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: $1,237 in Rio de Janeiro versus $828 in Itajubá, MG.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,799 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,185 in Itajubá, MG.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,360 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,542 in Itajubá, MG.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 49% more expensive than in Itajubá, MG, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 10% lower, Itajubá, MG 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.14 R$47.10

$4.26 R$21.93

114.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.73 R$200

$23.18 R$119

67.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 R$41.47

$4.33 R$22.33

85.91%

Cappuccino

$2.24 R$11.52

$1.20 R$6.16

86.67%

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

$1.58 R$8.16

$1.12 R$5.77

41.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 R$5.27

$0.67 R$3.47

52.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 R$12.06

$1.79 R$9.20

30.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 R$16.70

$2.99 R$15.41

8.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 R$5.64

$0.94 R$4.85

15.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 R$10.18

$1.62 R$8.36

21.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 R$7.02

$1.00 R$5.16

36.00%

Eggs

$2.28 R$11.75

$2.32 R$11.98

-1.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.83 R$55.8

$10.68 R$55.0

1.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 R$21.61

$3.51 R$18.10

19.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.62 R$49.58

$7.55 R$38.90

27.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 R$13.53

$2.74 R$14.12

-4.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 R$8.91

$1.61 R$8.27

7.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 R$7.90

$0.99 R$5.11

54.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 R$9.46

$1.75 R$9.04

5.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.35

$1.06 R$5.44

16.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 R$5.17

$1.05 R$5.41

-4.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.81

$0.64 R$3.31

15.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 R$3.14

$0.63 R$3.25

-3.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 R$15.12

$2.83 R$14.59

3.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.00 R$46.38

$8.72 R$44.93

3.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 R$6.12

$1.14 R$5.87

4.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 R$12.00

$1.51 R$7.80

54.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 R$4.78

$0.96 R$4.93

-3.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.48 R$255

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 R$6.12

$1.23 R$6.35

-3.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 R$4.31

$0.82 R$4.23

2.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.03 R$46.51

$9.02 R$46.48

0.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R$6.58

$1.15 R$5.90

11.30%

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

$23.0K R$118.3K

$23.2K R$119.6K

-1.06%

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

$32.1K R$165.4K

$32.2K R$165.8K

-0.24%

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

$136 R$699

$134 R$689

1.50%

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

$12.02 R$61.9

$12.05 R$62.1

-0.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.89 R$113

$18.44 R$95.0

18.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.08 R$155

$15.26 R$78.6

97.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.58 R$152

Cinema Ticket

$7.94 R$40.89

$7.93 R$40.85

0.13%

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

$551 R$2,837

$549 R$2,828

0.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K R$68.6K

$13.4K R$68.8K

-0.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.13 R$207

$40.74 R$210

-1.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.79 R$241

$47.85 R$247

-2.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.0 R$371

$74.3 R$383

-3.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.4 R$342

$65.3 R$336

1.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$833 R$4,289

$333 R$1,715

150.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 R$2,481

$235 R$1,211

104.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,278 R$6,586

$499 R$2,571

156.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$702 R$3,616

$349 R$1,798

101.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,929 R$20.2K

$892 R$4,597

340.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 R$7,608

$677 R$3,488

118.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$643 R$3,311

$286 R$1,475

124.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.93

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: September 12, 2026

Last update for Itajubá, MG: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $833 in Rio de Janeiro and $333 in Itajubá, MG. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio de Janeiro pays 124% 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: $39.00 in Rio de Janeiro vs $23.00 in Itajubá, MG for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $211 vs $189 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 49% in total monthly costs ($1,237 vs $828 including rent). Itajubá, MG is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 124% higher in Rio de Janeiro, 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: $833 in Rio de Janeiro versus $333 in Itajubá, MG. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $551 in Rio de Janeiro versus $549 in Itajubá, MG. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Itajubá, MG – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $39.00 in Rio de Janeiro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $828 in Itajubá, MG versus $1,237 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 49% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.