Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Barreiras Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Barreiras

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $953 in Rio de Janeiro versus $776 in Barreiras.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,460 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,231 in Barreiras.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,967 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,685 in Barreiras.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 23% more expensive than Barreiras, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 29% lower, Barreiras 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.03 R$35.08

$5.32 R$26.55

32.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.78 R$179

$26.48 R$132

35.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.24 R$31.16

$6.18 R$30.84

0.97%

Cappuccino

$1.99 R$9.93

$1.80 R$8.98

10.56%

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

$1.34 R$6.67

$1.09 R$5.44

22.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 R$4.19

$0.61 R$3.05

37.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 R$8.88

$1.84 R$9.18

-3.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 R$13.31

$2.69 R$13.40

-0.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.56

$0.98 R$4.90

13.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.77 R$8.84

$1.45 R$7.23

22.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.42

$1.17 R$5.85

27.35%

Eggs

$1.93 R$9.62

$2.05 R$10.21

-5.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.11 R$40.47

$8.09 R$40.35

0.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.55 R$17.71

$3.56 R$17.75

-0.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.25 R$41.17

$7.15 R$35.66

15.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 R$11.58

$2.15 R$10.71

7.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 R$8.13

$1.30 R$6.51

25.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 R$7.19

$1.15 R$5.73

25.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 R$7.73

$1.46 R$7.31

6.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.15

$1.14 R$5.70

7.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 R$5.76

$1.11 R$5.52

3.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 R$3.45

$0.74 R$3.69

-6.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 R$2.87

$0.62 R$3.08

-6.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.99 R$9.93

$2.08 R$10.37

-4.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 R$40.18

$8.69 R$43.34

-7.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 R$6.26

$1.21 R$6.06

3.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 R$10.14

$2.04 R$10.20

-0.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 R$6.13

$0.88 R$4.38

39.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.49 R$197

$38.29 R$191

3.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 R$5.33

$1.10 R$5.48

-2.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 R$3.46

$0.76 R$3.80

-9.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.53 R$37.60

$6.44 R$32.14

16.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 R$5.50

$1.05 R$5.24

4.76%

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

$20.2K R$100.6K

$20.9K R$104.1K

-3.36%

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

$27.2K R$135.7K

$28.2K R$140.5K

-3.38%

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

$104 R$519

$61.6 R$307

69.10%

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

$11.99 R$59.8

$13.29 R$66.3

-9.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.48 R$92.2

$19.11 R$95.3

-3.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.17 R$131

$22.77 R$114

14.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.31 R$121

$21.69 R$108

12.08%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 R$32.07

$6.27 R$31.29

2.55%

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

$553 R$2,761

$275 R$1,370

101.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K R$57.3K

$6,577 R$32.8K

74.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.53 R$222

$48.73 R$243

-8.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.97 R$209

$42.74 R$213

-1.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 R$382

$77.2 R$385

-0.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.2 R$305

$63.2 R$315

-3.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 R$2,143

$316 R$1,578

35.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 R$1,618

$215 R$1,071

51.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$835 R$4,165

$584 R$2,915

42.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$580 R$2,894

$425 R$2,122

36.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,964 R$14.8K

$1,690 R$8,432

75.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,333 R$6,650

$1,315 R$6,560

1.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$535 R$2,671

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

10.92

3.75%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: April 27, 2026

Last update for Barreiras: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $429 in Rio de Janeiro and $316 in Barreiras. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro vs $26.00 in Barreiras for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $186 vs $175 per month, with Barreiras 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

Rio de Janeiro vs Barreiras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barreiras is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,429 in Rio de Janeiro and $1,165 in Barreiras 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: $429 in Rio de Janeiro versus $316 in Barreiras. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $553 in Rio de Janeiro versus $275 in Barreiras. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Rio de Janeiro. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Barreiras gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Barreiras 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.

Expats usually find Barreiras gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.