Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Markham and Montevideo

For one person, living is cheaper in Montevideo: $1,771 a month against $2,416 in Markham, rent and utilities included – about $7,700 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Markham outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Markham
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,416
/mo nomad
Montevideo
🇺🇾 Uruguay
$1,771
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,416 in Markham versus $1,771 in Montevideo.

  • Markham $2,416
  • Montevideo $1,771

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,465 in Markham versus $2,740 in Montevideo.

  • Markham $3,465
  • Montevideo $2,740

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,514 in Markham versus $3,708 in Montevideo.

  • Markham $4,514
  • Montevideo $3,708

Living in Markham is roughly 36% more expensive than in Montevideo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Markham 79% above, Montevideo 31% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Markham
Montevideo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.37 CA$24.70
$15.16 UYU 609
14.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.4 CA$76.0
$69.2 UYU 2,779
-22.72%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.47 CA$14.89
$14.65 UYU 589
-28.53%
Cappuccino
$3.81 CA$5.42
$4.46 UYU 179
-14.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.70 CA$2.42
$2.67 UYU 107
-36.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.17 CA$1.67
$2.00 UYU 80.5
-41.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.59 CA$5.10
$4.83 UYU 194
-25.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.62 CA$7.99
$3.80 UYU 153
47.89%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Markham
Montevideo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.94 CA$2.76
$1.36 UYU 54.8
42.65%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 CA$3.16
$2.87 UYU 115
-22.65%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.90 CA$2.70
$1.75 UYU 70.3
8.57%
Eggs
$2.99 CA$4.25
$4.68 UYU 188
-36.11%
Local Cheese (1kg)
-
$13.88 UYU 558
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.70 CA$16.64
$11.98 UYU 481
-2.34%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.81 CA$9.68
$11.97 UYU 481
-43.11%
Apples (1kg)
$3.69 CA$5.25
$2.78 UYU 112
32.73%
Banana (1kg)
$1.26 CA$1.80
$2.74 UYU 110
-54.01%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.33 CA$3.31
$1.77 UYU 71.3
31.64%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.26 CA$4.63
$3.24 UYU 130
0.62%
Potato (1kg)
$2.05 CA$2.92
$1.97 UYU 79.3
4.06%
Onion (1kg)
$1.96 CA$2.79
$2.07 UYU 83.2
-5.31%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.87 CA$4.08
$1.37 UYU 55.2
109.49%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.48 CA$2.11
$1.88 UYU 75.4
-21.28%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.44 CA$19.11
$5.59 UYU 225
140.43%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.53 CA$20.66
$8.78 UYU 353
65.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.40 CA$3.41
$2.26 UYU 91.0
6.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.19 CA$4.54
$2.75 UYU 110
16.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Markham
Montevideo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.04 CA$4.32
$1.53 UYU 61.5
98.69%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$89.3 CA$127
$74.3 UYU 2,984
20.29%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.31 CA$4.71
$1.91 UYU 76.8
73.30%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$0.40 UYU 16.20
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$18.60 CA$26.44
$10.33 UYU 415
80.06%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.13 CA$1.61
$2.13 UYU 85.7
-46.95%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.1K CA$40.0K
$27.1K UYU 1.1M
3.71%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.1K CA$25.8K
$36.3K UYU 1.5M
-50.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Markham
Montevideo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$125 CA$178
$188 UYU 7,567
-33.40%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.20 CA$37.26
$20.54 UYU 825
27.56%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$45.69 CA$65.0
$44.81 UYU 1,801
1.96%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Markham
Montevideo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.62 CA$60.6
$54.0 UYU 2,169
-21.02%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.28 CA$30.26
$19.75 UYU 794
7.75%
Cinema Ticket
$10.19 CA$14.49
$11.95 UYU 480
-14.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Markham
Montevideo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$870 CA$1,237
$634 UYU 25.5K
37.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$27.5K CA$39.0K
$11.1K UYU 444.1K
148.44%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Markham
Montevideo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.21 CA$61.4
$102 UYU 4,104
-57.69%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.22 CA$52.9
$57.5 UYU 2,312
-35.30%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.1 CA$130
$127 UYU 5,086
-27.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$105 CA$149
$128 UYU 5,137
-17.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Markham
Montevideo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,554 CA$2,210
$719 UYU 28.9K
116.24%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,391 CA$1,978
$568 UYU 22.8K
144.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,699 CA$3,838
$1,145 UYU 46.0K
135.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,236 CA$3,179
$1,023 UYU 41.1K
118.49%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,896 CA$8,382
$3,392 UYU 136.3K
73.79%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,309 CA$7,549
$1,949 UYU 78.3K
172.36%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Markham
Montevideo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,132 CA$4,453
$1,245 UYU 50.0K
151.64%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.56
5.74
-20.56%

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

Last update for Markham: October 11, 2026

Last update for Montevideo: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Markham
$1.4K
Montevideo
$568 59.2% $823
Groceries & Markets
Markham
$279 *
Montevideo
$332 19% $53
Eating Out
Markham
$257
Montevideo
$269 4.8% $12
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Markham
$197
Montevideo
$254 28.6% $56
Clothing & Footwear
Markham
$124
Montevideo
$186 49.8% $62
Getting Around
Markham
$105 *
Montevideo
$84 19.5% $20
Sport & Entertainment
Markham
$63
Montevideo
$78 23.6% $15

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,554 in Markham and $719 in Montevideo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Markham pays 152% 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: $53.0 in Markham vs $69.0 in Montevideo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $279 vs $332 per month, with Markham cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Markham
🇺🇾 Montevideo
🕒 Local time
19:26 7:26 PM
20:26 8:26 PM
1 h ahead of Markham
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
338,503
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 14, 2026: 1 USD = 1.42 CAD (1 CAD = 0.703 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.628 EUR).

Uruguayan Peso exchange rates as of October 14, 2026: 1 USD = 40.18 UYU (100 UYU = 2.49 USD). 1 EUR = 44.99 UYU (100 UYU = 2.22 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Markham Montevideo 9,070 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Markham
  • 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
Markham vs Montevideo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Markham or Montevideo?
Montevideo wins on cost – living expenses run 36% lower than in Markham. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Montevideo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Markham or in Montevideo?
Average pay runs 152% higher in Markham, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Markham compared to Montevideo?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,554 in Markham versus $719 in Montevideo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Markham and in Montevideo?
Childcare runs $870 in Markham versus $634 in Montevideo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Markham or in Montevideo?
Shoppers in Markham pay roughly 19% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Can you live on $2,500/month in Markham or in Montevideo?
At $1,771 in Montevideo versus $2,416 in Markham, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Montevideo but tight or insufficient in Markham. The gap between the two cities makes Montevideo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Markham or Montevideo?
Both work as nomad bases, but Montevideo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,771 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Montevideo hard to pass up.
How safe is Markham compared to Montevideo?
Safety-wise, Markham 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 more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Montevideo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Markham. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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