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: $1,009 in Uruguay versus $1,086 in Chile.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,611 in Uruguay versus $1,656 in Chile.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,212 in Uruguay versus $2,225 in Chile.

Living in Uruguay costs about 7% less than in Chile on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Uruguay 24% lower, Chile 19% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Uruguay
Chile
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.02 UYU 683
$8.65 CLP 8,200
96.76%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$54.4 UYU 2,183
$43.96 CLP 41.7K
23.73%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.51 UYU 462
$7.69 CLP 7,298
49.67%
Cappuccino
$4.14 UYU 166
$2.86 CLP 2,710
44.76%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.34 UYU 93.9
$1.41 CLP 1,339
65.96%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84 UYU 73.8
$1.04 CLP 987
76.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.88 UYU 156
$3.30 CLP 3,133
17.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.57 UYU 143
$3.84 CLP 3,646
-7.03%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Uruguay
Chile
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.16 UYU 46.38
$1.21 CLP 1,148
-4.13%
White Bread (500g)
$2.69 UYU 108
$1.55 CLP 1,472
73.55%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.67 UYU 66.9
$1.77 CLP 1,680
-5.65%
Eggs
$4.26 UYU 171
$3.58 CLP 3,396
18.99%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.40 UYU 538
$10.70 CLP 10.2K
25.23%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.70 UYU 430
$6.02 CLP 5,705
77.74%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.09 UYU 445
$11.13 CLP 10.6K
-0.36%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 UYU 112
$1.95 CLP 1,847
42.56%
Banana (1kg)
$2.45 UYU 98.5
$1.66 CLP 1,572
47.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.45 UYU 58.4
$1.89 CLP 1,797
-23.28%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.28 UYU 132
$1.70 CLP 1,613
92.94%
Potato (1kg)
$2.05 UYU 82.4
$1.50 CLP 1,425
36.67%
Onion (1kg)
$2.01 UYU 80.6
$1.59 CLP 1,504
26.42%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.25 UYU 50.2
$1.25 CLP 1,182
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 UYU 68.4
$1.20 CLP 1,137
41.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.06 UYU 203
$5.49 CLP 5,204
-7.83%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.49 UYU 301
$5.24 CLP 4,973
42.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.31 UYU 92.7
$1.50 CLP 1,427
54.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.93 UYU 118
$2.25 CLP 2,132
30.22%
🚌 Getting Around
Uruguay
Chile
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.24 UYU 49.83
$0.84 CLP 800
47.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$43.79 UYU 1,758
$40.27 CLP 38.2K
8.74%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.44 UYU 57.6
$0.89 CLP 841
61.80%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.52 UYU 60.9
$1.58 CLP 1,501
-3.80%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.82 UYU 434
$13.18 CLP 12.5K
-17.91%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.94 UYU 78.0
$1.42 CLP 1,349
36.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.6K UYU 1.6M
$18.5K CLP 17.6M
108.42%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.8K UYU 1.5M
$20.6K CLP 19.6M
83.06%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Uruguay
Chile
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$143 UYU 5,745
$114 CLP 108.5K
25.12%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.93 UYU 720
$12.29 CLP 11.7K
45.89%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$42.43 UYU 1,703
$22.97 CLP 21.8K
84.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Uruguay
Chile
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.7 UYU 2,237
$36.33 CLP 34.5K
53.37%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.74 UYU 752
$20.56 CLP 19.5K
-8.85%
Cinema Ticket
$10.09 UYU 405
$5.70 CLP 5,401
77.02%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Uruguay
Chile
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$467 UYU 18.7K
$376 CLP 356.7K
24.08%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,602 UYU 345.3K
$6,345 CLP 6.0M
35.57%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Uruguay
Chile
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$92.2 UYU 3,702
$47.63 CLP 45.2K
93.64%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.1 UYU 2,011
$29.36 CLP 27.8K
70.64%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$114 UYU 4,582
$65.6 CLP 62.2K
74.11%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$117 UYU 4,686
$76.8 CLP 72.9K
51.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Uruguay
Chile
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$601 UYU 24.1K
$467 CLP 442.8K
28.66%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$463 UYU 18.6K
$386 CLP 366.0K
19.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,025 UYU 41.2K
$830 CLP 786.9K
23.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$798 UYU 32.0K
$671 CLP 636.6K
18.86%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,373 UYU 135.4K
$2,299 CLP 2.2M
46.72%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,074 UYU 83.3K
$2,027 CLP 1.9M
2.29%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Uruguay
Chile
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,081 UYU 43.4K
$692 CLP 656.7K
56.09%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.45
5.09
26.72%

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

Last update for Uruguay: July 21, 2026

Last update for Chile: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $286 in Uruguay, $475 in Chile. Capital cities: $615 in Montevideo vs $520 in Santiago.

National salary averages: $857 in Uruguay, $713 in Chile. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 66% higher in Chile.

Public transport is 263% more expensive in Uruguay.

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

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 $1,134 per month in Chile and $1,009 in Uruguay, there's a 12% 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 Uruguay: 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 Chile is consistently higher than in Uruguay across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget in Chile or in Uruguay?
In Uruguay, $2,500 covers most cities easily; in Chile 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: Uruguay wins on affordability; Chile may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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