Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $953 in Rio de Janeiro versus $746 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,491 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,166 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,029 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,587 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 28% more expensive than in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 29% lower, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.12 R$36.03

$3.56 R$18.00

100.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.19 R$183

$14.25 R$72.1

153.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.26 R$31.65

$6.82 R$34.47

-8.21%

Cappuccino

$1.98 R$10.00

$1.56 R$7.88

26.92%

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

$1.28 R$6.48

$0.97 R$4.93

31.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R$4.38

$0.64 R$3.25

35.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 R$8.93

$1.77 R$8.96

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 R$13.97

$3.12 R$15.77

-11.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.65

$0.89 R$4.48

25.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 R$8.70

$1.46 R$7.38

17.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 R$7.47

$1.54 R$7.80

-3.90%

Eggs

$1.97 R$9.94

$1.91 R$9.64

3.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.94 R$40.14

$8.23 R$41.63

-3.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.52 R$17.82

$3.42 R$17.30

2.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.09 R$40.91

$7.43 R$37.60

8.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 R$11.86

$2.20 R$11.10

6.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 R$8.22

$1.34 R$6.79

20.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 R$7.63

$1.07 R$5.40

41.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.54

$1.35 R$6.85

10.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.60

$1.03 R$5.19

27.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 R$5.58

$0.84 R$4.27

30.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 R$3.42

$0.65 R$3.30

4.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 R$2.87

$0.63 R$3.19

-9.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.00 R$10.11

$2.14 R$10.81

-6.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.78 R$39.35

$5.97 R$30.21

30.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 R$6.17

$1.02 R$5.16

19.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 R$10.52

$2.19 R$11.09

-5.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 R$6.22

$0.92 R$4.65

33.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.62 R$195

$38.38 R$194

0.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 R$5.50

$0.91 R$4.62

19.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 R$3.55

$1.12 R$5.67

-37.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 R$39.31

$3.57 R$18.08

117.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 R$5.57

$1.05 R$5.31

4.76%

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

$20.4K R$103.2K

$10.9K R$55.3K

86.71%

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

$27.6K R$139.8K

$26.9K R$135.9K

2.90%

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

$102 R$517

$66.0 R$334

54.76%

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

$11.98 R$60.6

$14.48 R$73.2

-17.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.16 R$96.9

$21.17 R$107

-9.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.19 R$132

$22.23 R$112

17.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.86 R$121

$21.24 R$107

12.34%

Cinema Ticket

$6.44 R$32.59

$7.08 R$35.81

-9.04%

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

$546 R$2,763

$212 R$1,074

157.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K R$58.9K

$1,779 R$8,997

554.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.00 R$233

$51.9 R$263

-11.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.47 R$210

$37.21 R$188

11.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.4 R$386

$72.4 R$366

5.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.5 R$306

$64.7 R$327

-6.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 R$2,219

$313 R$1,584

40.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$327 R$1,652

$220 R$1,112

48.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$864 R$4,371

$587 R$2,969

47.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$577 R$2,919

$403 R$2,037

43.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,764 R$19.0K

$1,492 R$7,549

152.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,455 R$7,361

$1,189 R$6,013

22.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$603 R$3,052

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

10.83

4.62%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: July 20, 2026

Last update for Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $439 in Rio de Janeiro and $313 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro vs $14.00 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $184 vs $168 per month, with Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais 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 Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,429 in Rio de Janeiro and $1,119 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $439 in Rio de Janeiro versus $313 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais 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 $546 in Rio de Janeiro versus $212 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

For families, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Rio de Janeiro, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Rio de Janeiro and Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais 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 Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.