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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $880 in Brasilia versus $680 in Barbacena.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,446 in Brasilia versus $1,075 in Barbacena.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,011 in Brasilia versus $1,470 in Barbacena.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 29% more expensive than Barbacena, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 34% lower, Barbacena 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.19 R$35.81

$3.68 R$18.32

95.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.72 R$198

$16.31 R$81.2

143.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.24 R$31.07

$4.62 R$23.03

35.06%

Cappuccino

$1.88 R$9.35

$0.87 R$4.34

116.09%

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

$1.16 R$5.80

$1.35 R$6.72

-14.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R$4.36

$0.74 R$3.69

17.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 R$9.08

$0.86 R$4.26

111.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 R$16.35

$1.59 R$7.92

106.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 R$4.63

$1.02 R$5.06

-8.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 R$8.07

$1.51 R$7.51

7.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.01

$1.28 R$6.35

10.16%

Eggs

$2.10 R$10.45

$1.81 R$9.03

16.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.29 R$46.27

$6.37 R$31.72

45.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.31 R$16.48

$3.17 R$15.77

4.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.85 R$34.12

$7.73 R$38.49

-11.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 R$9.96

$1.05 R$5.25

90.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 R$6.69

$1.52 R$7.58

-11.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 R$6.05

$1.43 R$7.11

-14.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 R$8.33

$1.06 R$5.30

57.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.11

$0.69 R$3.45

78.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.48

$1.01 R$5.02

28.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.70

$0.57 R$2.81

29.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 R$3.06

$0.55 R$2.76

10.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 R$10.85

$1.59 R$7.92

37.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.10 R$50.3

$5.83 R$29.04

73.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 R$5.54

$0.67 R$3.32

65.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 R$11.72

$2.72 R$13.54

-13.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 R$5.11

$0.92 R$4.59

11.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.64 R$217

$38.60 R$192

13.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 R$4.70

$1.05 R$5.25

-10.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 R$3.93

$0.65 R$3.22

21.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 R$28.97

$7.17 R$35.69

-18.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 R$5.66

$1.01 R$5.04

12.87%

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

$25.4K R$126.4K

$13.5K R$67.4K

87.46%

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

$28.2K R$140.6K

$10.9K R$54.2K

159.51%

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

$69.9 R$348

$75.3 R$375

-7.17%

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

$13.04 R$64.9

$20.18 R$101

-35.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.00 R$99.6

$12.48 R$62.1

60.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.95 R$124

$22.81 R$114

9.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.77 R$108

$21.95 R$109

-0.82%

Cinema Ticket

$7.00 R$34.84

$6.40 R$31.85

9.37%

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

$488 R$2,430

$443 R$2,208

10.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K R$74.5K

$6,379 R$31.8K

134.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 R$289

$65.1 R$324

-10.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.98 R$209

$35.53 R$177

18.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.1 R$344

$95.9 R$478

-27.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.0 R$319

$80.8 R$403

-20.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$402 R$2,003

$208 R$1,037

93.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$263 R$1,309

$154 R$769

70.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 R$4,871

$386 R$1,924

153.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$564 R$2,808

$279 R$1,387

102.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,751 R$13.7K

$1,694 R$8,437

62.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,816 R$9,042

$1,211 R$6,032

49.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$762 R$3,794

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

11.6

2.33%

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

Last update for Brasilia: April 26, 2026

Last update for Barbacena: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $402 in Brasilia and $208 in Barbacena. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $40.00 in Brasilia vs $16.00 in Barbacena for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $155 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

Brasilia vs Barbacena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Barbacena differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($880 vs $680 including rent). Barbacena is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,320 in Brasilia and $1,020 in Barbacena 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: $402 in Brasilia versus $208 in Barbacena. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $880 per month in Brasilia versus $680 in Barbacena – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Barbacena runs roughly 13% less than in Brasilia. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Barbacena gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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 29% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.