Cost of Living Comparison Between Alfenas and Rio de Janeiro Cost of Living Comparison Between Alfenas and Rio de Janeiro

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $653 per month in Alfenas vs $953 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,213 per month in Alfenas vs $1,460 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,773 per month in Alfenas vs $1,967 in Rio de Janeiro, rent included.

Alfenas is about 31% cheaper than Rio de Janeiro, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Alfenas and Rio de Janeiro are more affordable than the global median – Alfenas 51% lower, Rio de Janeiro 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.66 R$18.23

$7.03 R$35.01

-47.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.99 R$134

$35.78 R$178

-24.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.51 R$27.42

$6.24 R$31.10

-11.70%

Cappuccino

$0.94 R$4.68

$1.99 R$9.91

-52.76%

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

$0.56 R$2.77

$1.34 R$6.66

-58.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 R$2.61

$0.84 R$4.18

-38.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 R$10.66

$1.78 R$8.86

20.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 R$13.50

$2.67 R$13.28

1.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 R$5.27

$1.11 R$5.55

-4.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 R$8.88

$1.77 R$8.82

0.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.45

$1.49 R$7.40

-12.75%

Eggs

$2.39 R$11.91

$1.93 R$9.60

23.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.13 R$55.4

$8.11 R$40.39

37.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.20 R$20.92

$3.55 R$17.67

18.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.78 R$43.74

$8.25 R$41.09

6.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 R$13.65

$2.32 R$11.56

18.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 R$9.20

$1.63 R$8.11

13.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 R$8.14

$1.44 R$7.17

13.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 R$8.80

$1.55 R$7.72

14.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 R$7.14

$1.23 R$6.14

16.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.26

$1.15 R$5.75

9.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 R$4.70

$0.69 R$3.44

36.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 R$3.37

$0.58 R$2.87

17.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.75 R$8.70

$1.99 R$9.91

-12.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.03 R$49.95

$8.05 R$40.10

24.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 R$6.81

$1.25 R$6.25

9.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 R$11.44

$2.03 R$10.12

13.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 R$4.41

$1.23 R$6.12

-27.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.54 R$192

$39.49 R$197

-2.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 R$5.47

$1.07 R$5.32

2.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 R$3.71

$0.69 R$3.46

7.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.00 R$44.83

$7.53 R$37.52

19.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.31

$1.10 R$5.48

-2.73%

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

$22.0K R$109.4K

$20.2K R$100.4K

9.05%

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

$27.0K R$134.2K

$27.2K R$135.5K

-0.90%

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

$53.4 R$266

$104 R$518

-48.72%

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

$13.12 R$65.4

$11.99 R$59.7

9.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.30 R$91.1

$18.48 R$92.0

-0.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.83 R$114

$26.17 R$130

-12.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.00 R$110

$24.31 R$121

-9.50%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 R$30.87

$6.43 R$32.01

-3.58%

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

$498 R$2,480

$553 R$2,755

-9.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K R$75.5K

$11.5K R$57.2K

32.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 R$254

$44.53 R$222

14.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.83 R$208

$41.97 R$209

-0.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 R$398

$76.5 R$381

4.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 R$358

$61.2 R$305

17.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$314 R$1,565

$429 R$2,139

-26.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$88.4 R$440

$324 R$1,614

-72.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$573 R$2,856

$835 R$4,156

-31.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$427 R$2,127

$580 R$2,888

-26.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,751 R$8,720

$2,964 R$14.8K

-40.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,143 R$5,691

$1,333 R$6,636

-14.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 R$2,462

$535 R$2,665

-7.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.56

11.33

2.03%

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

Last update for Alfenas: April 26, 2026

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $314 in Alfenas versus $429 in Rio de Janeiro. 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 8% higher in Rio de Janeiro, 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 $27 in Alfenas versus $36 in Rio de Janeiro. Groceries tell a different story – $214 in Alfenas vs $186 in Rio de Janeiro – so Rio de Janeiro 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

Alfenas vs Rio de Janeiro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $653 in Alfenas, $953 in Rio de Janeiro – roughly 46% apart. Rio de Janeiro costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $980 per month in Alfenas and $1,429 in Rio de Janeiro. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Alfenas, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 15% cheaper in Rio de Janeiro – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Alfenas and $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $653 in Alfenas and $953 in Rio de Janeiro, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

It depends on your priorities. Rio de Janeiro has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $653 in Alfenas to $953 in Rio de Janeiro. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Alfenas. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Rio de Janeiro makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.