Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Varginha Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasilia and Varginha

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $863 in Brasilia versus $601 in Varginha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,429 in Brasilia versus $970 in Varginha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,995 in Brasilia versus $1,340 in Varginha.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 44% more expensive than in Varginha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 35% lower, Varginha 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.42 R$37.67

$6.41 R$32.51

15.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.98 R$198

$21.34 R$108

82.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.14 R$31.14

$6.33 R$32.14

-3.00%

Cappuccino

$1.92 R$9.75

$0.87 R$4.40

120.69%

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

$1.18 R$5.97

$0.78 R$3.94

51.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 R$4.20

$0.53 R$2.67

56.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 R$9.04

$1.23 R$6.22

44.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 R$16.91

$3.21 R$16.30

3.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 R$4.83

$1.12 R$5.69

-15.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 R$8.27

$1.47 R$7.45

10.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 R$7.41

$0.91 R$4.63

60.44%

Eggs

$2.08 R$10.56

$1.31 R$6.65

58.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.40 R$47.71

$7.54 R$38.26

24.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 R$17.20

$3.78 R$19.17

-10.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.71 R$34.05

$7.04 R$35.70

-4.69%

Apples (1kg)

$1.93 R$9.77

$1.25 R$6.33

54.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 R$6.93

$1.29 R$6.53

5.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.88

$0.87 R$4.40

33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 R$8.49

$1.12 R$5.70

49.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.31

$0.83 R$4.22

49.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.62

$0.93 R$4.74

40.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 R$3.73

$0.46 R$2.34

58.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 R$3.40

$0.55 R$2.79

21.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 R$11.03

$1.96 R$9.95

10.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.06 R$40.91

$4.74 R$24.05

70.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 R$5.60

$0.95 R$4.80

15.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 R$11.59

$1.65 R$8.39

38.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 R$4.93

$0.81 R$4.12

19.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.32 R$220

$38.63 R$196

12.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 R$4.82

$0.85 R$4.29

11.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 R$4.03

$0.62 R$3.13

27.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 R$29.59

$5.71 R$28.95

2.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 R$5.78

$1.03 R$5.25

10.68%

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

$25.2K R$127.9K

$22.8K R$115.8K

10.49%

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

$29.2K R$148.0K

$26.2K R$132.7K

11.50%

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

$71.8 R$364

$47.03 R$239

52.58%

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

$13.11 R$66.5

$4.47 R$22.68

193.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.49 R$104

$17.57 R$89.2

16.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.96 R$127

$22.67 R$115

10.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.52 R$109

$22.04 R$112

-2.36%

Cinema Ticket

$7.34 R$37.27

$5.41 R$27.45

35.67%

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

$485 R$2,462

$198 R$1,007

144.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K R$77.1K

$3,858 R$19.6K

293.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 R$295

$32.49 R$165

78.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.02 R$213

$52.2 R$265

-19.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.7 R$344

$70.8 R$359

-4.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.3 R$326

$53.6 R$272

19.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$400 R$2,031

$132 R$670

203.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 R$1,330

$107 R$545

143.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$944 R$4,788

$247 R$1,252

282.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$557 R$2,825

$230 R$1,169

141.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,466 R$12.5K

$1,635 R$8,296

50.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,727 R$8,762

$1,154 R$5,857

49.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$919 R$4,665

$452 R$2,292

103.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.87

18.70%

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

Last update for Brasilia: July 27, 2026

Last update for Varginha: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $400 in Brasilia and $132 in Varginha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 104% 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 $21.00 in Varginha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $151 per month, with Varginha 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 Varginha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasilia and Varginha differ by about 44% in total monthly costs ($863 vs $601 including rent). Varginha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 104% 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: $400 in Brasilia versus $132 in Varginha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Varginha – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $39.00 in Brasilia. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $863 per month in Brasilia versus $601 in Varginha – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Varginha 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 Varginha gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.