Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cape Town and Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais

For one person, living is cheaper in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais: $766 a month against $1,527 in Cape Town, rent and utilities included – about $9,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Cape Town, South Africa
Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Cape Town
🇿🇦 South Africa
$1,527
/mo nomad
Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais
🇧🇷 Brazil
$766
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cape Town and in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Cape Town and in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,527 per month in Cape Town vs $766 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, rent included.

  • Cape Town $1,527
  • Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais $766

A couple spends around $2,417 per month in Cape Town vs $1,179 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, rent included.

  • Cape Town $2,417
  • Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais $1,179

A family of three spends $3,306 per month in Cape Town vs $1,593 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, rent included.

  • Cape Town $3,306
  • Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais $1,593

Cape Town costs about 99% more than Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Cape Town sits 13% above the global median, while Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais is 43% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cape Town
Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.01 R 199
$4.21 R$23.17
185.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.92 R 709
$14.84 R$81.7
189.22%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.15 R 102
$6.59 R$36.24
-6.68%
Cappuccino
$2.37 R 39.16
$1.62 R$8.91
46.30%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.27 R 21.03
$1.27 R$6.96
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 R 15.50
$0.57 R$3.15
64.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.96 R 48.92
$1.14 R$6.27
159.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.69 R 61.0
$2.20 R$12.11
67.73%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cape Town
Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.32 R 21.80
$0.95 R$5.24
38.95%
White Bread (500g)
$1.21 R 19.93
$1.40 R$7.73
-13.57%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.20 R 36.37
$1.33 R$7.34
65.41%
Eggs
$3.10 R 51.3
$1.90 R$10.48
63.16%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.73 R 144
$8.38 R$46.12
4.18%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.89 R 114
$3.16 R$17.38
118.04%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.26 R 153
$9.18 R$50.5
0.87%
Apples (1kg)
$1.83 R 30.17
$1.76 R$9.67
3.98%
Banana (1kg)
$1.95 R 32.22
$1.11 R$6.11
75.68%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.66 R 27.40
$0.89 R$4.92
86.52%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.14 R 35.30
$1.19 R$6.55
79.83%
Potato (1kg)
$1.58 R 26.09
$0.64 R$3.54
146.88%
Onion (1kg)
$1.47 R 24.37
$0.80 R$4.40
83.75%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.35 R 22.25
$0.53 R$2.91
154.72%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.14 R 18.91
$0.73 R$4.01
56.16%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.58 R 59.1
$1.47 R$8.07
143.54%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.05 R 100
$5.66 R$31.15
6.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.39 R 23.02
$0.95 R$5.23
46.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.18 R 36.01
$1.32 R$7.28
65.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Cape Town
Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.40 R 23.09
$0.98 R$5.39
42.86%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$60.8 R 1,004
$41.29 R$227
47.13%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.93 R 15.31
$1.27 R$6.99
-26.77%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.90 R 14.88
$0.68 R$3.77
32.35%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.96 R 82.0
$3.75 R$20.66
32.27%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.54 R 25.45
$1.21 R$6.64
27.27%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.4K R 584.6K
$11.2K R$61.8K
214.89%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.4K R 551.6K
$27.4K R$151.0K
21.61%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cape Town
Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$117 R 1,935
$55.2 R$304
112.12%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.71 R 425
$9.17 R$50.5
180.37%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$39.41 R 651
$18.06 R$99.4
118.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cape Town
Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.6 R 853
$24.44 R$135
111.17%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.35 R 188
$26.01 R$143
-56.36%
Cinema Ticket
$8.89 R 147
$6.36 R$35.01
39.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cape Town
Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$308 R 5,085
$137 R$755
124.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,141 R 134.6K
$1,884 R$10.4K
332.19%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cape Town
Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.4 R 948
$65.0 R$358
-11.75%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.75 R 525
$78.7 R$433
-59.66%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$116 R 1,917
$63.1 R$347
83.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$101 R 1,665
$44.32 R$244
127.23%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cape Town
Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,047 R 17.3K
$330 R$1,817
217.11%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$669 R 11.1K
$230 R$1,266
190.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,861 R 30.8K
$624 R$3,433
198.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,407 R 23.3K
$418 R$2,303
236.27%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,410 R 39.8K
$1,594 R$8,773
51.21%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,570 R 25.9K
$1,141 R$6,280
37.55%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cape Town
Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,630 R 26.9K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.89
10.67
2.06%

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

Last update for Cape Town: November 2, 2026

Last update for Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cape Town
$669
Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais
$230 65.6% $439
Groceries & Markets
Cape Town
$223
Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais
$163 27% $60
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cape Town
$182
Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais
$82 54.8% $100
Eating Out
Cape Town
$174
Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais
$90 48.1% $84
Clothing & Footwear
Cape Town
$138
Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais
$113 17.9% $25
Getting Around
Cape Town
$72
Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais
$50 30.5% $22
Sport & Entertainment
Cape Town
$69
Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais
$37 46.4% $32

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,047 in Cape Town versus $330 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Cape Town versus $15 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $223 vs $163 – making Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇿🇦 Cape Town
🇧🇷 Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais
🕒 Local time
00:52 12:52 AM
19:52 7:52 PM
5 h behind Cape Town
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,740,026 Capital
74,821
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD, EUR to ZAR – South African Rand Converter

South African Rand exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 16.53 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6.05 USD). 1 EUR = 18.47 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.41 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 5.5 BRL (1 BRL = 0.182 USD). 1 EUR = 6.15 BRL (1 BRL = 0.163 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cape Town Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais 6,220 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Cape Town
  • Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Cape Town vs Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Cape Town or Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais?
Cape Town costs about 99% more than Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Cape Town and in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,291 per month in Cape Town and $1,149 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Cape Town or Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $330 there versus $1,047 in Cape Town.
How much does it cost to live in Cape Town compared to Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,527 in Cape Town and $766 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais. That makes Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais about 50% cheaper.
How expensive is transport in Cape Town compared to Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais?
Public transport costs about 32% less in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Cape Town or in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, where all-in costs run around $766, than in Cape Town at $1,527. In Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cape Town it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
For expats, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 50% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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