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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,217 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $831 in Barretos, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,809 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,326 in Barretos, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,402 per month in Rio de Janeiro vs $1,822 in Barretos, rent included.

Rio de Janeiro costs about 46% more than Barretos, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Rio de Janeiro and Barretos are more affordable than the global median – Rio de Janeiro 12% lower, Barretos 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.47 R$48.53

$6.78 R$34.77

39.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.19 R$201

$22.71 R$116

72.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 R$43.74

$5.87 R$30.07

45.32%

Cappuccino

$2.32 R$11.90

$1.51 R$7.73

53.64%

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

$1.59 R$8.13

$1.28 R$6.58

24.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 R$5.36

$0.60 R$3.08

75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 R$11.65

$2.37 R$12.17

-4.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 R$16.91

$2.82 R$14.43

17.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.69

$1.05 R$5.40

5.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 R$10.42

$2.10 R$10.76

-3.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 R$6.95

$1.34 R$6.86

1.49%

Eggs

$2.24 R$11.48

$2.63 R$13.48

-14.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 R$53.4

$11.33 R$58.1

-8.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.25 R$21.81

$4.73 R$24.25

-10.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.78 R$50.1

$10.44 R$53.5

-6.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 R$13.45

$2.37 R$12.16

10.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 R$9.31

$1.72 R$8.83

5.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 R$8.15

$1.54 R$7.91

3.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 R$9.35

$1.49 R$7.61

22.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 R$6.58

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 R$5.22

$1.16 R$5.95

-12.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 R$3.58

$0.93 R$4.78

-24.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 R$3.44

$0.80 R$4.11

-16.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 R$15.00

$2.34 R$12.00

25.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.54 R$43.79

$7.94 R$40.72

7.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 R$5.97

$1.47 R$7.53

-20.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 R$12.64

$2.43 R$12.44

1.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 R$4.95

$0.93 R$4.76

4.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.1 R$257

$41.69 R$214

20.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 R$6.07

$1.14 R$5.84

3.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 R$4.46

$0.75 R$3.87

16.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.88 R$45.51

$8.48 R$43.47

4.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 R$6.44

$0.93 R$4.79

35.48%

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

$23.6K R$121.2K

$23.1K R$118.3K

2.43%

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

$32.9K R$168.6K

$31.9K R$163.5K

3.14%

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

$136 R$697

$28.95 R$148

369.81%

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

$11.93 R$61.1

$5.65 R$28.98

111.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.66 R$111

$15.55 R$79.7

39.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.09 R$154

$24.17 R$124

24.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.51 R$151

$26.15 R$134

12.85%

Cinema Ticket

$7.72 R$39.59

$7.90 R$40.49

-2.28%

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

$550 R$2,819

$429 R$2,201

28.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K R$68.3K

$9,957 R$51.0K

33.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.22 R$206

$65.0 R$333

-38.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.82 R$245

$23.11 R$118

106.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 R$373

$93.3 R$478

-21.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.1 R$334

$67.0 R$344

-2.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$821 R$4,207

$348 R$1,786

135.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 R$2,554

$234 R$1,199

113.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,285 R$6,585

$632 R$3,241

103.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 R$3,673

$443 R$2,272

61.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,890 R$19.9K

$1,603 R$8,218

142.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,482 R$7,595

$1,143 R$5,859

29.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$649 R$3,329

$554 R$2,842

17.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.93

10.81

10.36%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: September 6, 2026

Last update for Barretos: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $821 in Rio de Janeiro versus $348 in Barretos. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 17% higher in Rio de Janeiro, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Rio de Janeiro versus $23.00 in Barretos. Groceries tell a different story – $212 in Rio de Janeiro vs $220 in Barretos – so Rio de Janeiro wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Barretos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,217 in Rio de Janeiro, $831 in Barretos – roughly 46% apart. Rio de Janeiro costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,826 per month in Rio de Janeiro and $1,247 in Barretos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Barretos, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Rio de Janeiro and $23.00 in Barretos. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,217 in Rio de Janeiro and $831 in Barretos. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Barretos, where all-in costs run around $831, than in Rio de Janeiro at $1,217. In Barretos it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rio de Janeiro it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Rio de Janeiro has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $831 in Barretos to $1,217 in Rio de Janeiro. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Barretos. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Rio de Janeiro makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.