😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,633 in Urbana, IL versus $1,308 in Maldonado.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,647 in Urbana, IL versus $2,089 in Maldonado.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Urbana, IL versus $2,869 in Maldonado.
😐Living in Urbana, IL is roughly 25% more expensive than Maldonado, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Urbana, IL is 22% above, Maldonado is 2% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Urbana, IL
Maldonado
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.98$14.98
$16.36UYU 651
-8.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$50.6$50.6
$53.5UYU 2,130
-5.40%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.01$11.01
$11.22UYU 447
-1.87%
Cappuccino
$4.22$4.22
$4.21UYU 167
0.24%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27$2.27
$2.23UYU 88.6
1.79%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.48$1.48
$1.70UYU 67.5
-12.94%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.36$5.36
$2.42UYU 96.3
121.49%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.14$6.14
$3.64UYU 145
68.68%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Urbana, IL
Maldonado
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.69$0.69
$1.08UYU 42.90
-36.11%
White Bread(500g)
$2.57$2.57
$2.84UYU 113
-9.51%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.66$2.66
$1.59UYU 63.5
67.30%
Eggs
$2.76$2.76
$4.88UYU 194
-43.44%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.63$7.63
$13.43UYU 534
-43.19%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.01$9.01
$10.74UYU 428
-16.11%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.67$13.67
$11.12UYU 443
22.93%
Apples(1kg)
$3.58$3.58
$2.18UYU 86.9
64.22%
Banana(1kg)
$1.57$1.57
$2.39UYU 95.1
-34.31%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.92$2.92
$1.55UYU 61.7
88.39%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.47$3.47
$3.63UYU 144
-4.41%
Potato(1kg)
$2.16$2.16
$1.75UYU 69.8
23.43%
Onion(1kg)
$2.38$2.38
$1.87UYU 74.4
27.27%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.68$1.68
$1.18UYU 46.96
42.37%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.33$1.33
$1.60UYU 63.6
-16.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$9.97$9.97
$5.02UYU 200
98.61%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.36$8.36
$3.44UYU 137
143.02%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71$1.71
$1.94UYU 77.3
-11.86%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28$1.28
$2.55UYU 102
-49.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Urbana, IL
Maldonado
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.02$1.02
$1.37UYU 54.6
-25.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$44.38UYU 1,766
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.96$2.96
$1.50UYU 59.6
97.33%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.63$0.63
$2.06UYU 82.0
-69.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$29.42$29.42
$11.18UYU 445
163.15%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.91$0.91
$1.82UYU 72.3
-50.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.9K$24.9K
$34.6KUYU 1.4M
-27.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.4K$23.4K
$36.5KUYU 1.5M
-35.96%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Urbana, IL
Maldonado
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$214$214
$154UYU 6,130
39.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$41.70$41.70
$16.63UYU 662
150.75%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$60.1$60.1
$43.15UYU 1,717
39.24%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Urbana, IL
Maldonado
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$43.56$43.56
$45.65UYU 1,816
-4.58%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$29.67UYU 1,180
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.13$12.13
$7.85UYU 313
54.52%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Urbana, IL
Maldonado
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,179$1,179
$491UYU 19.6K
139.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$23.7K$23.7K
$7,401UYU 294.5K
219.88%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Urbana, IL
Maldonado
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.49$44.49
$84.7UYU 3,370
-47.46%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.40$40.40
$47.71UYU 1,899
-15.32%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$66.1$66.1
$88.6UYU 3,525
-25.38%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$153$153
$90.1UYU 3,584
69.55%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Urbana, IL
Maldonado
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$757$757
$369UYU 14.7K
105.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$577$577
$282UYU 11.2K
104.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,516$1,516
$894UYU 35.6K
69.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,357$1,357
$613UYU 24.4K
121.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,634$1,634
$1,496UYU 59.5K
9.25%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,667$1,667
$1,304UYU 51.9K
27.78%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Urbana, IL
Maldonado
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$6,257$6,257
$766UYU 30.5K
716.53%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.52
5.68
14.79%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Urbana, IL: April 22, 2026
Last update for Maldonado: April 20, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $757 in Urbana, IL and $369 in Maldonado. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Urbana, IL pays 717% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $51 in Urbana, IL vs $54 in Maldonado for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $297 per month, with Urbana, IL cheaper across the board.
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
Urbana, IL vs Maldonado: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Urbana, IL and Maldonado?
Urbana, IL and Maldonado differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($1,633 vs $1,308 including rent). Maldonado is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Urbana, IL or Maldonado?
Urbana, IL pays 717% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Urbana, IL and Maldonado?
Rent for a central apartment: $757 in Urbana, IL versus $369 in Maldonado. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Urbana, IL pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more expensive overall: Urbana, IL or Maldonado?
All in, you'll spend $1,633 per month in Urbana, IL versus $1,308 in Maldonado – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,308 in Maldonado versus $1,633 in Urbana, IL, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Maldonado but tight or insufficient in Urbana, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Maldonado the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Urbana, IL and Maldonado?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Urbana, IL or Maldonado safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Urbana, IL and Maldonado are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Urbana, IL or Maldonado?
Expats usually find Maldonado gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Urbana, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Urbana, IL vs other spots: cost of living compared