Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Picton

For one person, living is cheaper in Picton: $1,000 a month against $1,771 in Montevideo, rent and utilities included – about $9,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Montevideo
🇺🇾 Uruguay
$1,771
/mo nomad
Picton
🇨🇦 Canada
$1,000
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montevideo and in Picton

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

A single person spends $1,771 per month in Montevideo vs $1,000 in Picton, rent included.

  • Montevideo $1,771
  • Picton $1,000

A couple spends around $2,740 per month in Montevideo vs $1,651 in Picton, rent included.

  • Montevideo $2,740
  • Picton $1,651

A family of three spends $3,708 per month in Montevideo vs $2,302 in Picton, rent included.

  • Montevideo $3,708
  • Picton $2,302

Montevideo costs about 77% more than Picton, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Montevideo sits 31% above the global median, while Picton is 26% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Montevideo
Picton
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.16 UYU 609
$17.76 CA$25.11
-14.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.2 UYU 2,776
$67.4 CA$95.2
2.64%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.65 UYU 588
$9.52 CA$13.46
53.89%
Cappuccino
$4.46 UYU 179
$3.58 CA$5.07
24.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 UYU 107
$2.10 CA$2.97
27.14%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.00 UYU 80.4
$1.67 CA$2.36
19.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.83 UYU 194
$5.45 CA$7.70
-11.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80 UYU 152
$5.74 CA$8.11
-33.80%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montevideo
Picton
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.36 UYU 54.8
$1.64 CA$2.32
-17.07%
White Bread (500g)
$2.87 UYU 115
$1.97 CA$2.78
45.69%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.75 UYU 70.2
$2.22 CA$3.14
-21.17%
Eggs
$4.68 UYU 188
$2.82 CA$3.99
65.96%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.88 UYU 557
$9.07 CA$12.82
53.03%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.98 UYU 481
$11.24 CA$15.89
6.58%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.97 UYU 480
$14.63 CA$20.69
-18.18%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 UYU 111
$2.67 CA$3.77
4.12%
Banana (1kg)
$2.74 UYU 110
$1.15 CA$1.62
138.26%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.77 UYU 71.2
$3.44 CA$4.86
-48.55%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.24 UYU 130
$4.06 CA$5.74
-20.20%
Potato (1kg)
$1.97 UYU 79.2
$1.85 CA$2.61
6.49%
Onion (1kg)
$2.07 UYU 83.1
$1.66 CA$2.35
24.70%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.37 UYU 55.1
$2.17 CA$3.07
-36.87%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.88 UYU 75.3
$1.25 CA$1.77
50.40%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.59 UYU 224
$13.35 CA$18.88
-58.13%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.78 UYU 352
$13.97 CA$19.75
-37.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.26 UYU 90.9
$2.12 CA$3.00
6.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 UYU 110
$2.45 CA$3.46
12.24%
🚌 Getting Around
Montevideo
Picton
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.53 UYU 61.5
$2.11 CA$2.99
-27.49%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$74.3 UYU 2,980
$19.44 CA$27.49
282.00%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.91 UYU 76.7
$3.02 CA$4.27
-36.75%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.40 UYU 16.18
$1.26 CA$1.78
-68.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.33 UYU 415
$21.90 CA$30.96
-52.83%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.13 UYU 85.6
$1.10 CA$1.56
93.64%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.1K UYU 1.1M
$27.2K CA$38.4K
-0.24%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.3K UYU 1.5M
$19.9K CA$28.1K
82.32%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montevideo
Picton
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$188 UYU 7,557
$118 CA$167
59.00%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.54 UYU 824
$28.18 CA$39.83
-27.11%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$44.81 UYU 1,798
$47.12 CA$66.6
-4.90%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montevideo
Picton
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.0 UYU 2,166
$41.58 CA$58.8
29.77%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.75 UYU 793
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.95 UYU 480
$8.49 CA$12.01
40.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montevideo
Picton
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$634 UYU 25.5K
$283 CA$400
124.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.1K UYU 443.6K
$23.3K CA$33.0K
-52.65%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montevideo
Picton
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 UYU 4,099
$49.40 CA$69.8
106.74%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.5 UYU 2,309
$34.84 CA$49.26
65.13%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$127 UYU 5,079
$83.2 CA$118
52.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$128 UYU 5,131
$120 CA$169
6.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montevideo
Picton
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$719 UYU 28.8K
$1,016 CA$1,436
-29.24%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$568 UYU 22.8K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,145 UYU 46.0K
$1,589 CA$2,247
-27.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,023 UYU 41.1K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,392 UYU 136.1K
$3,775 CA$5,337
-10.14%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,949 UYU 78.2K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Montevideo
Picton
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,245 UYU 50.0K
$3,036 CA$4,292
-59.01%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.74
4.47
28.41%

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

Last update for Montevideo: October 12, 2026

Last update for Picton: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Montevideo
$568
Picton
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Montevideo
$332
Picton
$314 5.3% $18
Eating Out
Montevideo
$269
Picton
$267 0.6% $1.7
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montevideo
$254
Picton
$194 23.6% $60
Clothing & Footwear
Montevideo
$186
Picton
$129 30.6% $57
Getting Around
Montevideo
$84
Picton
$37 55.9% $47
Sport & Entertainment
Montevideo
$78
Picton
$59 24.8% $19

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $719 in Montevideo versus $1,016 in Picton. 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 144% higher in Picton, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Montevideo versus $67.0 in Picton. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $332 vs $314 – making Picton the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇾 Montevideo
🇨🇦 Picton
🕒 Local time
01:36 1:36 AM
00:36 12:36 AM
1 h behind Montevideo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,319,108 Capital
4,702
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to UYU – Uruguayan Peso Converter

Uruguayan Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 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 19, 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 Picton 9,030 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Montevideo
  • Picton

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 Picton: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Picton cheaper than Montevideo?
Yes – Montevideo is pricier by about 77%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,656 per month in Montevideo and $1,500 in Picton. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Picton, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $634 per month in Montevideo and $283 in Picton. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Montevideo and in Picton?
Groceries cost about 6% more in Montevideo, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Montevideo or in Picton?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Picton, where all-in costs run around $1,000, than in Montevideo at $1,771. In Picton it covers expenses comfortably, while in Montevideo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Montevideo or Picton more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Picton – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Montevideo or Picton?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Picton. 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.

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