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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,667 per month in Montevideo vs $2,566 in Richmond, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,511 per month in Montevideo vs $3,820 in Richmond, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,354 per month in Montevideo vs $5,074 in Richmond, rent included.

Montevideo is about 35% cheaper than Richmond, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Montevideo and Richmond sit above the global median – Montevideo by 25%, Richmond by 92%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.30 UYU 655

$16.39 CA$23.06

-0.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.4 UYU 2,226

$74.4 CA$105

-25.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.19 UYU 490

$9.55 CA$13.44

27.64%

Cappuccino

$4.26 UYU 171

$4.22 CA$5.94

0.95%

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

$2.19 UYU 88.0

$2.00 CA$2.81

9.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 UYU 68.7

$1.36 CA$1.91

25.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.47 UYU 180

$5.64 CA$7.94

-20.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 UYU 149

$5.99 CA$8.43

-38.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 UYU 50.3

$2.09 CA$2.94

-40.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.91 UYU 117

$2.33 CA$3.28

24.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 UYU 65.6

$2.63 CA$3.70

-38.02%

Eggs

$4.96 UYU 199

$3.20 CA$4.50

55.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.31 UYU 535

$9.22 CA$12.98

44.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.83 UYU 435

$10.40 CA$14.64

4.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.96 UYU 441

$10.09 CA$14.19

8.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 UYU 124

$3.15 CA$4.43

-2.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 UYU 94.8

$1.37 CA$1.93

72.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 UYU 60.3

$2.73 CA$3.85

-45.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.58 UYU 144

$3.88 CA$5.46

-7.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 UYU 83.5

$2.43 CA$3.42

-14.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 UYU 78.1

$2.14 CA$3.01

-9.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 UYU 52.7

$1.96 CA$2.76

-33.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 UYU 69.4

$1.20 CA$1.69

44.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.23 UYU 210

$15.02 CA$21.13

-65.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.76 UYU 352

$12.96 CA$18.23

-32.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 UYU 93.8

$2.13 CA$3.00

9.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 UYU 117

$2.25 CA$3.17

28.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.30 UYU 52.1

$2.20 CA$3.09

-40.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.3 UYU 2,263

$77.7 CA$109

-27.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 UYU 62.0

$3.13 CA$4.40

-50.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.63 UYU 146

$1.55 CA$2.18

134.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.37 UYU 497

$25.85 CA$36.38

-52.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.83 UYU 73.4

$1.37 CA$1.93

33.58%

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

$33.7K UYU 1.4M

$24.6K CA$34.6K

37.05%

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

$35.9K UYU 1.4M

$19.8K CA$27.9K

80.76%

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

$175 UYU 7,025

$113 CA$159

54.24%

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

$16.95 UYU 681

$44.53 CA$62.7

-61.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.42 UYU 1,946

$46.08 CA$64.8

5.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 UYU 2,478

$56.0 CA$78.8

10.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.76 UYU 714

$4.83 CA$6.80

267.70%

Cinema Ticket

$10.42 UYU 419

$12.00 CA$16.89

-13.17%

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

$489 UYU 19.6K

$943 CA$1,327

-48.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,967 UYU 360.4K

$10.9K CA$15.4K

-18.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.6 UYU 3,844

$48.54 CA$68.3

97.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.66 UYU 1,915

$33.28 CA$46.83

43.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 UYU 4,603

$92.4 CA$130

23.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 UYU 4,853

$126 CA$177

-4.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$611 UYU 24.5K

$1,799 CA$2,531

-66.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$488 UYU 19.6K

$1,446 CA$2,035

-66.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 UYU 44.5K

$2,936 CA$4,131

-62.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$818 UYU 32.9K

$2,498 CA$3,516

-67.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,598 UYU 144.6K

$9,856 CA$13.9K

-63.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,274 UYU 91.4K

$7,865 CA$11.1K

-71.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,332 UYU 53.5K

$3,012 CA$4,239

-55.77%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Richmond: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $611 in Montevideo versus $1,799 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 126% 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 – $319 in Montevideo vs $307 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 54%, 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 $2,501 per month in Montevideo and $3,849 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 $489 per month in Montevideo and $943 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 $1,667, than in Richmond at $2,566. 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.