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: $974 in Brasilia versus $820 in Montes Claros.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,587 in Brasilia versus $1,327 in Montes Claros.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,201 in Brasilia versus $1,833 in Montes Claros.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 19% more expensive than in Montes Claros, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 29% lower, Montes Claros 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.71 R$44.81

$3.45 R$17.75

152.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.13 R$196

$31.28 R$161

21.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 R$41.76

$7.03 R$36.13

15.50%

Cappuccino

$2.57 R$13.20

$1.90 R$9.78

35.26%

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

$1.44 R$7.38

$1.24 R$6.36

16.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 R$4.97

$0.79 R$4.04

22.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 R$11.86

$1.43 R$7.38

61.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 R$19.43

$3.00 R$15.42

26.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.52

$1.07 R$5.51

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 R$10.75

$1.67 R$8.59

25.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.79

$1.26 R$6.46

4.76%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.55

$2.19 R$11.28

11.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 R$60.2

$8.52 R$43.80

37.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 R$20.91

$4.09 R$21.02

-0.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 R$43.58

$8.25 R$42.40

2.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 R$12.32

$1.85 R$9.50

29.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 R$7.34

$1.28 R$6.56

11.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.75

$1.07 R$5.49

22.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 R$8.29

$1.42 R$7.28

13.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 R$6.23

$1.03 R$5.30

17.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 R$5.40

$1.07 R$5.51

-1.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 R$4.10

$0.81 R$4.15

-1.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 R$5.12

$0.69 R$3.53

44.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 R$12.31

$2.38 R$12.21

0.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.11 R$41.69

$7.56 R$38.86

7.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 R$6.62

$1.41 R$7.27

-8.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 R$12.03

$2.31 R$11.86

1.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 R$5.37

$0.76 R$3.89

36.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.90 R$179

$46.79 R$241

-25.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 R$5.28

$1.23 R$6.35

-16.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 R$4.74

$0.87 R$4.46

5.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.35 R$32.65

$8.84 R$45.45

-28.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R$6.66

$1.05 R$5.41

22.86%

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

$23.3K R$120.0K

$23.6K R$121.3K

-1.11%

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

$32.6K R$167.5K

$32.2K R$165.7K

1.10%

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

$95.0 R$488

$67.3 R$346

41.07%

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

$12.28 R$63.1

$11.99 R$61.7

2.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.41 R$115

$19.00 R$97.7

17.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.39 R$161

$25.85 R$133

21.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.96 R$139

$28.96 R$149

-6.91%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 R$40.36

$8.12 R$41.78

-3.33%

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

$811 R$4,169

$335 R$1,724

141.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K R$84.9K

$7,005 R$36.0K

135.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 R$266

$53.1 R$273

-2.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.78 R$225

$47.92 R$246

-8.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 R$427

$93.9 R$483

-11.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.6 R$440

$69.8 R$359

22.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$480 R$2,469

$344 R$1,767

39.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 R$1,345

$232 R$1,194

12.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 R$5,707

$653 R$3,356

70.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 R$2,860

$450 R$2,315

23.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,497 R$12.8K

$1,455 R$7,481

71.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,707 R$8,777

$1,215 R$6,248

40.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$809 R$4,161

$387 R$1,988

109.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.12

11.06

9.58%

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 13, 2026

Last update for Montes Claros: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $480 in Brasilia and $344 in Montes Claros. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 109% 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: $38.00 in Brasilia vs $31.00 in Montes Claros for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $184 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 19% in total monthly costs ($974 vs $820 including rent). Montes Claros is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 109% higher in Brasilia, 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: $480 in Brasilia versus $344 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 $31.00 versus $38.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $974 per month in Brasilia versus $820 in Montes Claros – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $820 in Montes Claros versus $974 in Brasilia, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montes Claros but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Montes Claros 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 Montes Claros gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.