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: $860 in Brasilia versus $608 in Varginha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,410 in Brasilia versus $971 in Varginha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,961 in Brasilia versus $1,334 in Varginha.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 41% more expensive than Varginha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 36% lower, Varginha 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.02 R$35.53

$6.23 R$31.52

12.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.85 R$197

$22.05 R$112

76.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.40 R$32.41

$6.19 R$31.34

3.39%

Cappuccino

$1.94 R$9.80

$0.86 R$4.35

125.58%

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

$1.15 R$5.85

$0.79 R$4.01

45.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.36

$0.53 R$2.68

62.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 R$9.01

$1.29 R$6.53

37.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 R$16.14

$3.15 R$15.95

1.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 R$5.00

$1.14 R$5.77

-13.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 R$8.39

$1.43 R$7.23

16.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.52

$0.88 R$4.47

69.32%

Eggs

$2.01 R$10.19

$1.27 R$6.45

58.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.99 R$45.53

$7.68 R$38.90

17.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 R$16.68

$3.70 R$18.73

-10.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.64 R$33.61

$7.33 R$37.11

-9.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 R$10.23

$1.23 R$6.21

64.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 R$7.09

$1.28 R$6.48

9.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 R$6.09

$0.91 R$4.63

31.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 R$8.19

$1.16 R$5.89

39.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.54

$0.82 R$4.15

57.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.61

$0.92 R$4.68

42.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 R$4.09

$0.46 R$2.34

76.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.16

$0.58 R$2.95

6.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 R$10.99

$1.95 R$9.86

11.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.67 R$43.91

$4.68 R$23.67

85.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 R$5.37

$1.00 R$5.08

6.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 R$11.41

$1.60 R$8.11

40.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 R$5.12

$0.81 R$4.09

24.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.27 R$224

$38.40 R$194

15.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 R$5.08

$0.92 R$4.66

8.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 R$4.08

$0.61 R$3.08

32.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.71 R$28.91

$5.86 R$29.66

-2.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 R$5.78

$1.03 R$5.22

10.68%

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

$24.8K R$125.7K

$22.4K R$113.6K

10.66%

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

$28.6K R$144.7K

$26.5K R$134.0K

7.98%

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

$69.8 R$353

$47.63 R$241

46.59%

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

$13.07 R$66.2

$4.56 R$23.10

186.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.51 R$104

$17.73 R$89.8

15.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.95 R$126

$22.09 R$112

12.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.00 R$111

$21.29 R$108

3.33%

Cinema Ticket

$7.28 R$36.86

$5.52 R$27.96

31.88%

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

$491 R$2,485

$199 R$1,010

146.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.5K R$78.5K

$3,898 R$19.7K

297.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.0 R$299

$32.73 R$166

80.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.13 R$208

$52.3 R$265

-21.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.9 R$344

$72.6 R$368

-6.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.8 R$323

$53.1 R$269

20.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$414 R$2,093

$135 R$685

205.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$259 R$1,311

$104 R$527

148.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$954 R$4,831

$242 R$1,225

294.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 R$2,794

$232 R$1,174

137.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,480 R$12.6K

$1,534 R$7,768

61.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,683 R$8,520

$1,123 R$5,687

49.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$929 R$4,705

$445 R$2,254

108.77%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Varginha: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $414 in Brasilia and $135 in Varginha. 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: $39.00 in Brasilia vs $22.00 in Varginha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $152 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 41% in total monthly costs ($860 vs $608 including rent). Varginha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Brasilia pays 109% 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 $135 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 $22.00 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 $608 in Varginha – a 41% 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 41% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.