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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,749 per month in Montevideo vs $2,487 in Richmond, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,666 per month in Montevideo vs $3,585 in Richmond, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,582 per month in Montevideo vs $4,683 in Richmond, rent included.

Montevideo is about 30% cheaper than Richmond, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Montevideo and Richmond sit above the global median – Montevideo by 28%, Richmond by 82%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.25 UYU 613

$15.87 CA$22.20

-3.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.3 UYU 2,503

$71.0 CA$99.4

-12.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.86 UYU 557

$9.26 CA$12.96

49.68%

Cappuccino

$4.39 UYU 176

$4.24 CA$5.93

3.54%

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

$2.77 UYU 111

$2.05 CA$2.87

35.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 UYU 81.4

$1.55 CA$2.17

30.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.95 UYU 199

$5.45 CA$7.63

-9.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 UYU 147

$5.92 CA$8.28

-38.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 UYU 55.3

$2.24 CA$3.13

-38.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 UYU 113

$2.21 CA$3.10

27.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 UYU 69.3

$2.26 CA$3.16

-23.45%

Eggs

$4.74 UYU 191

$3.23 CA$4.53

46.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.57 UYU 545

$9.04 CA$12.64

50.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.51 UYU 463

$10.89 CA$15.24

5.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.75 UYU 472

$10.09 CA$14.11

16.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 UYU 114

$2.65 CA$3.70

7.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.76 UYU 111

$1.28 CA$1.79

115.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 UYU 68.9

$2.63 CA$3.68

-34.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.12 UYU 126

$3.59 CA$5.02

-13.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 UYU 79.3

$2.12 CA$2.96

-7.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 UYU 86.5

$1.85 CA$2.58

16.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 UYU 54.4

$2.04 CA$2.86

-33.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 UYU 77.4

$1.21 CA$1.69

58.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.59 UYU 225

$14.17 CA$19.83

-60.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 UYU 331

$12.97 CA$18.15

-36.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 UYU 93.6

$2.13 CA$2.98

9.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 UYU 115

$2.32 CA$3.24

22.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.53 UYU 61.7

$2.18 CA$3.05

-29.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.6 UYU 2,998

$75.0 CA$105

-0.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 UYU 72.7

$2.96 CA$4.15

-38.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 UYU 17.67

$1.42 CA$1.98

-69.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.69 UYU 430

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.21 UYU 89.0

$1.24 CA$1.73

78.23%

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

$27.5K UYU 1.1M

$24.2K CA$33.9K

13.39%

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

$37.8K UYU 1.5M

$19.0K CA$26.6K

98.90%

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

$192 UYU 7,721

$135 CA$189

42.27%

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

$18.93 UYU 761

$32.87 CA$45.98

-42.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.31 UYU 1,821

$45.91 CA$64.2

-1.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 UYU 2,074

$26.28 CA$36.76

96.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.68 UYU 791

$2.35 CA$3.28

737.45%

Cinema Ticket

$11.95 UYU 480

$12.31 CA$17.22

-2.92%

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

$608 UYU 24.4K

$820 CA$1,148

-25.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K UYU 429.3K

$10.6K CA$14.8K

0.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$100 UYU 4,030

$52.8 CA$73.9

89.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.7 UYU 2,279

$33.04 CA$46.22

71.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 UYU 4,994

$93.3 CA$130

33.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 UYU 5,330

$121 CA$169

9.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 UYU 29.6K

$1,872 CA$2,619

-60.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 UYU 23.0K

$1,442 CA$2,017

-60.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,165 UYU 46.8K

$2,856 CA$3,996

-59.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$947 UYU 38.1K

$2,356 CA$3,295

-59.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,415 UYU 137.3K

$10.2K CA$14.3K

-66.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,873 UYU 75.3K

$8,208 CA$11.5K

-77.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,164 UYU 46.8K

$3,049 CA$4,265

-61.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.6

4.77

17.40%

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

Last update for Montevideo: September 14, 2026

Last update for Richmond: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $737 in Montevideo versus $1,872 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 162% 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 $62.0 in Montevideo versus $71.0 in Richmond. Groceries tell a different story – $327 in Montevideo vs $302 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 42%, 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 $2,624 per month in Montevideo and $3,731 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 $608 per month in Montevideo and $820 in Richmond. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% 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 $1,749, than in Richmond at $2,487. 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.