Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint John, New Brunswick and Montevideo

For one person, living is cheaper in Montevideo: $1,764 a month against $1,977 in Saint John, New Brunswick, rent and utilities included – about $2,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Saint John, New Brunswick outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada
Montevideo, Uruguay
Saint John, New Brunswick
🇨🇦 Canada
$1,977
/mo nomad
Montevideo
🇺🇾 Uruguay
$1,764
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Saint John, New Brunswick and in Montevideo

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Saint John, New Brunswick and in Montevideo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,977 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick vs $1,764 in Montevideo, rent included.

  • Saint John, New Brunswick $1,977
  • Montevideo $1,764

A couple spends around $2,872 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick vs $2,751 in Montevideo, rent included.

  • Saint John, New Brunswick $2,872
  • Montevideo $2,751

A family of three spends $3,767 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick vs $3,738 in Montevideo, rent included.

  • Saint John, New Brunswick $3,767
  • Montevideo $3,738

Saint John, New Brunswick costs about 12% more than Montevideo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Saint John, New Brunswick and Montevideo sit above the global median – Saint John, New Brunswick by 46%, Montevideo by 30%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Saint John, New Brunswick
Montevideo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.03 CA$26.77
$15.45 UYU 622
23.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.8 CA$85.5
$67.2 UYU 2,701
-9.54%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.65 CA$14.98
$14.41 UYU 580
-26.09%
Cappuccino
$3.05 CA$4.29
$4.53 UYU 182
-32.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 CA$2.44
$2.59 UYU 104
-33.20%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.12 CA$1.58
$1.86 UYU 74.6
-39.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.55 CA$6.40
$4.74 UYU 191
-4.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.13 CA$7.21
$3.64 UYU 146
40.93%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Saint John, New Brunswick
Montevideo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.53 CA$3.55
$1.25 UYU 50.2
102.40%
White Bread (500g)
$2.72 CA$3.82
$3.03 UYU 122
-10.23%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.16 CA$4.45
$1.68 UYU 67.7
88.10%
Eggs
$3.63 CA$5.11
$4.62 UYU 186
-21.43%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.41 CA$18.86
$14.25 UYU 573
-5.89%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.16 CA$12.88
$11.38 UYU 458
-19.51%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.97 CA$18.24
$12.21 UYU 491
6.22%
Apples (1kg)
$4.92 CA$6.92
$2.87 UYU 115
71.43%
Banana (1kg)
$1.56 CA$2.20
$2.68 UYU 108
-41.79%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.13 CA$5.81
$1.71 UYU 68.7
141.52%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.12 CA$5.80
$3.09 UYU 124
33.33%
Potato (1kg)
$2.01 CA$2.83
$1.99 UYU 80.0
1.01%
Onion (1kg)
$2.14 CA$3.01
$2.13 UYU 85.6
0.47%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.60 CA$3.66
$1.41 UYU 56.5
84.40%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.39 CA$1.95
$1.99 UYU 80.2
-30.15%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.19 CA$19.95
$5.59 UYU 225
153.85%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.19 CA$14.33
$8.26 UYU 332
23.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74 CA$2.45
$2.25 UYU 90.4
-22.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.16 CA$3.04
$2.81 UYU 113
-23.13%
🚌 Getting Around
Saint John, New Brunswick
Montevideo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.18 CA$3.07
$1.62 UYU 65.1
34.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$58.2 CA$81.9
$74.1 UYU 2,979
-21.37%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.82 CA$3.97
$1.89 UYU 76.0
49.21%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.20 CA$1.69
$1.04 UYU 42.01
15.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$21.49 CA$30.23
$12.65 UYU 509
69.88%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.23 CA$1.73
$2.16 UYU 86.8
-43.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K CA$37.3K
$26.2K UYU 1.1M
1.20%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.6K CA$30.3K
$36.5K UYU 1.5M
-40.94%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Saint John, New Brunswick
Montevideo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$122 CA$171
$184 UYU 7,403
-33.79%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$41.38 CA$58.2
$21.28 UYU 856
94.45%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$65.7 CA$92.4
$42.23 UYU 1,699
55.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Saint John, New Brunswick
Montevideo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.77 CA$51.7
$48.74 UYU 1,960
-24.56%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$36.38 CA$51.2
$19.16 UYU 771
89.87%
Cinema Ticket
$12.49 CA$17.57
$12.21 UYU 491
2.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Saint John, New Brunswick
Montevideo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$386 CA$543
$630 UYU 25.3K
-38.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K CA$15.9K
$11.5K UYU 461.0K
-1.60%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Saint John, New Brunswick
Montevideo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.43 CA$69.5
$99.4 UYU 3,999
-50.29%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.24 CA$51.0
$57.0 UYU 2,292
-36.42%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 CA$143
$122 UYU 4,923
-16.74%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107 CA$150
$134 UYU 5,394
-20.37%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Saint John, New Brunswick
Montevideo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,053 CA$1,481
$749 UYU 30.1K
40.70%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$867 CA$1,219
$569 UYU 22.9K
52.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,514 CA$2,129
$1,277 UYU 51.4K
18.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,236 CA$1,738
$1,072 UYU 43.1K
15.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,290 CA$3,220
$3,580 UYU 144.0K
-36.05%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,746 CA$2,455
$2,075 UYU 83.5K
-15.88%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Saint John, New Brunswick
Montevideo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,608 CA$3,668
$1,280 UYU 51.5K
103.81%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.69
5.65
-16.99%

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

Last update for Saint John, New Brunswick: November 1, 2026

Last update for Montevideo: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Saint John, New Brunswick
$867
Montevideo
$569 34.3% $297
Groceries & Markets
Saint John, New Brunswick
$346
Montevideo
$330 4.7% $16
Eating Out
Saint John, New Brunswick
$265
Montevideo
$270 1.8% $4.7
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Saint John, New Brunswick
$229
Montevideo
$248 8.1% $19
Clothing & Footwear
Saint John, New Brunswick
$132
Montevideo
$186 40.3% $53
Getting Around
Saint John, New Brunswick
$76
Montevideo
$88 15.7% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Saint John, New Brunswick
$62
Montevideo
$73 18.5% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,053 in Saint John, New Brunswick versus $749 in Montevideo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Saint John, New Brunswick are about 2 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $61 in Saint John, New Brunswick versus $67 in Montevideo. Groceries tell a different story – $346 in Saint John, New Brunswick vs $330 in Montevideo – so Montevideo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Saint John, New Brunswick
🇺🇾 Montevideo
🕒 Local time
21:58 9:58 PM
22:58 10:58 PM
1 h ahead of Saint John, New Brunswick
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
70,063
1,319,108 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

UYU, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 7, 2026: 1 USD = 1.41 CAD (1 CAD = 0.711 USD). 1 EUR = 1.57 CAD (1 CAD = 0.636 EUR).

Uruguayan Peso exchange rates as of November 7, 2026: 1 USD = 40.22 UYU (100 UYU = 2.49 USD). 1 EUR = 44.95 UYU (100 UYU = 2.22 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Saint John, New Brunswick Montevideo 8,970 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Saint John, New Brunswick
  • Montevideo

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
Saint John, New Brunswick vs Montevideo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Montevideo cheaper than Saint John, New Brunswick?
Yes – Saint John, New Brunswick is pricier by about 12%, 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 $2,966 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick and $2,645 in Montevideo. 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $749 there versus $1,053 in Saint John, New Brunswick.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $386 per month in Saint John, New Brunswick and $630 in Montevideo. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Saint John, New Brunswick and in Montevideo?
Groceries cost about 5% more in Saint John, New Brunswick, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $2,500 enough for either Saint John, New Brunswick or Montevideo?
$2,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,977 in Saint John, New Brunswick and $1,764 in Montevideo, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is it better to live in Saint John, New Brunswick or in Montevideo?
It depends on your priorities. Montevideo has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,764 in Montevideo to $1,977 in Saint John, New Brunswick. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Montevideo. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Saint John, New Brunswick makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Saint John, New Brunswick vs other spots: cost of living compared

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