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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $694 in Barbacena versus $946 in Rio de Janeiro.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,078 in Barbacena versus $1,488 in Rio de Janeiro.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,461 in Barbacena versus $2,030 in Rio de Janeiro.

Living in Barbacena costs roughly 27% less than in Rio de Janeiro, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Barbacena 48% lower, Rio de Janeiro 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.58 R$18.33

$7.30 R$37.35

-50.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.90 R$81.4

$36.46 R$187

-56.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 R$23.49

$6.46 R$33.04

-28.95%

Cappuccino

$0.88 R$4.49

$1.90 R$9.72

-53.68%

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

$1.28 R$6.53

$1.29 R$6.59

-0.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 R$3.53

$0.87 R$4.44

-20.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.94 R$4.81

$1.75 R$8.94

-46.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 R$8.52

$2.73 R$13.99

-38.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 R$4.99

$1.12 R$5.75

-12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 R$7.72

$1.70 R$8.72

-11.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 R$6.54

$1.49 R$7.62

-14.09%

Eggs

$1.87 R$9.56

$1.95 R$9.96

-4.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.43 R$32.91

$7.78 R$39.81

-17.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.28 R$16.80

$3.57 R$18.26

-8.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.61 R$38.93

$7.87 R$40.28

-3.30%

Apples (1kg)

$1.10 R$5.61

$2.43 R$12.43

-54.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 R$7.65

$1.63 R$8.35

-7.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 R$7.29

$1.47 R$7.50

-3.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.07 R$5.47

$1.55 R$7.92

-30.97%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 R$3.84

$1.23 R$6.31

-39.02%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 R$4.93

$1.11 R$5.70

-13.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 R$2.86

$0.69 R$3.52

-18.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 R$2.82

$0.60 R$3.09

-8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.59 R$8.13

$1.97 R$10.07

-19.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.01 R$30.74

$7.74 R$39.62

-22.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 R$3.40

$1.22 R$6.22

-45.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 R$13.44

$2.08 R$10.64

26.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 R$4.53

$1.24 R$6.34

-28.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.97 R$194

$38.87 R$199

-2.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 R$5.58

$1.12 R$5.75

-2.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 R$3.33

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 R$37.69

$7.40 R$37.88

-0.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 R$4.86

$1.06 R$5.41

-10.38%

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

$13.3K R$68.2K

$20.3K R$103.7K

-34.20%

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

$10.8K R$55.0K

$28.1K R$143.7K

-61.70%

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

$76.2 R$390

$101 R$518

-24.66%

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

$19.83 R$101

$12.30 R$62.9

61.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.66 R$64.8

$18.55 R$94.9

-31.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.87 R$117

$25.98 R$133

-11.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.58 R$110

$24.16 R$124

-10.68%

Cinema Ticket

$6.47 R$33.11

$6.52 R$33.36

-0.77%

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

$450 R$2,302

$539 R$2,760

-16.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,583 R$33.7K

$11.7K R$59.7K

-43.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.2 R$333

$45.01 R$230

44.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.75 R$178

$41.43 R$212

-16.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.2 R$497

$76.3 R$390

27.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.0 R$404

$61.6 R$315

28.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$210 R$1,076

$434 R$2,221

-51.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$152 R$780

$324 R$1,660

-53.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$391 R$2,001

$846 R$4,330

-53.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$283 R$1,447

$567 R$2,903

-50.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,624 R$8,308

$3,721 R$19.0K

-56.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,165 R$5,960

$1,481 R$7,580

-21.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$600 R$3,068

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

11.33

2.38%

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

Last update for Barbacena: July 25, 2026

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $210 in Barbacena and $434 in Rio de Janeiro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $16.00 in Barbacena vs $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $155 vs $184 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 Rio de Janeiro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barbacena and Rio de Janeiro differ by about 36% in total monthly costs ($694 vs $946 including rent). Barbacena is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,041 in Barbacena and $1,419 in Rio de Janeiro 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: $210 in Barbacena versus $434 in Rio de Janeiro. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $694 per month in Barbacena versus $946 in Rio de Janeiro – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Barbacena runs roughly 2% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $694 in Barbacena versus $946 in Rio de Janeiro, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Barbacena but tight or insufficient in Rio de Janeiro. 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 36% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.