Cost of Living Comparison Between Uruguay and Chile Cost of Living Comparison Between Uruguay and Chile

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,154 in Uruguay versus $804 in Chile.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,755 in Uruguay versus $1,255 in Chile.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,355 in Uruguay versus $1,706 in Chile.

Living in Uruguay is roughly 44% more expensive than in Chile on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Uruguay 16% lower, Chile 42% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Uruguay
Chile
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.22 UYU 652
$8.62 CLP 7,976
88.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.2 UYU 2,139
$48.06 CLP 44.4K
10.65%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.34 UYU 496
$7.61 CLP 7,036
62.16%
Cappuccino
$4.28 UYU 172
$3.05 CLP 2,825
40.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38 UYU 95.6
$1.41 CLP 1,309
68.79%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 UYU 72.2
$1.04 CLP 963
73.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.03 UYU 162
$3.73 CLP 3,451
8.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.64 UYU 146
$4.40 CLP 4,069
-17.27%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Uruguay
Chile
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.18 UYU 47.39
$1.23 CLP 1,141
-4.07%
White Bread (500g)
$2.51 UYU 101
$1.60 CLP 1,483
56.87%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.68 UYU 67.5
$1.61 CLP 1,488
4.35%
Eggs
$4.34 UYU 175
$3.56 CLP 3,290
21.91%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.27 UYU 534
$10.70 CLP 9,891
24.02%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.52 UYU 423
$6.41 CLP 5,927
64.12%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.42 UYU 459
$11.02 CLP 10.2K
3.63%
Apples (1kg)
$2.64 UYU 106
$1.90 CLP 1,757
38.95%
Banana (1kg)
$2.48 UYU 99.7
$1.73 CLP 1,595
43.35%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.61 UYU 64.6
$1.68 CLP 1,554
-4.17%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.20 UYU 129
$1.70 CLP 1,567
88.24%
Potato (1kg)
$1.89 UYU 76.0
$1.23 CLP 1,139
53.66%
Onion (1kg)
$2.07 UYU 83.1
$1.44 CLP 1,333
43.75%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.32 UYU 53.2
$1.22 CLP 1,127
8.20%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 UYU 71.6
$1.23 CLP 1,133
44.72%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.38 UYU 216
$5.24 CLP 4,842
2.67%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.55 UYU 304
$5.27 CLP 4,875
43.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.19 UYU 88.0
$1.35 CLP 1,253
62.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.69 UYU 108
$2.19 CLP 2,025
22.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Uruguay
Chile
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.37 UYU 55.2
$0.83 CLP 770
65.06%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$73.7 UYU 2,966
$40.39 CLP 37.3K
82.57%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.90 UYU 76.4
$0.88 CLP 817
115.91%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.71 UYU 68.9
$1.22 CLP 1,127
40.16%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.66 UYU 429
$12.09 CLP 11.2K
-11.83%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.03 UYU 81.8
$1.42 CLP 1,311
42.96%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K UYU 1.1M
$18.4K CLP 17.0M
47.88%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.5K UYU 1.5M
$20.2K CLP 18.7M
85.48%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Uruguay
Chile
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$152 UYU 6,099
$115 CLP 106.5K
31.61%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.76 UYU 795
$12.90 CLP 11.9K
53.18%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$39.60 UYU 1,593
$23.08 CLP 21.3K
71.58%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Uruguay
Chile
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.15 UYU 1,856
$36.17 CLP 33.4K
27.59%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.44 UYU 782
$15.03 CLP 13.9K
29.34%
Cinema Ticket
$11.13 UYU 448
$6.27 CLP 5,794
77.51%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Uruguay
Chile
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$582 UYU 23.4K
$364 CLP 336.4K
60.07%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,004 UYU 362.2K
$6,904 CLP 6.4M
30.41%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Uruguay
Chile
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$85.6 UYU 3,444
$44.95 CLP 41.6K
90.48%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.1 UYU 2,053
$28.44 CLP 26.3K
79.50%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$121 UYU 4,855
$61.2 CLP 56.6K
97.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$111 UYU 4,471
$75.0 CLP 69.4K
48.19%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Uruguay
Chile
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$664 UYU 26.7K
$454 CLP 419.7K
46.28%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$528 UYU 21.2K
$354 CLP 327.6K
48.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,072 UYU 43.1K
$780 CLP 721.2K
37.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$850 UYU 34.2K
$615 CLP 569.0K
38.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,370 UYU 135.5K
$2,299 CLP 2.1M
46.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,879 UYU 75.6K
$2,029 CLP 1.9M
-7.39%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Uruguay
Chile
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,058 UYU 42.5K
$693 CLP 640.7K
52.63%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.75
5.15
11.65%

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

Last update for Uruguay: September 5, 2026

Last update for Chile: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $338 in Uruguay, $346 in Chile. Capital cities: $762 in Montevideo vs $576 in Santiago.

National salary averages: $865 in Uruguay, $719 in Chile. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Dining out costs 20% more in Uruguay.

Public transport is 44% more expensive in Uruguay.

Salaries are 20% higher in Uruguay, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Chile.

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
Uruguay vs Chile: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between Chile and Uruguay?
At $674 per month in Chile and $1,002 in Uruguay, there's a 49% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Chile: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Uruguay is consistently higher than in Chile across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget in Chile or in Uruguay?
In Chile, $1,500 covers most cities easily; in Uruguay it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to Chile or to Uruguay?
It depends on what you're after: Chile wins on affordability; Uruguay may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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