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: $974 in Brasilia versus $716 in Varginha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,587 in Brasilia versus $1,128 in Varginha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,201 in Brasilia versus $1,540 in Varginha.

Living in Brasilia is roughly 36% more expensive than in Varginha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brasilia 29% lower, Varginha 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.71 R$44.81

$8.89 R$45.70

-2.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.13 R$196

$23.48 R$121

62.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.12 R$41.76

$6.76 R$34.77

20.12%

Cappuccino

$2.57 R$13.20

$1.01 R$5.22

154.46%

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

$1.44 R$7.38

$0.90 R$4.63

60.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 R$4.97

$0.61 R$3.12

59.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 R$11.86

$1.35 R$6.92

71.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 R$19.43

$3.41 R$17.55

10.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.52

$0.91 R$4.68

17.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 R$10.75

$1.53 R$7.85

36.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.79

$0.93 R$4.81

41.94%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.55

$1.43 R$7.35

70.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 R$60.2

$8.53 R$43.88

37.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 R$20.91

$3.45 R$17.76

17.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 R$43.58

$8.97 R$46.13

-5.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 R$12.32

$1.37 R$7.05

75.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 R$7.34

$1.32 R$6.79

8.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.75

$0.96 R$4.92

36.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 R$8.29

$1.02 R$5.24

57.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 R$6.23

$1.00 R$5.13

21.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 R$5.40

$0.95 R$4.89

10.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 R$4.10

$0.50 R$2.57

60.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 R$5.12

$0.70 R$3.61

42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.39 R$12.31

$2.08 R$10.71

14.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.11 R$41.69

$4.89 R$25.16

65.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 R$6.62

$1.05 R$5.40

22.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 R$12.03

$1.78 R$9.17

31.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 R$5.37

$0.85 R$4.39

22.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.90 R$179

$48.93 R$252

-28.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 R$5.28

$0.93 R$4.80

10.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 R$4.74

$0.70 R$3.59

31.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.35 R$32.65

$6.16 R$31.65

3.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R$6.66

$1.12 R$5.74

15.18%

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

$23.3K R$120.0K

$23.1K R$118.6K

1.16%

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

$32.6K R$167.5K

$28.6K R$147.0K

13.98%

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

$95.0 R$488

$98.4 R$506

-3.44%

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

$12.28 R$63.1

$4.77 R$24.51

157.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.41 R$115

$19.42 R$99.8

15.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.39 R$161

$25.22 R$130

24.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.96 R$139

$27.54 R$142

-2.11%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 R$40.36

$7.68 R$39.49

2.21%

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

$811 R$4,169

$210 R$1,081

285.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.5K R$84.9K

$4,163 R$21.4K

296.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 R$266

$35.28 R$181

46.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.78 R$225

$57.7 R$297

-24.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 R$427

$77.7 R$400

6.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.6 R$440

$58.7 R$302

45.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$480 R$2,469

$143 R$736

235.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$262 R$1,345

$114 R$587

129.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,110 R$5,707

$271 R$1,394

309.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 R$2,860

$245 R$1,261

126.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,497 R$12.8K

$1,588 R$8,168

57.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,707 R$8,777

$1,160 R$5,966

47.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$809 R$4,161

$443 R$2,277

82.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.12

21.20%

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

Last update for Brasilia: September 13, 2026

Last update for Varginha: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $480 in Brasilia and $143 in Varginha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasilia pays 83% 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 $23.00 in Varginha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $161 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 36% in total monthly costs ($974 vs $716 including rent). Varginha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 83% 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 $143 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 $23.00 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 $716 in Varginha – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $716 in Varginha versus $974 in Brasilia, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Varginha but tight or insufficient in Brasilia. The gap between the two cities makes Varginha 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 Varginha gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Brasilia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.