Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and Belo Horizonte

For one person, living is cheaper in Belo Horizonte: $984 a month against $5,142 in New York, NY, rent and utilities included – about $49,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

New York, NY
🇺🇸 United States
$5,142
/mo nomad
Belo Horizonte
🇧🇷 Brazil
$984
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in New York, NY and in Belo Horizonte

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in New York, NY and in Belo Horizonte actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $5,142 in New York, NY versus $984 in Belo Horizonte.

  • New York, NY $5,142
  • Belo Horizonte $984

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,455 in New York, NY versus $1,589 in Belo Horizonte.

  • New York, NY $7,455
  • Belo Horizonte $1,589

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,767 in New York, NY versus $2,193 in Belo Horizonte.

  • New York, NY $9,767
  • Belo Horizonte $2,193

Living in New York, NY is roughly 423% more expensive than in Belo Horizonte, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: New York, NY is 284% above, Belo Horizonte is 27% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
New York, NY
Belo Horizonte
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$26.46 $26.46
$5.90 R$29.46
348.47%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$119 $119
$37.35 R$186
217.88%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.43 $14.43
$8.86 R$44.22
62.87%
Cappuccino
$6.55 $6.55
$2.27 R$11.36
188.55%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.84 $3.84
$1.43 R$7.13
168.53%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 $3.00
$0.81 R$4.05
270.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.27 $8.27
$2.12 R$10.60
290.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$10.05 $10.05
$3.67 R$18.32
173.84%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
New York, NY
Belo Horizonte
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.31 $1.31
$0.95 R$4.72
37.89%
White Bread (500g)
$4.90 $4.90
$1.82 R$9.09
169.23%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$7.16 $7.16
$2.08 R$10.39
244.23%
Eggs
$5.92 $5.92
$2.22 R$11.07
166.67%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.06 $19.06
$9.91 R$49.47
92.33%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$17.38 $17.38
$4.33 R$21.63
301.39%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.94 $18.94
$7.63 R$38.10
148.23%
Apples (1kg)
$6.96 $6.96
$1.93 R$9.66
260.62%
Banana (1kg)
$2.08 $2.08
$1.15 R$5.75
80.87%
Oranges (1kg)
$6.10 $6.10
$1.20 R$5.98
408.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.95 $6.95
$1.65 R$8.23
321.21%
Potato (1kg)
$3.98 $3.98
$1.15 R$5.74
246.09%
Onion (1kg)
$4.44 $4.44
$0.97 R$4.86
357.73%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.81 $2.81
$0.85 R$4.23
230.59%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.51 $2.51
$0.92 R$4.58
172.83%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$19.27 $19.27
$2.47 R$12.33
680.16%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.67 $19.67
$8.23 R$41.09
139.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.08 $3.08
$1.43 R$7.15
115.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 $3.68
$2.74 R$13.68
34.31%
🚌 Getting Around
New York, NY
Belo Horizonte
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.02 $3.02
$1.25 R$6.26
141.60%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$140 $140
$68.0 R$339
105.24%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.07 $3.07
$1.02 R$5.10
200.98%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.13 $2.13
$0.77 R$3.84
176.62%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$41.21 $41.21
$6.32 R$31.53
552.06%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.11 $1.11
$1.32 R$6.58
-15.91%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.0K $35.0K
$24.0K R$119.9K
45.71%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.4K $25.4K
$32.5K R$162.1K
-21.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
New York, NY
Belo Horizonte
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$217 $217
$76.1 R$380
185.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$74.0 $74.0
$10.33 R$51.6
616.55%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$72.5 $72.5
$21.02 R$105
244.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
New York, NY
Belo Horizonte
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$120 $120
$28.07 R$140
329.11%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$66.9 $66.9
$46.30 R$231
44.47%
Cinema Ticket
$22.32 $22.32
$7.90 R$39.41
182.53%
🧸 Childcare & Education
New York, NY
Belo Horizonte
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$3,425 $3,425
$459 R$2,292
645.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$61.2K $61.2K
$13.8K R$69.0K
342.65%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
New York, NY
Belo Horizonte
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$76.3 $76.3
$62.0 R$309
23.12%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.5 $55.5
$48.86 R$244
13.49%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$119 $119
$97.6 R$487
22.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131 $131
$71.5 R$357
82.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
New York, NY
Belo Horizonte
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,506 $4,506
$590 R$2,945
663.73%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,155 $3,155
$292 R$1,456
981.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$8,817 $8,817
$890 R$4,440
891.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$5,532 $5,532
$591 R$2,950
836.11%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$19.4K $19.4K
$2,358 R$11.8K
721.98%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,754 $6,754
$1,121 R$5,598
502.23%
💵 Salaries & Financials
New York, NY
Belo Horizonte
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,290 $5,290
$613 R$3,062
762.25%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.82
11.25
-39.38%

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

Last update for New York, NY: October 3, 2026

Last update for Belo Horizonte: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
New York, NY
$3.2K
Belo Horizonte
$292 90.8% $2.9K
Groceries & Markets
New York, NY
$546
Belo Horizonte
$198 63.8% $348
Eating Out
New York, NY
$422
Belo Horizonte
$128 69.7% $294
Monthly Utilities & Internet
New York, NY
$364
Belo Horizonte
$107 70.5% $257
Clothing & Footwear
New York, NY
$172
Belo Horizonte
$126 26.6% $46
Getting Around
New York, NY
$165
Belo Horizonte
$78 52.9% $87
Sport & Entertainment
New York, NY
$165
Belo Horizonte
$44 73.4% $121

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,506 in New York, NY and $590 in Belo Horizonte. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

New York, NY pays 762% 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: $119 in New York, NY vs $37.00 in Belo Horizonte for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $546 vs $198 per month, with Belo Horizonte cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 New York, NY
🇧🇷 Belo Horizonte
🕒 Local time
05:54 5:54 AM
06:54 6:54 AM
1 h ahead of New York, NY
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
8,804,190
2,315,560
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4.99 BRL (1 BRL = 0.2 USD). 1 EUR = 5.59 BRL (1 BRL = 0.179 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • New York, NY Belo Horizonte 7,420 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • New York, NY
  • Belo Horizonte

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
New York, NY vs Belo Horizonte: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in New York, NY and in Belo Horizonte?
New York, NY and Belo Horizonte differ by about 423% in total monthly costs ($5,142 vs $984 including rent). Belo Horizonte is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: New York, NY or Belo Horizonte?
Average pay runs 762% higher in New York, NY, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in New York, NY and in Belo Horizonte?
Rent for a central apartment: $4,506 in New York, NY versus $590 in Belo Horizonte. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between New York, NY and Belo Horizonte?
Childcare runs $3,425 in New York, NY versus $459 in Belo Horizonte. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 176% higher in New York, NY. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $984 in Belo Horizonte versus $5,142 in New York, NY, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Belo Horizonte but tight or insufficient in New York, NY. The gap between the two cities makes Belo Horizonte the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between New York, NY and Belo Horizonte?
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.
Where should expats move: New York, NY or Belo Horizonte?
Expats usually find Belo Horizonte gentler on the wallet – expenses run 423% less than in New York, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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