Cost of Living Comparison Between Itajubá, MG and Rio de Janeiro Cost of Living Comparison Between Itajubá, MG and Rio de Janeiro

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $814 in Itajubá, MG versus $1,205 in Rio de Janeiro.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,170 in Itajubá, MG versus $1,748 in Rio de Janeiro.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,526 in Itajubá, MG versus $2,292 in Rio de Janeiro.

Living in Itajubá, MG costs roughly 32% less than in Rio de Janeiro, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Itajubá, MG 41% lower, Rio de Janeiro 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.44 R$22.89

$8.50 R$43.80

-47.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.20 R$120

$38.02 R$196

-38.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.39 R$22.62

$7.62 R$39.25

-42.39%

Cappuccino

$1.20 R$6.17

$2.24 R$11.55

-46.43%

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

$1.06 R$5.47

$1.56 R$8.01

-32.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 R$3.52

$1.04 R$5.35

-34.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 R$8.70

$2.27 R$11.69

-25.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 R$15.00

$3.31 R$17.03

-12.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 R$4.73

$1.11 R$5.71

-17.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 R$8.36

$1.96 R$10.09

-17.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 R$5.09

$1.33 R$6.84

-25.56%

Eggs

$2.25 R$11.57

$2.22 R$11.43

1.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.57 R$54.5

$10.35 R$53.3

2.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 R$17.50

$4.32 R$22.27

-21.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.33 R$37.75

$9.42 R$48.54

-22.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 R$14.07

$2.64 R$13.60

3.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 R$7.80

$1.72 R$8.88

-12.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.94 R$4.86

$1.52 R$7.84

-38.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 R$8.99

$1.79 R$9.21

-2.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 R$5.40

$1.23 R$6.31

-14.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 R$5.29

$1.03 R$5.33

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 R$3.38

$0.70 R$3.60

-5.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.19

$0.63 R$3.25

-1.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 R$14.65

$2.91 R$14.98

-2.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.64 R$39.39

$7.84 R$40.38

-2.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 R$5.73

$1.10 R$5.68

0.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 R$7.88

$2.56 R$13.18

-40.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 R$4.73

$1.00 R$5.14

-8.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.98 R$252

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 R$6.34

$1.19 R$6.12

3.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 R$4.23

$0.88 R$4.52

-6.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.73 R$45.00

$8.97 R$46.23

-2.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.79

$1.26 R$6.48

-11.11%

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

$22.4K R$115.3K

$23.3K R$120.3K

-4.14%

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

$31.7K R$163.5K

$32.2K R$166.1K

-1.56%

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

$129 R$663

$132 R$678

-2.28%

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

$10.95 R$56.4

$10.95 R$56.5

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.85 R$92.0

$21.95 R$113

-18.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.18 R$78.2

$28.50 R$147

-46.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.26 R$156

Cinema Ticket

$7.58 R$39.05

$7.80 R$40.21

-2.82%

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

$540 R$2,780

$538 R$2,772

0.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K R$65.0K

$12.8K R$65.9K

-1.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.80 R$210

$40.62 R$209

0.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.72 R$246

$46.36 R$239

2.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.5 R$353

$69.7 R$359

-1.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.6 R$328

$64.6 R$333

-1.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$337 R$1,737

$828 R$4,266

-59.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$230 R$1,183

$467 R$2,409

-50.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 R$2,576

$1,264 R$6,511

-60.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$351 R$1,810

$723 R$3,725

-51.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$882 R$4,545

$4,042 R$20.8K

-78.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$674 R$3,473

$1,511 R$7,787

-55.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$284 R$1,464

$613 R$3,159

-53.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.93

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

Last update for Itajubá, MG: August 29, 2026

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $337 in Itajubá, MG and $828 in Rio de Janeiro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio de Janeiro pays 116% 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: $23.00 in Itajubá, MG vs $38.00 in Rio de Janeiro for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $207 per month, with Itajubá, MG 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

Itajubá, MG vs Rio de Janeiro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Itajubá, MG and Rio de Janeiro differ by about 48% in total monthly costs ($814 vs $1,205 including rent). Itajubá, MG is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 116% lower in Rio de Janeiro. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $337 in Itajubá, MG versus $828 in Rio de Janeiro. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $540 in Itajubá, MG versus $538 in Rio de Janeiro. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Itajubá, MG – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $38.00 in Rio de Janeiro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $814 in Itajubá, MG versus $1,205 in Rio de Janeiro, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Itajubá, MG but tight or insufficient in Rio de Janeiro. The gap between the two cities makes Itajubá, MG 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.

Safety-wise, Itajubá, MG and Rio de Janeiro are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Itajubá, MG gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.