Cost of Living Comparison Between Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro Cost of Living Comparison Between Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $760 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais versus $960 in Rio de Janeiro.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,181 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais versus $1,479 in Rio de Janeiro.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,601 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais versus $1,997 in Rio de Janeiro.

Living in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais costs roughly 21% less than in Rio de Janeiro, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais 43% lower, Rio de Janeiro 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 R$18.47

$7.20 R$37.09

-50.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.25 R$73.4

$35.52 R$183

-59.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.62 R$34.10

$6.44 R$33.20

2.80%

Cappuccino

$1.58 R$8.14

$1.97 R$10.17

-19.80%

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

$1.00 R$5.14

$1.27 R$6.56

-21.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.17

$0.90 R$4.62

-31.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 R$9.03

$1.76 R$9.09

-0.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 R$15.46

$2.68 R$13.83

11.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 R$4.88

$1.16 R$5.99

-18.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 R$7.81

$1.70 R$8.75

-10.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 R$8.18

$1.41 R$7.27

12.77%

Eggs

$1.98 R$10.18

$2.00 R$10.29

-1.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.84 R$40.39

$8.05 R$41.45

-2.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.45 R$17.77

$3.62 R$18.64

-4.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.27 R$37.44

$8.20 R$42.25

-11.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 R$11.68

$2.40 R$12.35

-5.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 R$6.89

$1.58 R$8.14

-15.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 R$5.45

$1.49 R$7.70

-28.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 R$6.95

$1.56 R$8.04

-13.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 R$5.49

$1.30 R$6.72

-17.69%

Onion (1kg)

$0.86 R$4.44

$1.10 R$5.68

-21.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 R$3.63

$0.68 R$3.52

2.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 R$3.29

$0.58 R$2.98

10.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.15 R$11.07

$1.95 R$10.04

10.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.04 R$31.11

$8.73 R$44.97

-30.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 R$5.29

$1.21 R$6.26

-14.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 R$11.00

$2.15 R$11.09

-0.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 R$4.42

$1.23 R$6.34

-30.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.48 R$198

$39.30 R$202

-2.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 R$4.76

$1.11 R$5.73

-17.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 R$5.56

$0.71 R$3.67

52.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 R$18.28

$7.37 R$37.98

-51.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 R$5.56

$1.07 R$5.52

0.93%

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

$10.6K R$54.6K

$20.4K R$104.9K

-47.95%

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

$27.1K R$139.5K

$27.1K R$139.6K

-0.03%

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

$65.0 R$335

$104 R$535

-37.42%

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

$14.30 R$73.7

$12.18 R$62.8

17.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.71 R$107

$18.70 R$96.3

10.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.97 R$118

$25.68 R$132

-10.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.02 R$113

$24.37 R$126

-9.64%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 R$36.25

$6.60 R$34.02

6.67%

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

$220 R$1,132

$542 R$2,791

-59.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,835 R$9,451

$11.8K R$60.8K

-84.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.1 R$269

$44.23 R$228

17.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.55 R$193

$41.91 R$216

-10.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 R$374

$76.8 R$396

-5.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.2 R$331

$62.0 R$319

3.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$321 R$1,655

$438 R$2,258

-26.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$218 R$1,123

$331 R$1,703

-34.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$586 R$3,020

$838 R$4,319

-30.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$413 R$2,128

$569 R$2,933

-27.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,379 R$7,102

$3,356 R$17.3K

-58.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,016 R$5,232

$1,389 R$7,154

-26.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$548 R$2,823

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.83

11.33

-4.41%

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

Last update for Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais: May 31, 2026

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $321 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais and $438 in Rio de Janeiro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $14.00 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais vs $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $169 vs $188 per month, with Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais 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

Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais vs Rio de Janeiro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,140 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais and $1,440 in Rio de Janeiro to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $321 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais versus $438 in Rio de Janeiro. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais runs roughly 2% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $220 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais versus $542 in Rio de Janeiro. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $760 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais versus $960 in Rio de Janeiro, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais but tight or insufficient in Rio de Janeiro. The gap between the two cities makes Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Rio de Janeiro, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais 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 Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.