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: $946 in Rio de Janeiro versus $746 in Montes Claros.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,488 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,200 in Montes Claros.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,030 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,655 in Montes Claros.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 27% more expensive than in 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

$7.30 R$37.35

$3.22 R$16.45

126.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.46 R$187

$26.88 R$138

35.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.46 R$33.04

$6.32 R$32.34

2.22%

Cappuccino

$1.90 R$9.72

$1.80 R$9.23

5.56%

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

$1.29 R$6.59

$1.13 R$5.78

14.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R$4.44

$0.65 R$3.33

33.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 R$8.94

$1.28 R$6.58

36.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 R$13.99

$2.71 R$13.88

0.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.75

$0.93 R$4.75

20.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 R$8.72

$1.51 R$7.71

12.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.62

$1.15 R$5.88

29.57%

Eggs

$1.95 R$9.96

$2.03 R$10.38

-3.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.78 R$39.81

$8.37 R$42.81

-7.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.57 R$18.26

$3.56 R$18.21

0.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.87 R$40.28

$7.40 R$37.88

6.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 R$12.43

$2.05 R$10.50

18.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 R$8.35

$1.25 R$6.42

30.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 R$7.50

$1.15 R$5.86

27.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 R$7.92

$1.51 R$7.71

2.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.31

$1.19 R$6.07

3.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 R$5.70

$1.07 R$5.46

3.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 R$3.52

$0.69 R$3.53

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 R$3.09

$0.66 R$3.36

-9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 R$10.07

$2.09 R$10.71

-5.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.74 R$39.62

$7.89 R$40.38

-1.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 R$6.22

$1.23 R$6.29

-0.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 R$10.64

$2.07 R$10.61

0.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 R$6.34

$0.70 R$3.57

77.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.87 R$199

$38.48 R$197

1.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 R$5.75

$1.11 R$5.65

0.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 R$3.33

$0.75 R$3.82

-13.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.40 R$37.88

$6.55 R$33.52

12.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 R$5.41

$0.94 R$4.81

12.77%

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

$20.3K R$103.7K

$20.7K R$105.9K

-2.06%

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

$28.1K R$143.7K

$27.3K R$139.8K

2.82%

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

$101 R$518

$61.0 R$312

65.85%

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

$12.30 R$62.9

$13.34 R$68.3

-7.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.55 R$94.9

$18.24 R$93.3

1.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.98 R$133

$19.43 R$99.5

33.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.16 R$124

$21.52 R$110

12.27%

Cinema Ticket

$6.52 R$33.36

$6.44 R$32.94

1.24%

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

$539 R$2,760

$266 R$1,359

103.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K R$59.7K

$6,484 R$33.2K

80.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.01 R$230

$48.94 R$250

-8.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.43 R$212

$42.48 R$217

-2.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 R$390

$77.0 R$394

-0.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.6 R$315

$64.8 R$331

-4.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$434 R$2,221

$319 R$1,630

36.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 R$1,660

$220 R$1,126

47.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$846 R$4,330

$589 R$3,014

43.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$567 R$2,903

$422 R$2,158

34.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,721 R$19.0K

$1,782 R$9,120

108.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,481 R$7,580

$1,280 R$6,548

15.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$600 R$3,068

$397 R$2,033

50.89%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Montes Claros: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $434 in Rio de Janeiro and $319 in Montes Claros. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio de Janeiro pays 51% 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 $27.00 in Montes Claros for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $184 vs $174 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 ($946 vs $746 including rent). Montes Claros is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 51% 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: $434 in Rio de Janeiro versus $319 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 $539 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.

At $746 in Montes Claros versus $946 in Rio de Janeiro, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Montes Claros but tight or insufficient in Rio de Janeiro. The gap between the two cities makes Montes Claros 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.

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.