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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $862 in Barreiras versus $1,217 in Rio de Janeiro.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,350 in Barreiras versus $1,809 in Rio de Janeiro.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,838 in Barreiras versus $2,402 in Rio de Janeiro.

Living in Barreiras costs roughly 29% less than in Rio de Janeiro, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Barreiras 37% lower, Rio de Janeiro 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.90 R$30.23

$9.47 R$48.53

-37.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.45 R$161

$39.19 R$201

-19.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.94 R$35.57

$8.53 R$43.74

-18.64%

Cappuccino

$1.98 R$10.13

$2.32 R$11.90

-14.66%

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

$1.22 R$6.23

$1.59 R$8.13

-23.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 R$3.80

$1.05 R$5.36

-29.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 R$9.97

$2.27 R$11.65

-14.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 R$14.41

$3.30 R$16.91

-14.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 R$5.17

$1.11 R$5.69

-9.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 R$8.51

$2.03 R$10.42

-18.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 R$6.53

$1.36 R$6.95

-6.62%

Eggs

$2.08 R$10.64

$2.24 R$11.48

-7.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.15 R$46.93

$10.42 R$53.4

-12.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.24 R$21.73

$4.25 R$21.81

-0.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.27 R$42.42

$9.78 R$50.1

-15.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 R$11.23

$2.62 R$13.45

-16.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.34

$1.82 R$9.31

-31.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 R$6.05

$1.59 R$8.15

-25.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 R$7.74

$1.82 R$9.35

-17.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.97

$1.28 R$6.58

-9.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 R$5.49

$1.02 R$5.22

4.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 R$4.22

$0.70 R$3.58

17.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 R$3.80

$0.67 R$3.44

10.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 R$12.10

$2.93 R$15.00

-19.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.55 R$38.68

$8.54 R$43.79

-11.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 R$6.12

$1.17 R$5.97

1.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 R$10.78

$2.47 R$12.64

-14.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 R$5.07

$0.97 R$4.95

2.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.08 R$221

$50.1 R$257

-13.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 R$6.48

$1.18 R$6.07

6.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 R$4.16

$0.87 R$4.46

-6.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 R$41.13

$8.88 R$45.51

-9.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 R$6.40

$1.26 R$6.44

-0.79%

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

$23.3K R$119.6K

$23.6K R$121.2K

-1.38%

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

$32.1K R$164.6K

$32.9K R$168.6K

-2.41%

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

$72.4 R$371

$136 R$697

-46.80%

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

$11.89 R$60.9

$11.93 R$61.1

-0.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.15 R$103

$21.66 R$111

-6.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.87 R$127

$30.09 R$154

-17.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.90 R$138

$29.51 R$151

-8.84%

Cinema Ticket

$7.05 R$36.13

$7.72 R$39.59

-8.68%

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

$294 R$1,509

$550 R$2,819

-46.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,401 R$37.9K

$13.3K R$68.3K

-44.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 R$277

$40.22 R$206

34.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.67 R$250

$47.82 R$245

1.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 R$469

$72.9 R$373

25.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.2 R$355

$65.1 R$334

6.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$348 R$1,784

$821 R$4,207

-57.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 R$1,203

$498 R$2,554

-52.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$651 R$3,338

$1,285 R$6,585

-49.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$458 R$2,350

$716 R$3,673

-36.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,581 R$8,106

$3,890 R$19.9K

-59.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,132 R$5,801

$1,482 R$7,595

-23.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$649 R$3,329

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.12

11.93

-6.79%

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

Last update for Barreiras: September 7, 2026

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $348 in Barreiras and $821 in Rio de Janeiro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $31.00 in Barreiras vs $39.00 in Rio de Janeiro for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $187 vs $212 per month, with Barreiras 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

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

Barreiras is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,293 in Barreiras and $1,826 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: $348 in Barreiras versus $821 in Rio de Janeiro. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $294 in Barreiras versus $550 in Rio de Janeiro. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Rio de Janeiro. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $862 in Barreiras versus $1,217 in Rio de Janeiro, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Barreiras but tight or insufficient in Rio de Janeiro. The gap between the two cities makes Barreiras the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Barreiras is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Rio de Janeiro, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Barreiras gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.