Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Richmond Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Richmond

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,632 per month in Montevideo vs $2,590 in Richmond, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,480 per month in Montevideo vs $3,761 in Richmond, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Montevideo vs $4,932 in Richmond, rent included.

Montevideo is about 37% cheaper than Richmond, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Montevideo and Richmond sit above the global median – Montevideo by 22%, Richmond by 93%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.85 UYU 638

$16.83 CA$23.38

-5.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.6 UYU 2,197

$73.7 CA$102

-26.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 UYU 488

$9.45 CA$13.13

28.25%

Cappuccino

$4.23 UYU 170

$4.06 CA$5.64

4.19%

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

$2.19 UYU 88.1

$2.05 CA$2.85

6.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 UYU 68.2

$1.35 CA$1.88

25.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.52 UYU 182

$5.39 CA$7.49

-16.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 UYU 145

$5.86 CA$8.15

-38.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 UYU 51.3

$2.18 CA$3.03

-41.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 UYU 112

$2.40 CA$3.34

15.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 UYU 63.8

$2.70 CA$3.75

-41.48%

Eggs

$4.79 UYU 193

$3.22 CA$4.47

48.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.41 UYU 540

$9.19 CA$12.77

45.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.67 UYU 430

$10.36 CA$14.40

2.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.24 UYU 452

$9.97 CA$13.85

12.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 UYU 121

$3.03 CA$4.21

-0.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.43 UYU 98.0

$1.45 CA$2.02

67.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 UYU 62.2

$2.71 CA$3.77

-43.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.66 UYU 148

$4.01 CA$5.57

-8.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 UYU 84.8

$2.43 CA$3.37

-13.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 UYU 75.9

$2.15 CA$2.99

-12.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 UYU 55.0

$1.88 CA$2.62

-27.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 UYU 68.9

$1.21 CA$1.69

41.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.10 UYU 205

$14.78 CA$20.53

-65.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.05 UYU 405

$12.98 CA$18.03

-22.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 UYU 94.9

$2.15 CA$2.99

9.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 UYU 118

$2.32 CA$3.23

25.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 UYU 52.0

$2.19 CA$3.04

-41.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.8 UYU 2,247

$76.1 CA$106

-26.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.60 UYU 64.3

$2.98 CA$4.15

-46.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.63 UYU 146

$1.47 CA$2.05

146.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.43 UYU 500

$25.82 CA$35.88

-51.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 UYU 73.0

$1.36 CA$1.89

33.09%

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

$34.5K UYU 1.4M

$25.1K CA$34.8K

37.60%

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

$36.0K UYU 1.4M

$20.5K CA$28.4K

75.76%

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

$170 UYU 6,864

$112 CA$156

51.70%

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

$16.51 UYU 665

$45.34 CA$63.0

-63.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.77 UYU 2,004

$45.37 CA$63.0

9.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 UYU 2,489

$57.4 CA$79.8

7.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.67 UYU 711

$4.99 CA$6.94

254.11%

Cinema Ticket

$10.45 UYU 421

$12.28 CA$17.06

-14.90%

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

$482 UYU 19.4K

$957 CA$1,329

-49.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,873 UYU 357.3K

$11.0K CA$15.3K

-19.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.9 UYU 3,821

$49.75 CA$69.1

90.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.22 UYU 1,902

$34.01 CA$47.26

38.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 UYU 4,502

$92.6 CA$129

20.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 UYU 4,964

$122 CA$169

1.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$628 UYU 25.3K

$1,772 CA$2,462

-64.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$492 UYU 19.8K

$1,462 CA$2,031

-66.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,112 UYU 44.8K

$2,937 CA$4,081

-62.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$801 UYU 32.2K

$2,459 CA$3,416

-67.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,582 UYU 144.2K

$10.3K CA$14.3K

-65.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,272 UYU 91.5K

$8,237 CA$11.4K

-72.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,334 UYU 53.7K

$3,142 CA$4,365

-57.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.68

6.08

-6.58%

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

Last update for Montevideo: May 31, 2026

Last update for Richmond: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $628 in Montevideo versus $1,772 in Richmond. 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 135% higher in Richmond, 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 $55.0 in Montevideo versus $74.0 in Richmond. Groceries tell a different story – $321 in Montevideo vs $309 in Richmond – so Richmond 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 Richmond: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Richmond is pricier by about 59%, 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 $2,448 per month in Montevideo and $3,884 in Richmond. 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.

Kindergarten costs $482 per month in Montevideo and $957 in Richmond. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Richmond – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Montevideo, where all-in costs run around $1,632, than in Richmond at $2,590. In Montevideo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Richmond 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, Richmond makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.