Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Montes Claros Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Montes Claros

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $860 in Brasilia versus $762 in Montes Claros.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,410 in Brasilia versus $1,198 in Montes Claros.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,961 in Brasilia versus $1,635 in Montes Claros.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 13% more expensive than Montes Claros, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 36% lower, Montes Claros 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.02 R$35.53

$3.12 R$15.81

125.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.85 R$197

$27.38 R$139

41.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.40 R$32.41

$6.14 R$31.06

4.23%

Cappuccino

$1.94 R$9.80

$1.80 R$9.13

7.78%

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

$1.15 R$5.85

$1.13 R$5.71

1.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.36

$0.65 R$3.31

32.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 R$9.01

$1.30 R$6.58

36.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 R$16.14

$2.77 R$14.00

15.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 R$5.00

$0.93 R$4.69

6.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 R$8.39

$1.47 R$7.44

12.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.52

$1.19 R$6.03

25.21%

Eggs

$2.01 R$10.19

$2.02 R$10.22

-0.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.99 R$45.53

$8.40 R$42.52

7.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 R$16.68

$3.73 R$18.86

-11.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.64 R$33.61

$7.40 R$37.45

-10.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 R$10.23

$2.05 R$10.38

-1.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 R$7.09

$1.29 R$6.54

8.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 R$6.09

$1.14 R$5.79

5.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 R$8.19

$1.50 R$7.59

8.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.54

$1.15 R$5.80

12.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.61

$1.11 R$5.60

18.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 R$4.09

$0.73 R$3.70

10.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.16

$0.62 R$3.13

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 R$10.99

$2.07 R$10.48

4.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.67 R$43.91

$7.62 R$38.56

13.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 R$5.37

$1.21 R$6.15

-12.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 R$11.41

$2.00 R$10.13

12.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 R$5.12

$0.74 R$3.75

36.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.27 R$224

$39.04 R$198

13.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 R$5.08

$1.05 R$5.31

-4.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 R$4.08

$0.72 R$3.63

12.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.71 R$28.91

$6.38 R$32.30

-10.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 R$5.78

$1.01 R$5.10

12.87%

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

$24.8K R$125.7K

$20.6K R$104.2K

20.64%

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

$28.6K R$144.7K

$27.6K R$139.7K

3.57%

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

$69.8 R$353

$61.5 R$311

13.49%

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

$13.07 R$66.2

$13.46 R$68.2

-2.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.51 R$104

$17.78 R$90.0

15.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.95 R$126

$20.08 R$102

24.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.00 R$111

$21.97 R$111

0.14%

Cinema Ticket

$7.28 R$36.86

$6.35 R$32.14

14.65%

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

$491 R$2,485

$265 R$1,341

85.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.5K R$78.5K

$6,394 R$32.4K

142.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.0 R$299

$49.07 R$248

20.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.13 R$208

$42.30 R$214

-2.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.9 R$344

$76.3 R$386

-11.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.8 R$323

$63.4 R$321

0.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$414 R$2,093

$316 R$1,598

30.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$259 R$1,311

$219 R$1,108

18.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$954 R$4,831

$590 R$2,988

61.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 R$2,794

$423 R$2,139

30.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,480 R$12.6K

$1,602 R$8,111

54.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,683 R$8,520

$1,175 R$5,949

43.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$929 R$4,705

$388 R$1,964

139.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

10.92

8.70%

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

Last update for Brasilia: June 8, 2026

Last update for Montes Claros: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $414 in Brasilia and $316 in Montes Claros. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 140% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $39.00 in Brasilia vs $27.00 in Montes Claros for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $174 per month, with Montes Claros 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 Montes Claros: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Montes Claros differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($860 vs $762 including rent). Montes Claros is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Brasilia pays 140% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $414 in Brasilia versus $316 in Montes Claros. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Montes Claros – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $860 per month in Brasilia versus $762 in Montes Claros – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Montes Claros 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 Montes Claros gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.