Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Belo Horizonte Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Belo Horizonte

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $945 in Rio de Janeiro versus $826 in Belo Horizonte.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,472 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,294 in Belo Horizonte.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,000 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,762 in Belo Horizonte.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 14% more expensive than in Belo Horizonte, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 29% lower, Belo Horizonte 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.35 R$37.57

$6.13 R$31.31

19.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.43 R$181

$31.91 R$163

11.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.28 R$32.12

$6.59 R$33.70

-4.70%

Cappuccino

$1.90 R$9.72

$1.54 R$7.88

23.38%

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

$1.29 R$6.57

$0.95 R$4.85

35.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 R$4.66

$0.60 R$3.08

51.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 R$8.95

$1.84 R$9.43

-4.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 R$13.98

$3.04 R$15.55

-10.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 R$5.77

$0.89 R$4.56

26.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.71 R$8.73

$1.50 R$7.67

14.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 R$7.29

$1.54 R$7.86

-7.14%

Eggs

$2.04 R$10.42

$1.99 R$10.15

2.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 R$39.58

$8.22 R$41.99

-5.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.49 R$17.82

$3.44 R$17.57

1.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.01 R$40.93

$7.41 R$37.87

8.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 R$11.76

$2.24 R$11.46

2.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 R$8.04

$1.29 R$6.61

21.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 R$7.73

$1.11 R$5.68

36.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 R$7.90

$1.36 R$6.96

13.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.36

$1.07 R$5.46

15.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 R$5.70

$0.84 R$4.31

33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 R$3.27

$0.70 R$3.58

-8.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 R$2.91

$0.68 R$3.47

-16.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.00 R$10.21

$2.18 R$11.14

-8.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 R$40.48

$7.56 R$38.64

4.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 R$6.43

$1.07 R$5.47

17.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 R$10.47

$2.15 R$10.97

-4.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 R$6.58

$0.92 R$4.69

40.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.50 R$202

$41.65 R$213

-5.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 R$5.46

$0.92 R$4.71

16.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 R$3.39

$1.08 R$5.52

-38.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.39 R$37.78

$7.93 R$40.53

-6.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.66

$1.08 R$5.54

2.78%

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

$20.7K R$105.7K

$25.2K R$128.7K

-17.87%

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

$27.5K R$140.6K

$28.7K R$146.8K

-4.21%

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

$103 R$526

$64.8 R$331

59.01%

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

$11.99 R$61.3

$14.22 R$72.7

-15.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.51 R$94.6

$20.86 R$107

-11.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.11 R$133

$23.90 R$122

9.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.43 R$125

$39.74 R$203

-38.53%

Cinema Ticket

$6.34 R$32.40

$7.39 R$37.75

-14.21%

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

$554 R$2,830

$369 R$1,885

50.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K R$60.2K

$6,843 R$35.0K

72.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.24 R$231

$52.5 R$268

-13.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.69 R$213

$36.72 R$188

13.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 R$391

$71.1 R$363

7.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.0 R$317

$65.8 R$336

-5.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$444 R$2,269

$413 R$2,110

7.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 R$1,664

$260 R$1,329

25.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$847 R$4,328

$698 R$3,568

21.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$578 R$2,952

$453 R$2,316

27.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,657 R$18.7K

$2,288 R$11.7K

59.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,475 R$7,538

$1,094 R$5,592

34.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$594 R$3,035

$618 R$3,158

-3.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

10.83

4.62%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: July 13, 2026

Last update for Belo Horizonte: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $444 in Rio de Janeiro and $413 in Belo Horizonte. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Belo Horizonte pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Rio de Janeiro vs $32.00 in Belo Horizonte for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $173 per month, with Belo Horizonte 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 Belo Horizonte: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio de Janeiro and Belo Horizonte differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($945 vs $826 including rent). Belo Horizonte is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 4% lower in Belo Horizonte. 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: $444 in Rio de Janeiro versus $413 in Belo Horizonte. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $554 in Rio de Janeiro versus $369 in Belo Horizonte. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Rio de Janeiro. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Belo Horizonte gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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.

Expats usually find Belo Horizonte gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.