Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Hearst

For one person, living is cheaper in Montevideo: $1,784 a month against $2,210 in Hearst, rent and utilities included – about $5,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Hearst outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Montevideo
🇺🇾 Uruguay
$1,784
/mo nomad
Hearst
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,210
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montevideo and in Hearst

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 Hearst actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,784 in Montevideo versus $2,210 in Hearst.

  • Montevideo $1,784
  • Hearst $2,210

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,756 in Montevideo versus $3,203 in Hearst.

  • Montevideo $2,756
  • Hearst $3,203

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,728 in Montevideo versus $4,197 in Hearst.

  • Montevideo $3,728
  • Hearst $4,197

Living in Montevideo costs roughly 19% less than in Hearst, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Montevideo 32% above, Hearst 63% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Montevideo
Hearst
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.82 UYU 595
$17.35 CA$24.53
-14.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.7 UYU 2,797
$66.0 CA$93.4
5.54%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.68 UYU 589
$10.67 CA$15.09
37.58%
Cappuccino
$4.65 UYU 186
$3.60 CA$5.09
29.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74 UYU 110
$2.01 CA$2.83
36.32%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.07 UYU 82.9
$1.55 CA$2.20
33.55%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.79 UYU 192
$5.18 CA$7.32
-7.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 UYU 146
$5.58 CA$7.88
-34.95%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montevideo
Hearst
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.39 UYU 55.8
$2.09 CA$2.95
-33.49%
White Bread (500g)
$2.89 UYU 116
$2.55 CA$3.60
13.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.70 UYU 68.1
$3.29 CA$4.65
-48.33%
Eggs
$4.62 UYU 185
$3.34 CA$4.73
38.32%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.22 UYU 571
$9.67 CA$13.67
47.05%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.62 UYU 466
$11.53 CA$16.30
0.78%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.23 UYU 491
$14.25 CA$20.15
-14.18%
Apples (1kg)
$2.77 UYU 111
$3.78 CA$5.35
-26.72%
Banana (1kg)
$2.85 UYU 114
$1.26 CA$1.78
126.19%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.81 UYU 72.5
$3.63 CA$5.13
-50.14%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.20 UYU 129
$3.67 CA$5.18
-12.81%
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 UYU 77.8
$2.49 CA$3.52
-22.09%
Onion (1kg)
$2.16 UYU 86.5
$2.17 CA$3.06
-0.46%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.43 UYU 57.3
$2.48 CA$3.51
-42.34%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.94 UYU 77.9
$1.57 CA$2.22
23.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.47 UYU 219
$13.89 CA$19.63
-60.62%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.95 UYU 359
$12.84 CA$18.15
-30.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.26 UYU 90.8
$2.61 CA$3.70
-13.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.81 UYU 113
$3.09 CA$4.37
-9.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Montevideo
Hearst
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.56 UYU 62.6
$2.24 CA$3.17
-30.36%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$73.8 UYU 2,962
$62.3 CA$88.0
18.55%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.90 UYU 76.2
$2.79 CA$3.95
-31.90%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.43 UYU 17.36
$1.40 CA$1.98
-69.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.59 UYU 425
$22.95 CA$32.44
-53.86%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.12 UYU 85.2
$1.14 CA$1.61
85.96%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K UYU 1.1M
$27.9K CA$39.4K
-3.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.0K UYU 1.5M
$18.9K CA$26.7K
95.98%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montevideo
Hearst
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$193 UYU 7,727
$132 CA$186
46.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.91 UYU 839
$38.55 CA$54.5
-45.76%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$44.89 UYU 1,802
$54.4 CA$77.0
-17.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montevideo
Hearst
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.8 UYU 2,038
$40.47 CA$57.2
25.45%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.73 UYU 792
$17.81 CA$25.18
10.78%
Cinema Ticket
$12.30 UYU 494
$11.12 CA$15.72
10.61%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montevideo
Hearst
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$629 UYU 25.2K
$748 CA$1,057
-15.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.9K UYU 437.3K
$13.1K CA$18.5K
-16.51%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montevideo
Hearst
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$104 UYU 4,166
$53.7 CA$75.9
93.31%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.4 UYU 2,305
$38.42 CA$54.3
49.51%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$125 UYU 5,010
$83.4 CA$118
49.62%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$132 UYU 5,315
$103 CA$145
29.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montevideo
Hearst
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$713 UYU 28.6K
$1,220 CA$1,724
-41.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$575 UYU 23.1K
$1,104 CA$1,560
-47.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,164 UYU 46.7K
$1,918 CA$2,711
-39.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,033 UYU 41.5K
$1,687 CA$2,384
-38.73%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,418 UYU 137.2K
$4,145 CA$5,860
-17.54%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,760 UYU 70.6K
$3,557 CA$5,028
-50.52%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Montevideo
Hearst
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,244 UYU 49.9K
$3,120 CA$4,410
-60.11%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.74
4.66
23.18%

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

Last update for Montevideo: October 19, 2026

Last update for Hearst: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Montevideo
$575
Hearst
$1.1K 91.8% $528
Groceries & Markets
Montevideo
$334
Hearst
$347 4.1% $14
Eating Out
Montevideo
$269
Hearst
$265 1.3% $3.5
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montevideo
$258
Hearst
$225 13% $34
Clothing & Footwear
Montevideo
$188
Hearst
$125 33.5% $63
Getting Around
Montevideo
$84
Hearst
$81 3.7% $3.1
Sport & Entertainment
Montevideo
$75
Hearst
$63 16.8% $13

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $713 in Montevideo and $1,220 in Hearst. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hearst pays 151% 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: $70.0 in Montevideo vs $66.0 in Hearst. Groceries flip the comparison at $334 vs $347, with Montevideo cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇺🇾 Montevideo
🇨🇦 Hearst
🕒 Local time
13:19 1:19 PM
12:19 12:19 PM
1 h behind Montevideo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,319,108 Capital
5,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to UYU – Uruguayan Peso Converter

Uruguayan Peso exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 40.14 UYU (100 UYU = 2.49 USD). 1 EUR = 45.12 UYU (100 UYU = 2.22 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 21, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.707 USD). 1 EUR = 1.59 CAD (1 CAD = 0.629 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Montevideo Hearst 9,790 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Montevideo
  • Hearst

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 Hearst: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Montevideo and in Hearst?
Montevideo and Hearst differ by about 24% in total monthly costs ($1,784 vs $2,210 including rent). Montevideo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 151% lower in Hearst. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Montevideo and in Hearst?
Rent for a central apartment: $713 in Montevideo versus $1,220 in Hearst. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Montevideo and Hearst?
Childcare runs $629 in Montevideo versus $748 in Hearst. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Hearst. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,500 per month?
At $1,784 in Montevideo versus $2,210 in Hearst, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Montevideo but tight or insufficient in Hearst. The gap between the two cities makes Montevideo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Montevideo and Hearst?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Montevideo or Hearst safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Montevideo and Hearst are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Montevideo or Hearst?
Expats usually find Montevideo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Hearst. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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