Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Montevideo and Thunder Bay

For one person, living is cheaper in Montevideo: $1,771 a month against $2,179 in Thunder Bay, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Montevideo
🇺🇾 Uruguay
$1,771
/mo nomad
Thunder Bay
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,179
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Montevideo and in Thunder Bay

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

A single person spends $1,771 per month in Montevideo vs $2,179 in Thunder Bay, rent included.

  • Montevideo $1,771
  • Thunder Bay $2,179

A couple spends around $2,740 per month in Montevideo vs $3,301 in Thunder Bay, rent included.

  • Montevideo $2,740
  • Thunder Bay $3,301

A family of three spends $3,708 per month in Montevideo vs $4,423 in Thunder Bay, rent included.

  • Montevideo $3,708
  • Thunder Bay $4,423

Montevideo is about 19% cheaper than Thunder Bay, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Montevideo and Thunder Bay sit above the global median – Montevideo by 31%, Thunder Bay by 61%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Montevideo
Thunder Bay
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.16 UYU 609
$17.59 CA$24.87
-13.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.2 UYU 2,776
$60.1 CA$84.9
15.12%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.65 UYU 588
$12.43 CA$17.57
17.86%
Cappuccino
$4.46 UYU 179
$3.31 CA$4.68
34.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 UYU 107
$1.86 CA$2.63
43.55%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.00 UYU 80.4
$1.56 CA$2.20
28.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.83 UYU 194
$5.33 CA$7.53
-9.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.80 UYU 152
$4.98 CA$7.04
-23.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Montevideo
Thunder Bay
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.36 UYU 54.8
$2.28 CA$3.23
-40.35%
White Bread (500g)
$2.87 UYU 115
$2.59 CA$3.67
10.81%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.75 UYU 70.2
$3.33 CA$4.71
-47.45%
Eggs
$4.68 UYU 188
$3.58 CA$5.06
30.73%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.88 UYU 557
$16.32 CA$23.08
-14.95%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.98 UYU 481
$15.86 CA$22.42
-24.46%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.97 UYU 480
$16.23 CA$22.94
-26.25%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 UYU 111
$3.31 CA$4.68
-16.01%
Banana (1kg)
$2.74 UYU 110
$1.16 CA$1.64
136.21%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.77 UYU 71.2
$3.91 CA$5.53
-54.73%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.24 UYU 130
$3.48 CA$4.92
-6.90%
Potato (1kg)
$1.97 UYU 79.2
$2.48 CA$3.51
-20.56%
Onion (1kg)
$2.07 UYU 83.1
$2.12 CA$3.00
-2.36%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.37 UYU 55.1
$2.85 CA$4.03
-51.93%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.88 UYU 75.3
$2.27 CA$3.22
-17.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.59 UYU 224
$10.55 CA$14.92
-47.01%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.78 UYU 352
$8.93 CA$12.62
-1.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.26 UYU 90.9
$2.01 CA$2.85
12.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 UYU 110
$3.01 CA$4.26
-8.64%
🚌 Getting Around
Montevideo
Thunder Bay
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.53 UYU 61.5
$2.24 CA$3.17
-31.70%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$74.3 UYU 2,980
$63.5 CA$89.7
17.04%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.91 UYU 76.7
$5.00 CA$7.07
-61.80%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.40 UYU 16.18
$2.05 CA$2.90
-80.49%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$10.33 UYU 415
$34.37 CA$48.58
-69.94%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.13 UYU 85.6
$1.18 CA$1.66
80.51%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.1K UYU 1.1M
$27.3K CA$38.6K
-0.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.3K UYU 1.5M
$18.9K CA$26.7K
91.83%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montevideo
Thunder Bay
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$188 UYU 7,557
$160 CA$226
18.02%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.54 UYU 824
$56.8 CA$80.3
-63.84%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$44.81 UYU 1,798
$80.8 CA$114
-44.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Montevideo
Thunder Bay
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.0 UYU 2,166
$28.63 CA$40.48
88.47%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.75 UYU 793
$17.26 CA$24.41
14.43%
Cinema Ticket
$11.95 UYU 480
$17.28 CA$24.43
-30.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Montevideo
Thunder Bay
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$634 UYU 25.5K
$663 CA$937
-4.27%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.1K UYU 443.6K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Montevideo
Thunder Bay
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$102 UYU 4,099
$77.0 CA$109
32.60%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.5 UYU 2,309
$34.56 CA$48.86
66.46%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$127 UYU 5,079
$76.5 CA$108
65.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$128 UYU 5,131
$131 CA$185
-2.05%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Montevideo
Thunder Bay
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$719 UYU 28.8K
$1,040 CA$1,471
-30.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$568 UYU 22.8K
$925 CA$1,308
-38.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,145 UYU 46.0K
$1,837 CA$2,597
-37.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,023 UYU 41.1K
$1,675 CA$2,368
-38.92%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,392 UYU 136.1K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,949 UYU 78.2K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Montevideo
Thunder Bay
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,245 UYU 50.0K
$2,601 CA$3,677
-52.15%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.74
4.58
25.33%

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

Last update for Montevideo: October 12, 2026

Last update for Thunder Bay: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Montevideo
$568
Thunder Bay
$925 62.9% $357
Groceries & Markets
Montevideo
$332
Thunder Bay
$394 18.9% $63
Eating Out
Montevideo
$269
Thunder Bay
$268 0.4% $1.1
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Montevideo
$254
Thunder Bay
$297 17.1% $43
Clothing & Footwear
Montevideo
$186
Thunder Bay
$143 23.1% $43
Getting Around
Montevideo
$84
Thunder Bay
$88 4% $3.4
Sport & Entertainment
Montevideo
$78
Thunder Bay
$63 18.8% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $719 in Montevideo versus $1,040 in Thunder Bay. 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 109% higher in Thunder Bay, 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 $69.0 in Montevideo versus $60.0 in Thunder Bay. Groceries tell a different story – $332 in Montevideo vs $394 in Thunder Bay – so Montevideo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇺🇾 Montevideo
🇨🇦 Thunder Bay
🕒 Local time
14:38 2:38 PM
13:38 1:38 PM
1 h behind Montevideo
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,319,108 Capital
107,909
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to UYU – Uruguayan Peso Converter

Uruguayan Peso exchange rates as of October 18, 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 18, 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 Thunder Bay 9,830 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Montevideo
  • Thunder Bay

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 Thunder Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Thunder Bay cheaper than Montevideo?
Yes – Thunder Bay is pricier by about 23%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in utilities.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,656 per month in Montevideo and $3,268 in Thunder Bay. 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 Montevideo, 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 $663 in Thunder Bay. 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 Thunder Bay?
Groceries cost about 19% more in Thunder Bay, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Montevideo or in Thunder Bay?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Montevideo, where all-in costs run around $1,771, than in Thunder Bay at $2,179. In Montevideo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Thunder Bay it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Montevideo or Thunder Bay more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Montevideo or Thunder Bay?
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 Montevideo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Thunder Bay makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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