYU 4,553

$109 UYU 4,363

4.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 UYU 5,007

$66.8 UYU 2,681

86.75%

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 San José: July 21, 2026

Last update for Salto: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in San José versus $40.00 in Salto. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 vs $224 – 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

San José vs Salto: 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 $1,489 per month in San José and $1,862 in Salto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $993 in San José and $1,241 in Salto. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in San José and $40.00 in Salto. 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.