Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Yellowknife and Montevideo

For one person, living is cheaper in Montevideo: $1,813 a month against $2,924 in Yellowknife, rent and utilities included – about $13,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Yellowknife
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,924
/mo nomad
Montevideo
🇺🇾 Uruguay
$1,813
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Yellowknife 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 Yellowknife and in Montevideo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,924 per month in Yellowknife vs $1,813 in Montevideo, rent included.

  • Yellowknife $2,924
  • Montevideo $1,813

A couple spends around $4,087 per month in Yellowknife vs $2,782 in Montevideo, rent included.

  • Yellowknife $4,087
  • Montevideo $2,782

A family of three spends $5,250 per month in Yellowknife vs $3,750 in Montevideo, rent included.

  • Yellowknife $5,250
  • Montevideo $3,750

Yellowknife costs about 61% more than Montevideo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Yellowknife and Montevideo sit above the global median – Yellowknife by 118%, Montevideo by 35%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Yellowknife
Montevideo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.40 CA$27.65
$15.26 UYU 613
27.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$83.3 CA$119
$67.4 UYU 2,711
23.46%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.39 CA$11.97
$14.37 UYU 578
-41.61%
Cappuccino
$4.39 CA$6.25
$4.64 UYU 187
-5.39%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.39 CA$3.41
$2.73 UYU 110
-12.45%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.03 CA$2.89
$2.09 UYU 84.0
-2.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.43 CA$9.17
$4.75 UYU 191
35.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.96 CA$9.91
$3.67 UYU 147
89.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Yellowknife
Montevideo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.75 CA$3.92
$1.38 UYU 55.5
99.28%
White Bread (500g)
$2.64 CA$3.77
$2.77 UYU 112
-4.69%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.75 CA$6.77
$1.69 UYU 67.8
181.07%
Eggs
$3.15 CA$4.49
$4.52 UYU 182
-30.31%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.97 CA$9.94
$14.17 UYU 570
-50.81%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$15.66 CA$22.33
$12.07 UYU 485
29.74%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.51 CA$22.11
$12.16 UYU 489
27.55%
Apples (1kg)
$4.81 CA$6.85
$2.87 UYU 116
67.60%
Banana (1kg)
$1.51 CA$2.16
$2.75 UYU 110
-45.09%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.06 CA$7.22
$1.73 UYU 69.5
192.49%
Tomato (1kg)
$7.17 CA$10.22
$3.24 UYU 130
121.30%
Potato (1kg)
$4.53 CA$6.46
$2.07 UYU 83.1
118.84%
Onion (1kg)
$3.62 CA$5.16
$2.07 UYU 83.1
74.88%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.45 CA$4.92
$1.38 UYU 55.4
150.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04 CA$1.49
$1.85 UYU 74.5
-43.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$17.52 CA$24.97
$5.57 UYU 224
214.54%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.30 CA$20.38
$8.89 UYU 357
60.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.14 CA$5.90
$2.29 UYU 92.2
80.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.33 CA$9.02
$2.70 UYU 109
134.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Yellowknife
Montevideo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.13 CA$3.04
$1.52 UYU 61.3
40.13%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$52.8 CA$75.3
$73.7 UYU 2,962
-28.29%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.13 CA$4.47
$1.82 UYU 73.4
71.98%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.37 CA$1.95
$0.40 UYU 16.05
242.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$10.66 UYU 429
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 CA$1.86
$2.22 UYU 89.2
-40.99%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.2K CA$34.5K
$26.7K UYU 1.1M
-9.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.8K CA$26.8K
$36.7K UYU 1.5M
-48.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Yellowknife
Montevideo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$355 CA$506
$191 UYU 7,674
85.93%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$57.5 CA$81.9
$20.40 UYU 820
181.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$99.7 CA$142
$44.14 UYU 1,775
125.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Yellowknife
Montevideo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$72.1 CA$103
$54.1 UYU 2,177
33.15%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.68 UYU 791
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.54 CA$13.60
$12.33 UYU 496
-22.63%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Yellowknife
Montevideo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$593 CA$845
$613 UYU 24.7K
-3.31%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$11.0K UYU 444.3K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Yellowknife
Montevideo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.0 CA$88.3
$103 UYU 4,134
-39.73%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.78 CA$49.57
$56.1 UYU 2,255
-37.97%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.6 CA$142
$124 UYU 5,000
-19.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$114 CA$162
$130 UYU 5,214
-12.15%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Yellowknife
Montevideo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,389 CA$1,980
$705 UYU 28.4K
96.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,381 CA$1,968
$575 UYU 23.1K
139.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,101 CA$2,995
$1,139 UYU 45.8K
84.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,059 CA$2,935
$1,016 UYU 40.8K
102.72%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,977 CA$4,244
$3,349 UYU 134.6K
-11.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,819 CA$4,018
$1,942 UYU 78.1K
45.17%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Yellowknife
Montevideo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,989 CA$5,685
$1,229 UYU 49.4K
224.49%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.32
5.74
-7.32%

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

Last update for Yellowknife: October 5, 2026

Last update for Montevideo: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Yellowknife
$1.4K
Montevideo
$575 58.3% $805
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Yellowknife
$512
Montevideo
$255 50.1% $257
Groceries & Markets
Yellowknife
$430
Montevideo
$332 22.6% $97
Eating Out
Yellowknife
$297
Montevideo
$271 8.6% $26
Clothing & Footwear
Yellowknife
$140
Montevideo
$186 33.1% $46
Sport & Entertainment
Yellowknife
$91
Montevideo
$79 13.6% $12
Getting Around
Yellowknife
$71
Montevideo
$84 17.2% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,389 in Yellowknife versus $705 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 run about 224% higher in Yellowknife, 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 $83.0 in Yellowknife versus $67.0 in Montevideo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $430 vs $332 – making Montevideo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇦 Yellowknife
🇺🇾 Montevideo
🕒 Local time
19:54 7:54 PM
22:54 10:54 PM
3 h ahead of Yellowknife
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
19,234
1,319,108 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

UYU, USD, EUR to CAD – Canadian Dollar Converter

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 CAD (1 CAD = 0.702 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 CAD (1 CAD = 0.626 EUR).

Uruguayan Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 40.21 UYU (100 UYU = 2.49 USD). 1 EUR = 45.1 UYU (100 UYU = 2.22 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Yellowknife Montevideo 12,000 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Yellowknife
  • 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
Yellowknife vs Montevideo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Montevideo cheaper than Yellowknife?
Yes – Yellowknife is pricier by about 61%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,386 per month in Yellowknife and $2,720 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $593 per month in Yellowknife and $613 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 Yellowknife and in Montevideo?
Groceries cost about 29% more in Yellowknife, 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 Yellowknife or in Montevideo?
A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Montevideo, where all-in costs run around $1,813, than in Yellowknife at $2,924. In Montevideo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Yellowknife it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Yellowknife or Montevideo 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, Yellowknife or Montevideo?
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, Yellowknife makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Yellowknife vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?