Cost of Living Comparison Between Barbacena and Brasilia Cost of Living Comparison Between Barbacena and Brasilia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $825 in Barbacena versus $969 in Brasilia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,248 in Barbacena versus $1,551 in Brasilia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,670 in Barbacena versus $2,132 in Brasilia.

Living in Barbacena costs roughly 15% less than in Brasilia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Barbacena 40% lower, Brasilia 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.39 R$27.66

$8.92 R$45.76

-39.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.08 R$103

$38.80 R$199

-48.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.75 R$29.49

$8.49 R$43.55

-32.27%

Cappuccino

$1.60 R$8.19

$2.58 R$13.25

-37.98%

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

$1.50 R$7.70

$1.41 R$7.22

6.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 R$4.53

$0.90 R$4.62

-2.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.28 R$6.56

$2.36 R$12.08

-45.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 R$10.75

$3.87 R$19.83

-45.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 R$5.86

$1.08 R$5.53

5.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.01 R$10.30

$2.03 R$10.43

-0.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 R$6.80

$1.28 R$6.58

3.91%

Eggs

$2.29 R$11.72

$2.43 R$12.45

-5.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.65 R$54.6

$11.81 R$60.6

-9.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.21 R$21.60

$4.11 R$21.10

2.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.74 R$49.94

$8.48 R$43.47

14.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 R$13.91

$2.42 R$12.39

11.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 R$9.22

$1.46 R$7.47

23.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 R$8.20

$1.28 R$6.56

25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 R$8.85

$1.65 R$8.45

4.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 R$6.26

$1.16 R$5.93

5.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 R$5.05

$1.07 R$5.47

-8.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 R$3.56

$0.79 R$4.04

-12.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 R$3.25

$0.95 R$4.85

-33.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 R$14.95

$2.40 R$12.29

21.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.59 R$38.89

$8.23 R$42.18

-7.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 R$5.70

$1.22 R$6.27

-9.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 R$13.07

$2.34 R$12.02

8.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 R$5.12

$1.00 R$5.10

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.72 R$214

$35.06 R$180

19.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 R$6.23

$1.07 R$5.47

14.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 R$4.42

$0.92 R$4.73

-6.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.82 R$45.24

$6.05 R$31.00

45.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 R$6.70

$1.31 R$6.73

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

$23.4K R$119.8K

$23.3K R$119.6K

0.20%

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

$32.1K R$164.6K

$31.9K R$163.6K

0.58%

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

$128 R$659

$96.4 R$494

33.21%

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

$10.89 R$55.8

$12.61 R$64.7

-13.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.75 R$111

$21.81 R$112

-0.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.64 R$126

$31.07 R$159

-20.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.88 R$138

$27.00 R$138

-0.44%

Cinema Ticket

$7.62 R$39.06

$7.68 R$39.38

-0.78%

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

$541 R$2,773

$822 R$4,214

-34.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K R$64.0K

$16.4K R$84.3K

-24.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.17 R$206

$51.7 R$265

-22.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.65 R$239

$43.32 R$222

7.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.8 R$353

$83.3 R$427

-17.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.8 R$332

$86.4 R$443

-25.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$222 R$1,137

$479 R$2,453

-53.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$163 R$836

$258 R$1,322

-36.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$412 R$2,113

$1,116 R$5,720

-63.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 R$1,545

$557 R$2,856

-45.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,633 R$8,372

$2,457 R$12.6K

-33.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,150 R$5,898

$1,748 R$8,964

-34.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$844 R$4,328

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.93

12.12

-1.57%

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

Last update for Barbacena: September 8, 2026

Last update for Brasilia: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $222 in Barbacena and $479 in Brasilia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $20.00 in Barbacena vs $39.00 in Brasilia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $209 per month, with Barbacena cheaper across the board.

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

Barbacena vs Brasilia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barbacena and Brasilia differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($825 vs $969 including rent). Barbacena is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,238 in Barbacena and $1,454 in Brasilia to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $222 in Barbacena versus $479 in Brasilia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $825 per month in Barbacena versus $969 in Brasilia – a 17% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Barbacena runs roughly 19% less than in Brasilia. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $825 in Barbacena versus $969 in Brasilia, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Barbacena but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Barbacena the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Barbacena gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.