Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Guelph and Montevideo

For one person, living is cheaper in Montevideo: $1,813 a month against $2,586 in Guelph, rent and utilities included – about $9,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Guelph
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,586
/mo nomad
Montevideo
🇺🇾 Uruguay
$1,813
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Guelph 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 Guelph and in Montevideo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,586 in Guelph versus $1,813 in Montevideo.

  • Guelph $2,586
  • Montevideo $1,813

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,627 in Guelph versus $2,782 in Montevideo.

  • Guelph $3,627
  • Montevideo $2,782

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,669 in Guelph versus $3,750 in Montevideo.

  • Guelph $4,669
  • Montevideo $3,750

Living in Guelph is roughly 43% more expensive than in Montevideo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Guelph 93% above, Montevideo 35% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Guelph
Montevideo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.26 CA$30.31
$15.26 UYU 613
39.32%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.6 CA$101
$67.4 UYU 2,711
4.64%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.25 CA$16.03
$14.37 UYU 578
-21.71%
Cappuccino
$3.40 CA$4.84
$4.64 UYU 187
-26.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.49 CA$2.12
$2.73 UYU 110
-45.42%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 CA$1.92
$2.09 UYU 84.0
-35.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.03 CA$7.16
$4.75 UYU 191
5.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.97 CA$8.52
$3.67 UYU 147
62.67%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Guelph
Montevideo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.10 CA$3.00
$1.38 UYU 55.5
52.17%
White Bread (500g)
$2.84 CA$4.05
$2.77 UYU 112
2.53%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.76 CA$5.36
$1.69 UYU 67.8
122.49%
Eggs
$2.86 CA$4.08
$4.52 UYU 182
-36.73%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.08 CA$14.37
$14.17 UYU 570
-28.86%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$15.42 CA$21.98
$12.07 UYU 485
27.75%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.75 CA$31.00
$12.16 UYU 489
78.87%
Apples (1kg)
$3.64 CA$5.19
$2.87 UYU 116
26.83%
Banana (1kg)
$1.30 CA$1.86
$2.75 UYU 110
-52.73%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.42 CA$6.29
$1.73 UYU 69.5
155.49%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.50 CA$6.41
$3.24 UYU 130
38.89%
Potato (1kg)
$3.40 CA$4.85
$2.07 UYU 83.1
64.25%
Onion (1kg)
$2.34 CA$3.33
$2.07 UYU 83.1
13.04%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.91 CA$4.15
$1.38 UYU 55.4
110.87%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.51 CA$2.15
$1.85 UYU 74.5
-18.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.77 CA$15.36
$5.57 UYU 224
93.36%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.04 CA$15.74
$8.89 UYU 357
24.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.45 CA$4.92
$2.29 UYU 92.2
50.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.12 CA$4.45
$2.70 UYU 109
15.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Guelph
Montevideo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.23 CA$3.18
$1.52 UYU 61.3
46.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$65.5 CA$93.3
$73.7 UYU 2,962
-11.09%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.39 CA$3.41
$1.82 UYU 73.4
31.32%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.77 CA$2.52
$0.40 UYU 16.05
342.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.16 CA$34.43
$10.66 UYU 429
126.64%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.13 CA$1.61
$2.22 UYU 89.2
-49.10%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K CA$40.2K
$26.7K UYU 1.1M
5.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.2K CA$28.7K
$36.7K UYU 1.5M
-45.13%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Guelph
Montevideo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$123 CA$175
$191 UYU 7,674
-35.79%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$42.86 CA$61.1
$20.40 UYU 820
110.10%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$55.1 CA$78.6
$44.14 UYU 1,775
24.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Guelph
Montevideo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.7 CA$77.9
$54.1 UYU 2,177
0.98%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.12 CA$20.13
$19.68 UYU 791
-28.25%
Cinema Ticket
$10.42 CA$14.85
$12.33 UYU 496
-15.49%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Guelph
Montevideo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$812 CA$1,158
$613 UYU 24.7K
32.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.6K CA$23.7K
$11.0K UYU 444.3K
50.49%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Guelph
Montevideo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.8 CA$88.0
$103 UYU 4,134
-39.94%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.02 CA$51.3
$56.1 UYU 2,255
-35.76%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.7 CA$122
$124 UYU 5,000
-31.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$123 CA$176
$130 UYU 5,214
-4.84%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Guelph
Montevideo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,453 CA$2,072
$705 UYU 28.4K
106.08%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,378 CA$1,964
$575 UYU 23.1K
139.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,018 CA$2,876
$1,139 UYU 45.8K
77.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,934 CA$2,757
$1,016 UYU 40.8K
90.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,827 CA$6,881
$3,349 UYU 134.6K
44.16%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,691 CA$6,686
$1,942 UYU 78.1K
141.55%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Guelph
Montevideo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,147 CA$4,486
$1,229 UYU 49.4K
156.03%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.99
5.74
-13.07%

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

Last update for Guelph: October 5, 2026

Last update for Montevideo: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Guelph
$1.4K
Montevideo
$575 58.2% $803
Groceries & Markets
Guelph
$405
Montevideo
$332 17.9% $73
Eating Out
Guelph
$293
Montevideo
$271 7.4% $22
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Guelph
$221
Montevideo
$255 15.8% $35
Clothing & Footwear
Guelph
$138
Montevideo
$186 34.6% $48
Getting Around
Guelph
$86
Montevideo
$84 2.4% $2.1
Sport & Entertainment
Guelph
$76
Montevideo
$79 4.4% $3.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,453 in Guelph and $705 in Montevideo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Guelph pays 156% 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: $71.0 in Guelph vs $67.0 in Montevideo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $332 per month, with Montevideo cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Guelph
🇺🇾 Montevideo
🕒 Local time
02:34 2:34 AM
03:34 3:34 AM
1 h ahead of Guelph
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
131,794
1,319,108 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

UYU, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.702 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 EUR).

Uruguayan Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 40.21 UYU (100 UYU = 2.49 USD). 1 EUR = 45.1 UYU (100 UYU = 2.22 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Guelph Montevideo 9,060 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Guelph
  • 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
Guelph vs Montevideo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Montevideo cheaper than Guelph?
Montevideo is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Guelph or Montevideo?
Average pay runs 156% higher in Guelph, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Guelph and Montevideo?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,453 in Guelph versus $705 in Montevideo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Guelph and in Montevideo?
Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Guelph. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Guelph or in Montevideo?
Dining out is cheaper in Montevideo – a meal for two runs $67.0 versus $71.0 in Guelph. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Guelph or in Montevideo?
At $1,813 in Montevideo versus $2,586 in Guelph, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Montevideo but tight or insufficient in Guelph. The gap between the two cities makes Montevideo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Guelph or Montevideo more family-friendly?
For families, Montevideo is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Guelph, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Guelph or Montevideo?
Safety-wise, Guelph and Montevideo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Montevideo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Guelph. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Guelph vs other spots: cost of living compared

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