Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Juiz de Fora Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Juiz de Fora

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,237 in Rio de Janeiro versus $739 in Juiz de Fora.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,799 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,172 in Juiz de Fora.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,360 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,605 in Juiz de Fora.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 67% more expensive than in Juiz de Fora, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 10% lower, Juiz de Fora 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.14 R$47.10

$5.71 R$29.44

60.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.73 R$200

$28.91 R$149

33.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 R$41.47

$6.81 R$35.11

18.21%

Cappuccino

$2.24 R$11.52

$1.68 R$8.65

33.33%

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

$1.58 R$8.16

$1.34 R$6.91

17.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 R$5.27

$0.56 R$2.90

82.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 R$12.06

$1.20 R$6.19

95.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 R$16.70

$2.27 R$11.70

42.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 R$5.64

$0.99 R$5.10

10.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 R$10.18

$1.54 R$7.96

27.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 R$7.02

$1.34 R$6.88

1.49%

Eggs

$2.28 R$11.75

$1.89 R$9.74

20.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.83 R$55.8

$8.53 R$43.96

26.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 R$21.61

$3.33 R$17.13

25.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.62 R$49.58

$9.30 R$47.92

3.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 R$13.53

$1.83 R$9.45

43.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 R$8.91

$1.17 R$6.03

47.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 R$7.90

$0.93 R$4.81

64.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 R$9.46

$1.23 R$6.35

49.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.35

$0.64 R$3.32

92.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 R$5.17

$0.84 R$4.31

19.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.81

$0.55 R$2.85

34.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 R$3.14

$0.74 R$3.83

-17.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 R$15.12

$1.54 R$7.92

90.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.00 R$46.38

$5.96 R$30.69

51.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 R$6.12

$0.96 R$4.92

23.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 R$12.00

$1.38 R$7.10

68.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 R$4.78

$0.70 R$3.60

32.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.48 R$255

$32.29 R$166

53.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 R$6.12

$1.33 R$6.88

-10.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 R$4.31

$0.74 R$3.79

13.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.03 R$46.51

$8.06 R$41.55

12.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R$6.58

$1.27 R$6.52

0.79%

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

$23.0K R$118.3K

$20.6K R$106.0K

11.58%

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

$32.1K R$165.4K

$30.5K R$157.3K

5.12%

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

$136 R$699

$56.6 R$292

139.93%

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

$12.02 R$61.9

$9.86 R$50.8

21.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.89 R$113

$18.63 R$96.0

17.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.08 R$155

$23.36 R$120

28.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.58 R$152

$26.88 R$138

10.04%

Cinema Ticket

$7.94 R$40.89

$6.59 R$33.96

20.49%

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

$551 R$2,837

$139 R$718

295.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K R$68.6K

$2,595 R$13.4K

413.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.13 R$207

$67.4 R$347

-40.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.79 R$241

$82.5 R$425

-43.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.0 R$371

$66.3 R$342

8.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.4 R$342

$46.72 R$241

42.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$833 R$4,289

$303 R$1,563

174.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 R$2,481

$189 R$972

155.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,278 R$6,586

$514 R$2,649

148.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$702 R$3,616

$328 R$1,692

113.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,929 R$20.2K

$962 R$4,954

308.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,477 R$7,608

$581 R$2,992

154.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$643 R$3,311

$448 R$2,310

43.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.93

10.67

11.81%

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 Juiz de Fora: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $833 in Rio de Janeiro and $303 in Juiz de Fora. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio de Janeiro pays 43% 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 $29.00 in Juiz de Fora for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $211 vs $169 per month, with Juiz de Fora 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 Juiz de Fora: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Juiz de Fora wins on cost – living expenses run 67% lower than in Rio de Janeiro. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Juiz de Fora the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 43% 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 $303 in Juiz de Fora. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Juiz de Fora – a meal for two runs $29.00 versus $39.00 in Rio de Janeiro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,237 per month in Rio de Janeiro versus $739 in Juiz de Fora – a 67% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $739 in Juiz de Fora versus $1,237 in Rio de Janeiro, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Juiz de Fora but tight or insufficient in Rio de Janeiro. The gap between the two cities makes Juiz de Fora the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Juiz de Fora delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $739 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Juiz de Fora hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Juiz de Fora gentler on the wallet – expenses run 67% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.