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

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.11 UYU 649

$20.09 UYU 809

-19.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.2 UYU 2,223

$39.02 UYU 1,571

41.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 UYU 440

$9.44 UYU 380

15.89%

Cappuccino

$4.14 UYU 167

$3.08 UYU 124

34.42%

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

$2.16 UYU 87.0

$2.20 UYU 88.7

-1.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 UYU 70.4

$1.56 UYU 62.9

12.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.32 UYU 174

$4.33 UYU 174

-0.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 UYU 145

$3.26 UYU 131

10.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 UYU 41.20

$0.95 UYU 38.15

7.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 UYU 77.0

$1.24 UYU 49.99

54.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 UYU 57.6

$1.49 UYU 60.0

-4.03%

Eggs

$2.51 UYU 101

$3.33 UYU 134

-24.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.05 UYU 485

$19.70 UYU 793

-38.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.31 UYU 294

$7.30 UYU 294

0.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.06 UYU 445

$9.61 UYU 387

15.09%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 UYU 49.70

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 UYU 58.7

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 UYU 48.38

$0.93 UYU 37.58

29.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 UYU 59.9

$1.45 UYU 58.2

2.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 UYU 40.10

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 UYU 49.62

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 UYU 52.5

$0.52 UYU 21.03

150.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 UYU 68.0

$1.19 UYU 47.88

42.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.11 UYU 206

$4.88 UYU 196

4.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.15 UYU 409

$7.33 UYU 295

38.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 UYU 95.0

$1.86 UYU 75.0

26.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 UYU 123

$2.23 UYU 89.8

36.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 UYU 50.4

$1.20 UYU 48.25

4.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.42 UYU 1,788

$44.19 UYU 1,779

0.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 UYU 60.9

$1.51 UYU 60.8

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 UYU 62.9

$1.50 UYU 60.3

4.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.05 UYU 445

$10.80 UYU 435

2.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 UYU 75.4

$1.83 UYU 73.8

2.19%

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

$34.6K UYU 1.4M

$39.6K UYU 1.6M

-12.50%

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

$36.2K UYU 1.5M

$39.2K UYU 1.6M

-7.72%

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

$168 UYU 6,783

$181 UYU 7,305

-7.15%

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

$16.39 UYU 660

$20.48 UYU 825

-19.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.72 UYU 2,002

$34.77 UYU 1,400

43.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.41 UYU 1,264

Cinema Ticket

$10.46 UYU 421

$10.06 UYU 405

3.98%

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)

$94.4 UYU 3,798

$68.1 UYU 2,741

38.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.71 UYU 1,880

$60.5 UYU 2,436

-22.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 UYU 4,661

$109 UYU 4,404

5.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 UYU 4,949

$68.0 UYU 2,739

80.69%

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 San José: June 2, 2026

Last update for Salto: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55.0 in San José versus $39.00 in Salto. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $247 vs $221 – 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 $1,505 per month in San José and $1,886 in Salto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,003 in San José and $1,257 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 $39.00 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 $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.