Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Itajubá, MG Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Itajubá, MG

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $960 in Rio de Janeiro versus $750 in Itajubá, MG.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,479 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,087 in Itajubá, MG.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,997 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,425 in Itajubá, MG.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 28% more expensive than Itajubá, MG, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 28% lower, Itajubá, MG 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.20 R$36.43

$3.52 R$17.79

104.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.52 R$180

$14.59 R$73.8

143.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.44 R$32.61

$5.01 R$25.37

28.54%

Cappuccino

$1.97 R$9.99

$0.71 R$3.59

177.46%

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

$1.27 R$6.45

$0.75 R$3.78

69.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 R$4.54

$0.38 R$1.92

136.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$8.93

$1.77 R$8.96

-0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 R$13.58

$2.64 R$13.35

1.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R$5.88

$0.85 R$4.30

36.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 R$8.59

$1.49 R$7.55

14.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.14

$0.89 R$4.48

58.43%

Eggs

$2.00 R$10.11

$2.03 R$10.28

-1.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 R$40.72

$7.80 R$39.45

3.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.62 R$18.31

$3.07 R$15.54

17.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.20 R$41.49

$5.73 R$28.97

43.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 R$12.13

$2.42 R$12.26

-0.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 R$7.99

$1.62 R$8.17

-2.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.56

$1.46 R$7.39

2.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 R$7.89

$1.54 R$7.81

1.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.60

$0.55 R$2.80

136.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 R$5.58

$1.03 R$5.20

6.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 R$3.46

$0.28 R$1.43

142.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 R$2.93

$0.56 R$2.85

3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 R$9.86

$2.02 R$10.24

-3.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.73 R$44.17

$9.11 R$46.08

-4.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 R$6.14

$1.22 R$6.19

-0.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 R$10.89

$1.41 R$7.13

52.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 R$6.23

$0.93 R$4.68

32.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.30 R$199

$38.76 R$196

1.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R$5.63

$1.07 R$5.40

3.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R$3.61

$0.69 R$3.50

2.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 R$37.30

$7.57 R$38.30

-2.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.43

$1.05 R$5.30

1.90%

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

$20.4K R$103.0K

$15.2K R$77.0K

33.72%

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

$27.1K R$137.1K

$27.8K R$140.4K

-2.39%

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

$104 R$525

$105 R$529

-0.68%

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

$12.18 R$61.6

$12.03 R$60.9

1.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 R$94.6

$16.04 R$81.1

16.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.68 R$130

$13.83 R$70.0

85.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.37 R$123

$21.82 R$110

11.69%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 R$33.41

$6.57 R$33.24

0.46%

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

$542 R$2,742

$539 R$2,725

0.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K R$59.7K

$11.7K R$59.4K

0.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.23 R$224

$44.46 R$225

-0.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.91 R$212

$42.31 R$214

-0.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 R$389

$75.0 R$379

2.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.0 R$314

$61.6 R$312

0.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 R$2,218

$294 R$1,487

49.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 R$1,672

$216 R$1,093

53.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 R$4,242

$475 R$2,403

76.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$569 R$2,881

$319 R$1,612

78.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,356 R$17.0K

$934 R$4,724

259.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,389 R$7,026

$693 R$3,508

100.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$548 R$2,773

$300 R$1,516

82.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: June 1, 2026

Last update for Itajubá, MG: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $438 in Rio de Janeiro and $294 in Itajubá, MG. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio de Janeiro pays 83% 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: $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro vs $15.00 in Itajubá, MG for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $165 per month, with Itajubá, MG 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 Itajubá, MG: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio de Janeiro and Itajubá, MG differ by about 28% in total monthly costs ($960 vs $750 including rent). Itajubá, MG is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Rio de Janeiro pays 83% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $438 in Rio de Janeiro versus $294 in Itajubá, MG. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $542 in Rio de Janeiro versus $539 in Itajubá, MG. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Rio de Janeiro. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $750 in Itajubá, MG versus $960 in Rio de Janeiro, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Itajubá, MG but tight or insufficient in Rio de Janeiro. The gap between the two cities makes Itajubá, MG the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Rio de Janeiro and Itajubá, MG 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 Itajubá, MG gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.