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: $969 in Brasilia versus $825 in Barbacena.

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

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

Living in Brasilia is roughly 17% more expensive than in Barbacena, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.92 R$45.76

$5.39 R$27.66

65.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.80 R$199

$20.08 R$103

93.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 R$43.55

$5.75 R$29.49

47.65%

Cappuccino

$2.58 R$13.25

$1.60 R$8.19

61.25%

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

$1.41 R$7.22

$1.50 R$7.70

-6.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 R$4.62

$0.88 R$4.53

2.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 R$12.08

$1.28 R$6.56

84.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 R$19.83

$2.10 R$10.75

84.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 R$5.53

$1.14 R$5.86

-5.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 R$10.43

$2.01 R$10.30

1.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 R$6.58

$1.33 R$6.80

-3.76%

Eggs

$2.43 R$12.45

$2.29 R$11.72

6.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.81 R$60.6

$10.65 R$54.6

10.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.11 R$21.10

$4.21 R$21.60

-2.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 R$43.47

$9.74 R$49.94

-12.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 R$12.39

$2.71 R$13.91

-10.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 R$7.47

$1.80 R$9.22

-18.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 R$6.56

$1.60 R$8.20

-20.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 R$8.45

$1.73 R$8.85

-4.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.93

$1.22 R$6.26

-4.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 R$5.47

$0.98 R$5.05

9.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 R$4.04

$0.69 R$3.56

14.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 R$4.85

$0.63 R$3.25

50.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.40 R$12.29

$2.92 R$14.95

-17.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.23 R$42.18

$7.59 R$38.89

8.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 R$6.27

$1.11 R$5.70

9.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 R$12.02

$2.55 R$13.07

-8.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 R$5.10

$1.00 R$5.12

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.06 R$180

$41.72 R$214

-15.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 R$5.47

$1.22 R$6.23

-12.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 R$4.73

$0.86 R$4.42

6.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.05 R$31.00

$8.82 R$45.24

-31.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 R$6.73

$1.31 R$6.70

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

$23.3K R$119.6K

$23.4K R$119.8K

-0.20%

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

$31.9K R$163.6K

$32.1K R$164.6K

-0.58%

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

$96.4 R$494

$128 R$659

-24.93%

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

$12.61 R$64.7

$10.89 R$55.8

15.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.81 R$112

$21.75 R$111

0.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.07 R$159

$24.64 R$126

26.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.00 R$138

$26.88 R$138

0.45%

Cinema Ticket

$7.68 R$39.38

$7.62 R$39.06

0.79%

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

$822 R$4,214

$541 R$2,773

51.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K R$84.3K

$12.5K R$64.0K

31.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 R$265

$40.17 R$206

28.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.32 R$222

$46.65 R$239

-7.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.3 R$427

$68.8 R$353

21.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 R$443

$64.8 R$332

33.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$479 R$2,453

$222 R$1,137

115.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$258 R$1,322

$163 R$836

58.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,116 R$5,720

$412 R$2,113

170.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 R$2,856

$301 R$1,545

84.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,457 R$12.6K

$1,633 R$8,372

50.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,748 R$8,964

$1,150 R$5,898

51.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$844 R$4,328

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.12

11.93

1.59%

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 8, 2026

Last update for Barbacena: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Dining out: $39.00 in Brasilia vs $20.00 in Barbacena. Groceries flip the comparison at $209 vs $209, with Brasilia cheaper for home cooking.

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

You'd need roughly $1,454 in Brasilia and $1,238 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: $479 in Brasilia versus $222 in Barbacena. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $969 per month in Brasilia versus $825 in Barbacena – 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.