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: $960 in Rio de Janeiro versus $762 in Montes Claros.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,479 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,189 in Montes Claros.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,997 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,616 in Montes Claros.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 26% more expensive than Montes Claros, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 28% lower, Montes Claros 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.20 R$37.09

$3.09 R$15.90

133.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.52 R$183

$27.52 R$142

29.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.44 R$33.20

$6.14 R$31.65

4.89%

Cappuccino

$1.97 R$10.17

$1.73 R$8.90

13.87%

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

$1.27 R$6.56

$1.11 R$5.72

14.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 R$4.62

$0.66 R$3.38

36.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$9.09

$1.28 R$6.58

37.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 R$13.83

$2.72 R$14.02

-1.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R$5.99

$0.95 R$4.89

22.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 R$8.75

$1.46 R$7.52

16.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.27

$1.17 R$6.03

20.51%

Eggs

$2.00 R$10.29

$2.02 R$10.41

-0.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 R$41.45

$8.42 R$43.35

-4.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.62 R$18.64

$3.73 R$19.23

-2.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.20 R$42.25

$7.35 R$37.84

11.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 R$12.35

$2.08 R$10.69

15.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 R$8.14

$1.32 R$6.79

19.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.70

$1.19 R$6.11

25.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 R$8.04

$1.49 R$7.69

4.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.72

$1.14 R$5.89

14.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 R$5.68

$1.10 R$5.67

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 R$3.52

$0.75 R$3.88

-9.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 R$2.98

$0.61 R$3.16

-4.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 R$10.04

$2.18 R$11.20

-10.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.73 R$44.97

$7.89 R$40.66

10.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 R$6.26

$1.23 R$6.33

-1.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 R$11.09

$2.06 R$10.61

4.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 R$6.34

$0.69 R$3.54

78.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.30 R$202

$38.32 R$197

2.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R$5.73

$1.05 R$5.43

5.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R$3.67

$0.70 R$3.61

1.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 R$37.98

$6.29 R$32.39

17.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.52

$1.00 R$5.15

7.00%

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

$20.4K R$104.9K

$20.8K R$107.1K

-2.14%

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

$27.1K R$139.6K

$28.0K R$144.4K

-3.31%

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

$104 R$535

$60.0 R$309

72.96%

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

$12.18 R$62.8

$13.46 R$69.3

-9.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 R$96.3

$18.05 R$93.0

3.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.68 R$132

$20.17 R$104

27.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.37 R$126

$21.66 R$112

12.51%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 R$34.02

$6.35 R$32.72

3.94%

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

$542 R$2,791

$273 R$1,404

98.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K R$60.8K

$6,551 R$33.7K

80.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.23 R$228

$49.88 R$257

-11.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.91 R$216

$42.73 R$220

-1.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 R$396

$76.4 R$394

0.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.0 R$319

$65.1 R$335

-4.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 R$2,258

$311 R$1,603

40.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 R$1,703

$212 R$1,093

55.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 R$4,319

$592 R$3,050

41.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$569 R$2,933

$431 R$2,221

32.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,356 R$17.3K

$1,736 R$8,945

93.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,389 R$7,154

$998 R$5,140

39.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$548 R$2,823

$402 R$2,073

36.20%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Montes Claros: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $438 in Rio de Janeiro and $311 in Montes Claros. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio de Janeiro pays 36% 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 $28.00 in Montes Claros for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $175 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 26% in total monthly costs ($960 vs $762 including rent). Montes Claros is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Rio de Janeiro pays 36% 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 $311 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 3% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $542 in Rio de Janeiro versus $273 in Montes Claros. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $762 in Montes Claros versus $960 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 26% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.