Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Sete Lagoas Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Sete Lagoas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $946 in Rio de Janeiro versus $624 in Sete Lagoas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,488 in Rio de Janeiro versus $983 in Sete Lagoas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,030 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,342 in Sete Lagoas.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 51% more expensive than in Sete Lagoas, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 29% lower, Sete Lagoas 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.30 R$37.34

$6.28 R$32.15

16.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.46 R$187

$20.55 R$105

77.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.46 R$33.03

$5.08 R$25.97

27.17%

Cappuccino

$1.90 R$9.72

$0.56 R$2.88

239.29%

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

$1.29 R$6.59

$0.86 R$4.41

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R$4.44

$0.52 R$2.68

67.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 R$8.93

$1.37 R$7.03

27.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 R$13.99

$1.74 R$8.90

56.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.75

$0.85 R$4.35

31.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 R$8.71

$0.65 R$3.31

161.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.61

$1.54 R$7.86

-3.25%

Eggs

$1.95 R$9.96

$1.62 R$8.30

20.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.78 R$39.80

$5.54 R$28.36

40.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.57 R$18.26

$2.72 R$13.92

31.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.87 R$40.27

$7.03 R$35.98

11.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 R$12.42

$0.87 R$4.48

179.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 R$8.35

$1.06 R$5.42

53.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 R$7.50

$0.52 R$2.64

182.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 R$7.91

$0.88 R$4.49

76.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.31

$1.02 R$5.22

20.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 R$5.70

$0.53 R$2.69

109.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 R$3.52

$0.49 R$2.52

40.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 R$3.09

$0.52 R$2.66

15.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 R$10.07

$2.17 R$11.11

-9.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.74 R$39.61

$5.73 R$29.29

35.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 R$6.22

$0.55 R$2.82

121.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 R$10.63

$0.88 R$4.48

136.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 R$6.34

$0.93 R$4.75

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.87 R$199

$38.60 R$198

0.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 R$5.75

$0.34 R$1.75

229.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 R$3.33

$0.27 R$1.38

140.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.40 R$37.88

$8.21 R$42.00

-9.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 R$5.41

$0.94 R$4.79

12.77%

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

$20.3K R$103.7K

$12.4K R$63.6K

63.00%

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

$28.1K R$143.7K

$21.6K R$110.6K

29.97%

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

$101 R$518

$44.55 R$228

127.09%

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

$12.30 R$62.9

$14.50 R$74.2

-15.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.55 R$94.9

$17.54 R$89.8

5.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.98 R$133

$22.30 R$114

16.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.16 R$124

$21.64 R$111

11.65%

Cinema Ticket

$6.52 R$33.35

$3.58 R$18.31

82.12%

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

$539 R$2,759

$109 R$556

396.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K R$59.7K

$6,829 R$34.9K

70.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.01 R$230

$8.98 R$45.93

401.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.43 R$212

$9.15 R$46.84

352.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 R$390

$36.10 R$185

111.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.6 R$315

$36.10 R$185

70.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$434 R$2,221

$309 R$1,581

40.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 R$1,660

$219 R$1,122

47.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$846 R$4,329

$575 R$2,943

47.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$567 R$2,902

$433 R$2,213

31.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,721 R$19.0K

$1,657 R$8,479

124.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,481 R$7,578

$1,162 R$5,946

27.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$600 R$3,068

$426 R$2,177

40.89%

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 27, 2026

Last update for Sete Lagoas: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $434 in Rio de Janeiro and $309 in Sete Lagoas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio de Janeiro pays 41% 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 $21.00 in Sete Lagoas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $184 vs $124 per month, with Sete Lagoas 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 Sete Lagoas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio de Janeiro and Sete Lagoas differ by about 51% in total monthly costs ($946 vs $624 including rent). Sete Lagoas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 41% 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 $309 in Sete Lagoas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Sete Lagoas – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $946 per month in Rio de Janeiro versus $624 in Sete Lagoas – a 51% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $624 in Sete Lagoas versus $946 in Rio de Janeiro, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sete Lagoas but tight or insufficient in Rio de Janeiro. The gap between the two cities makes Sete Lagoas 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 Sete Lagoas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.