Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tamarindo and Montevideo

For one person, living is cheaper in Montevideo: $1,771 a month against $2,127 in Tamarindo, rent and utilities included – about $4,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

103

Cost of Living Index in Tamarindo
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Tamarindo Living Index
86

Cost of Living Index in Montevideo
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Montevideo Living Index

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Tamarindo

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$2,127

/mo nomad

Montevideo

🇺🇾 Uruguay

$1,771

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tamarindo and in Montevideo

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tamarindo and in Montevideo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,127 per month in Tamarindo vs $1,771 in Montevideo, rent included.

Tamarindo $2,127
Montevideo $1,771

A couple spends around $3,081 per month in Tamarindo vs $2,740 in Montevideo, rent included.

Tamarindo $3,081
Montevideo $2,740

A family of three spends $4,035 per month in Tamarindo vs $3,708 in Montevideo, rent included.

Tamarindo $4,035
Montevideo $3,708

Tamarindo costs about 20% more than Montevideo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Tamarindo and Montevideo sit above the global median – Tamarindo by 58%, Montevideo by 31%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.18 ₡5,463

$15.16 UYU 609

-19.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.3 ₡28.0K

$69.2 UYU 2,776

-9.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.87 ₡5,324

$14.65 UYU 588

-18.98%

Cappuccino

$4.34 ₡1,948

$4.46 UYU 179

-2.69%

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

$2.65 ₡1,188

$2.67 UYU 107

-0.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 ₡856

$2.00 UYU 80.4

-4.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.27 ₡1,465

$4.83 UYU 194

-32.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 ₡2,043

$3.80 UYU 152

20.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.42 ₡1,085

$1.36 UYU 54.8

77.94%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 ₡1,400

$2.87 UYU 115

8.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.42 ₡1,088

$1.75 UYU 70.2

38.29%

Eggs

$3.47 ₡1,556

$4.68 UYU 188

-25.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.53 ₡4,721

$13.88 UYU 557

-24.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₡4,716

$11.98 UYU 481

-12.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.17 ₡6,354

$11.97 UYU 480

18.38%

Apples (1kg)

$5.21 ₡2,336

$2.78 UYU 111

87.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ₡717

$2.74 UYU 110

-41.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.54 ₡1,588

$1.77 UYU 71.2

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 ₡1,747

$3.24 UYU 130

20.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 ₡1,141

$1.97 UYU 79.2

29.44%

Onion (1kg)

$3.71 ₡1,665

$2.07 UYU 83.1

79.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ₡487

$1.37 UYU 55.1

-20.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 ₡1,376

$1.88 UYU 75.3

63.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.20 ₡2,331

$5.59 UYU 224

-6.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.18 ₡5,912

$8.78 UYU 352

50.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 ₡1,249

$2.26 UYU 90.9

23.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 ₡1,385

$2.75 UYU 110

12.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.07 ₡929

$1.53 UYU 61.5

35.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.4 ₡38.3K

$74.3 UYU 2,980

14.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.38 ₡1,065

$1.91 UYU 76.7

24.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 ₡729

$0.40 UYU 16.18

307.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.64 ₡2,978

$10.33 UYU 415

-35.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 ₡675

$2.13 UYU 85.6

-29.58%

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

$22.4K ₡10.0M

$27.1K UYU 1.1M

-17.50%

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

$34.7K ₡15.6M

$36.3K UYU 1.5M

-4.28%

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

$93.5 ₡41.9K

$188 UYU 7,557

-50.32%

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

$30.01 ₡13.5K

$20.54 UYU 824

46.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.1 ₡26.5K

$44.81 UYU 1,798

31.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$101 ₡45.3K

$54.0 UYU 2,166

87.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.01 ₡11.7K

$19.75 UYU 793

31.70%

Cinema Ticket

$7.90 ₡3,543

$11.95 UYU 480

-33.89%

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

$575 ₡257.7K

$634 UYU 25.5K

-9.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,081 ₡4.1M

$11.1K UYU 443.6K

-17.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.5 ₡32.1K

$102 UYU 4,099

-30.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.29 ₡11.8K

$57.5 UYU 2,309

-54.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 ₡53.7K

$127 UYU 5,079

-5.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 ₡58.9K

$128 UYU 5,131

2.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,921 ₡861.5K

$719 UYU 28.8K

167.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$960 ₡430.6K

$568 UYU 22.8K

69.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,738 ₡1.2M

$1,145 UYU 46.0K

139.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,371 ₡614.9K

$1,023 UYU 41.1K

34.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,341 ₡2.4M

$3,392 UYU 136.1K

57.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,241 ₡1.5M

$1,949 UYU 78.2K

66.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$949 ₡425.7K

$1,245 UYU 50.0K

-23.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

5.74

50.17%

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

Last update for Tamarindo: October 12, 2026

Last update for Montevideo: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Tamarindo

$960 45.1%

Montevideo

$568 32.1% 40.8% $392

Groceries & Markets

Tamarindo

$378 17.8%

Montevideo

$332 18.7% 12.2% $46

Eating Out

Tamarindo

$229 10.8%

Montevideo

$269 15.2% 17.6% $40

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tamarindo

$183 8.6%

Montevideo

$254 14.3% 38.9% $71

Clothing & Footwear

Tamarindo

$157 7.4%

Montevideo

$186 10.5% 18.7% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Tamarindo

$117 5.5%

Montevideo

$78 4.4% 33.3% $39

Getting Around

Tamarindo

$104 4.9%

Montevideo

$84 4.8% 19% $20

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,921 in Tamarindo versus $719 in Montevideo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 31% higher in Montevideo, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62.0 in Tamarindo versus $69.0 in Montevideo. Groceries tell a different story – $378 in Tamarindo vs $332 in Montevideo – so Montevideo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Tamarindo

🇺🇾 Montevideo

🕒 Local time

18:00 6:00 PM

21:00 9:00 PM

3 h ahead of Tamarindo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

6,000

1,319,108 Capital

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Uruguayan Peso UYU $U

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

100 UYU = 2.49 USD

100 UYU = 2.22 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

UYU, USD, EUR to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Uruguayan Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 40.14 UYU (100 UYU = 2.49 USD). 1 EUR = 45.12 UYU (100 UYU = 2.22 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Tamarindo Montevideo 5,920 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Tamarindo
Montevideo

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Tamarindo vs Montevideo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Tamarindo is pricier by about 20%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,191 per month in Tamarindo and $2,656 in Montevideo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Montevideo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $575 per month in Tamarindo and $634 in Montevideo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Tamarindo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Montevideo, where all-in costs run around $1,771, than in Tamarindo at $2,127. In Montevideo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tamarindo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Montevideo – 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 Montevideo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tamarindo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.