Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Montes Claros Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Montes Claros

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $948 in Rio de Janeiro versus $746 in Montes Claros.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,487 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,208 in Montes Claros.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,026 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,669 in Montes Claros.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 27% more expensive than Montes Claros, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 29% lower, Montes Claros 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.03 R$34.96

$3.12 R$15.52

125.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.46 R$176

$26.99 R$134

31.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.19 R$30.78

$6.48 R$32.18

-4.48%

Cappuccino

$2.00 R$9.92

$1.72 R$8.54

16.28%

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

$1.29 R$6.41

$1.07 R$5.31

20.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 R$4.46

$0.65 R$3.24

38.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$8.75

$1.33 R$6.63

32.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 R$13.09

$2.68 R$13.30

-1.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 R$5.62

$0.99 R$4.93

14.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 R$8.40

$1.50 R$7.46

12.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 R$7.04

$1.15 R$5.69

23.48%

Eggs

$1.92 R$9.55

$2.02 R$10.05

-4.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.79 R$38.73

$7.97 R$39.59

-2.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 R$18.05

$3.68 R$18.29

-1.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.99 R$39.72

$7.04 R$35.01

13.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.33 R$11.60

$2.15 R$10.68

8.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 R$7.96

$1.25 R$6.23

28.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 R$7.25

$1.18 R$5.89

23.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 R$7.80

$1.46 R$7.24

7.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 R$6.19

$1.16 R$5.75

7.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.76

$1.11 R$5.52

4.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 R$3.44

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.07

$0.63 R$3.12

-1.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 R$9.77

$2.11 R$10.50

-6.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.90 R$39.28

$7.93 R$39.39

-0.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 R$6.33

$1.21 R$6.02

4.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 R$10.52

$2.05 R$10.20

3.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 R$6.38

$0.75 R$3.75

70.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.38 R$191

$38.79 R$193

-1.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R$5.54

$1.06 R$5.24

4.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R$3.54

$0.75 R$3.74

-5.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 R$38.70

$6.34 R$31.51

22.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 R$5.29

$0.94 R$4.65

12.77%

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

$20.9K R$104.0K

$20.9K R$104.1K

-0.08%

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

$27.9K R$138.6K

$27.2K R$134.9K

2.68%

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

$103 R$513

$60.0 R$298

72.25%

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

$12.22 R$60.7

$13.67 R$67.9

-10.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.82 R$93.5

$17.85 R$88.7

5.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.63 R$127

$19.72 R$98.0

29.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.19 R$120

$21.96 R$109

10.15%

Cinema Ticket

$6.38 R$31.72

$6.38 R$31.70

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

$551 R$2,738

$266 R$1,323

106.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K R$58.1K

$6,365 R$31.6K

83.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.89 R$228

$49.07 R$244

-6.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.16 R$205

$41.89 R$208

-1.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 R$380

$76.8 R$382

-0.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.8 R$302

$65.6 R$326

-7.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 R$2,154

$313 R$1,558

38.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 R$1,669

$214 R$1,061

57.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$853 R$4,237

$576 R$2,862

48.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$589 R$2,926

$421 R$2,094

39.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,926 R$14.5K

$1,839 R$9,138

59.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,342 R$6,668

$1,092 R$5,426

22.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$545 R$2,708

$398 R$1,978

36.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

10.92

3.75%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: April 21, 2026

Last update for Montes Claros: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $433 in Rio de Janeiro and $313 in Montes Claros. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio de Janeiro pays 37% 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: $35 in Rio de Janeiro vs $27 in Montes Claros for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $185 vs $173 per month, with Montes Claros 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 Montes Claros: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio de Janeiro and Montes Claros differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($948 vs $746 including rent). Montes Claros is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Rio de Janeiro pays 37% 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: $433 in Rio de Janeiro versus $313 in Montes Claros. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Montes Claros runs roughly 1% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $551 in Rio de Janeiro versus $266 in Montes Claros. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Montes Claros 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 Montes Claros gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.