Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Cold Lake Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Cold Lake

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,806 per month in Montevideo vs $1,932 in Cold Lake, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,668 per month in Montevideo vs $2,895 in Cold Lake, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,530 per month in Montevideo vs $3,859 in Cold Lake, rent included.

Montevideo is about 7% cheaper than Cold Lake, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Montevideo and Cold Lake sit above the global median – Montevideo by 31%, Cold Lake by 41%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.05 UYU 605

$20.15 CA$27.90

-25.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.1 UYU 2,541

$59.8 CA$82.8

5.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.11 UYU 527

$10.06 CA$13.93

30.32%

Cappuccino

$4.56 UYU 183

$3.87 CA$5.36

17.83%

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

$2.69 UYU 108

$2.22 CA$3.07

21.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 UYU 78.7

$1.41 CA$1.95

39.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.63 UYU 186

$5.72 CA$7.91

-19.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 UYU 147

$6.63 CA$9.18

-44.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 UYU 54.0

$1.16 CA$1.60

15.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 UYU 115

$2.26 CA$3.13

26.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 UYU 70.6

$3.05 CA$4.23

-42.62%

Eggs

$4.79 UYU 193

$3.16 CA$4.37

51.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 UYU 579

$11.18 CA$15.48

28.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.94 UYU 480

$11.68 CA$16.17

2.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 UYU 465

$18.75 CA$25.95

-38.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 UYU 114

$3.57 CA$4.94

-20.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 UYU 112

$1.13 CA$1.56

146.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 UYU 71.0

$2.86 CA$3.96

-38.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.00 UYU 121

$2.62 CA$3.63

14.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 UYU 86.1

$2.24 CA$3.10

-4.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 UYU 87.4

$1.05 CA$1.46

106.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 UYU 58.6

$2.49 CA$3.45

-41.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 UYU 79.6

$1.84 CA$2.54

7.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.55 UYU 223

$12.01 CA$16.63

-53.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.31 UYU 334

$11.71 CA$16.22

-29.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 UYU 90.2

$3.57 CA$4.94

-37.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 UYU 116

$3.02 CA$4.18

-4.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.55 UYU 62.3

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.6 UYU 3,042

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 UYU 72.7

$3.03 CA$4.20

-40.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 UYU 16.34

$1.42 CA$1.97

-71.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.35 UYU 417

$21.96 CA$30.40

-52.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 UYU 84.2

$1.04 CA$1.44

100.96%

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

$27.2K UYU 1.1M

$28.3K CA$39.1K

-3.85%

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

$37.6K UYU 1.5M

$20.1K CA$27.8K

87.27%

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

$188 UYU 7,549

$231 CA$320

-18.89%

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

$16.86 UYU 678

$41.34 CA$57.2

-59.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.26 UYU 1,821

$55.6 CA$77.0

-18.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.88 UYU 1,967

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.99 UYU 764

Cinema Ticket

$12.33 UYU 496

$13.37 CA$18.51

-7.78%

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

$640 UYU 25.8K

$777 CA$1,076

-17.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K UYU 433.8K

$9,577 CA$13.3K

12.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.5 UYU 3,804

$29.08 CA$40.27

225.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.7 UYU 2,281

$35.70 CA$49.43

58.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 UYU 4,952

$54.6 CA$75.7

125.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 UYU 5,296

$91.5 CA$127

43.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$760 UYU 30.6K

$898 CA$1,244

-15.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$602 UYU 24.2K

$861 CA$1,192

-30.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 UYU 48.0K

$1,583 CA$2,192

-24.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$980 UYU 39.4K

$1,454 CA$2,013

-32.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,484 UYU 140.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,865 UYU 75.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,211 UYU 48.7K

$3,099 CA$4,291

-60.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.49

4.32

27.08%

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

Last update for Montevideo: August 31, 2026

Last update for Cold Lake: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $760 in Montevideo versus $898 in Cold Lake. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 156% higher in Cold Lake, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Montevideo versus $60.0 in Cold Lake. Groceries tell a different story – $333 in Montevideo vs $344 in Cold Lake – so Montevideo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Cold Lake: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cold Lake is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,709 per month in Montevideo and $2,897 in Cold Lake. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,806 in Montevideo and $1,932 in Cold Lake. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $640 per month in Montevideo and $777 in Cold Lake. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Montevideo, where all-in costs run around $1,806, than in Cold Lake at $1,932. In Montevideo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cold Lake it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Montevideo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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