Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and the Canaries

For one person, living is cheaper in the Canaries: $187 a month against $1,784 in Montevideo, rent and utilities included – about $19,200 less a year.

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Cost of Living Index in Montevideo
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Montevideo Living Index

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Montevideo

🇺🇾 Uruguay

$1,784

/mo nomad

Canaries

🇱🇨 Saint Lucia

$187

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montevideo and in the Canaries

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Montevideo and in the Canaries actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,784 per month in Montevideo vs $187 in the Canaries, rent included.

Montevideo $1,784
Canaries $187

A couple spends around $2,756 per month in Montevideo vs $275 in the Canaries, rent included.

Montevideo $2,756
Canaries $275

A family of three spends $3,728 per month in Montevideo vs $364 in the Canaries, rent included.

Montevideo $3,728
Canaries $364

Montevideo costs about 852% more than the Canaries, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Montevideo sits 32% above the global median, while Canaries is 86% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.82 UYU 595

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.7 UYU 2,797

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.68 UYU 589

Cappuccino

$4.65 UYU 186

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 UYU 110

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 UYU 82.9

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.79 UYU 192

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 UYU 146

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 UYU 55.8

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 UYU 116

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 UYU 68.1

Eggs

$4.62 UYU 185

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.22 UYU 571

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.62 UYU 466

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.23 UYU 491

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 UYU 111

Banana (1kg)

$2.85 UYU 114

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 UYU 72.5

Tomato (1kg)

$3.20 UYU 129

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 UYU 77.8

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 UYU 86.5

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.43 UYU 57.3

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 UYU 77.9

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.47 UYU 219

Wine (Bottle)

$8.95 UYU 359

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 UYU 90.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 UYU 113

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.56 UYU 62.6

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.8 UYU 2,962

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 UYU 76.2

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 UYU 17.36

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.59 UYU 425

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.12 UYU 85.2

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$26.8K UYU 1.1M

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$37.0K UYU 1.5M

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$193 UYU 7,727

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$20.91 UYU 839

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.89 UYU 1,802

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.8 UYU 2,038

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.73 UYU 792

Cinema Ticket

$12.30 UYU 494

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$629 UYU 25.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K UYU 437.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 UYU 4,166

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.4 UYU 2,305

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 UYU 5,010

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 UYU 5,315

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$713 UYU 28.6K

$187 EC$505

281.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$575 UYU 23.1K

$187 EC$506

207.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,164 UYU 46.7K

$298 EC$805

290.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,033 UYU 41.5K

$364 EC$982

184.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,418 UYU 137.2K

$187 EC$506

1723.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,760 UYU 70.6K

$261 EC$704

574.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,244 UYU 49.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.74

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

Last update for Montevideo: October 19, 2026

Last update for the Canaries: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Montevideo

$575 32.2%

Canaries

–

Groceries & Markets

Montevideo

$334 18.7%

Canaries

–

Eating Out

Montevideo

$269 15.1%

Canaries

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Montevideo

$258 14.5%

Canaries

–

Clothing & Footwear

Montevideo

$188 10.6%

Canaries

–

Getting Around

Montevideo

$84 4.7%

Canaries

–

Sport & Entertainment

Montevideo

$75 4.2%

Canaries

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $713 in Montevideo versus $187 in the Canaries. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Good to know

🇺🇾 Montevideo

🇱🇨 Canaries

🕒 Local time

02:23 2:23 AM

01:23 1:23 AM

1 h behind Montevideo

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,319,108 Capital

1,862

💱 Currency

Uruguayan Peso UYU $U

East Caribbean Dollar XCD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 UYU = 2.49 USD

100 UYU = 2.22 EUR

1 XCD = 0.37 USD

1 XCD = 0.329 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

XCD, USD, EUR to UYU – Uruguayan Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇺🇾 Uruguayan Peso ($U)

Uruguayan Peso exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 40.14 UYU (100 UYU = 2.49 USD). 1 EUR = 45.12 UYU (100 UYU = 2.22 EUR).

East Caribbean Dollar exchange rates as of October 23, 2026: 1 USD = 2.7 XCD (1 XCD = 0.37 USD). 1 EUR = 3.04 XCD (1 XCD = 0.329 EUR).

USD to UYU in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Montevideo Canaries 5,450 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Montevideo
Canaries

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

Montevideo vs Canaries: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montevideo costs about 852% more than the Canaries, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,676 per month in Montevideo and $281 in the Canaries. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in the Canaries, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in the Canaries, where all-in costs run around $187, than in Montevideo at $1,784. In Canaries it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montevideo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Canaries costs $187 versus $1,784 in Montevideo. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with the Canaries. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Montevideo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.