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 $995 per month in San José vs $1,249 in Salto, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,550 per month in San José vs $1,886 in Salto, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,105 per month in San José vs $2,522 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

$16.36 UYU 651

$19.91 UYU 792

-17.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.5 UYU 2,168

$38.69 UYU 1,540

40.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 UYU 441

$8.96 UYU 356

23.77%

Cappuccino

$4.30 UYU 171

$3.09 UYU 123

39.16%

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

$2.18 UYU 86.9

$2.32 UYU 92.3

-6.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 UYU 67.6

$1.56 UYU 62.0

8.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.32 UYU 172

$4.49 UYU 179

-3.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 UYU 148

$3.12 UYU 124

18.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 UYU 40.52

$0.97 UYU 38.65

5.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.99 UYU 79.3

$1.21 UYU 48.12

64.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 UYU 59.3

$1.44 UYU 57.1

3.47%

Eggs

$2.47 UYU 98.4

$3.31 UYU 132

-25.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.07 UYU 480

$19.18 UYU 763

-37.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.50 UYU 299

$7.25 UYU 289

3.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.88 UYU 433

$9.55 UYU 380

13.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 UYU 47.62

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 UYU 56.9

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 UYU 47.26

$1.01 UYU 40.31

17.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 UYU 60.0

$1.51 UYU 60.1

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 UYU 37.88

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 UYU 49.62

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 UYU 52.3

$0.50 UYU 19.74

162.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 UYU 68.1

$1.24 UYU 49.30

37.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.16 UYU 205

$4.88 UYU 194

5.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.16 UYU 404

$7.69 UYU 306

32.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 UYU 94.8

$1.82 UYU 72.4

30.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 UYU 118

$2.25 UYU 89.3

31.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 UYU 47.71

$1.19 UYU 47.52

0.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.91 UYU 1,747

$43.86 UYU 1,745

0.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 UYU 59.9

$1.44 UYU 57.4

4.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 UYU 59.1

$1.51 UYU 60.1

-1.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.15 UYU 443

$10.97 UYU 436

1.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 UYU 71.9

$1.87 UYU 74.5

-3.21%

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

$34.2K UYU 1.4M

$39.1K UYU 1.6M

-12.67%

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

$35.9K UYU 1.4M

$39.4K UYU 1.6M

-8.85%

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

$173 UYU 6,871

$184 UYU 7,341

-6.40%

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

$16.48 UYU 656

$20.42 UYU 813

-19.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.92 UYU 1,947

$34.09 UYU 1,356

43.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.21 UYU 1,282

Cinema Ticket

$10.32 UYU 410

$9.54 UYU 380

8.18%

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

$487 UYU 19.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,833 UYU 351.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.6 UYU 3,722

$67.8 UYU 2,698

37.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.14 UYU 1,915

$61.1 UYU 2,432

-21.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 UYU 4,483

$108 UYU 4,308

4.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 UYU 4,841

$68.0 UYU 2,704

79.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 UYU 16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$272 UYU 10.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$742 UYU 29.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$457 UYU 18.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$640 UYU 25.5K

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 Salto: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $0 in San José versus $424 in Salto. 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 $39 in Salto. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $248 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 26%, 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 $1,492 per month in San José and $1,873 in Salto. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $995 in San José and $1,249 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 $54.0 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 $995, than in Salto at $1,249. 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.