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: $1,217 in Rio de Janeiro versus $657 in Sete Lagoas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,809 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,019 in Sete Lagoas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,402 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,381 in Sete Lagoas.

Living in Rio de Janeiro is roughly 85% more expensive than in Sete Lagoas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rio de Janeiro 12% lower, Sete Lagoas 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.47 R$48.53

$5.64 R$28.90

67.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.19 R$201

$22.13 R$113

77.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.53 R$43.74

$5.25 R$26.93

62.48%

Cappuccino

$2.32 R$11.90

$0.57 R$2.90

307.02%

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

$1.59 R$8.13

$0.97 R$4.99

63.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 R$5.36

$0.60 R$3.07

75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 R$11.65

$1.19 R$6.11

90.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 R$16.91

$1.87 R$9.57

76.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.69

$0.91 R$4.66

21.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.03 R$10.42

$0.69 R$3.52

194.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 R$6.95

$1.38 R$7.10

-1.45%

Eggs

$2.24 R$11.48

$1.72 R$8.81

30.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.42 R$53.4

$5.71 R$29.30

82.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.25 R$21.81

$2.84 R$14.56

49.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.78 R$50.1

$7.57 R$38.81

29.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.62 R$13.45

$0.98 R$5.02

167.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 R$9.31

$1.14 R$5.85

59.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 R$8.15

$0.56 R$2.86

183.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 R$9.35

$1.00 R$5.14

82.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 R$6.58

$0.64 R$3.27

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 R$5.22

$0.55 R$2.84

85.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 R$3.58

$0.50 R$2.57

40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 R$3.44

$0.52 R$2.65

28.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 R$15.00

$1.56 R$7.99

87.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.54 R$43.79

$5.96 R$30.56

43.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 R$5.97

$0.56 R$2.87

108.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 R$12.64

$1.00 R$5.12

147.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 R$4.95

$0.92 R$4.72

5.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.1 R$257

$42.14 R$216

18.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 R$6.07

$0.41 R$2.08

187.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 R$4.46

$0.30 R$1.55

190.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.88 R$45.51

$7.83 R$40.15

13.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 R$6.44

$0.97 R$4.97

29.90%

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

$23.6K R$121.2K

$13.6K R$69.8K

73.60%

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

$32.9K R$168.6K

$23.4K R$120.1K

40.36%

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

$136 R$697

$48.50 R$249

180.43%

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

$11.93 R$61.1

$9.88 R$50.7

20.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.66 R$111

$18.47 R$94.7

17.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.09 R$154

$24.81 R$127

21.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.51 R$151

$26.87 R$138

9.83%

Cinema Ticket

$7.72 R$39.59

$3.92 R$20.10

96.94%

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

$550 R$2,819

$115 R$592

376.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K R$68.3K

$2,502 R$12.8K

432.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.22 R$206

$9.54 R$48.91

321.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.82 R$245

$9.57 R$49.03

399.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 R$373

$38.98 R$200

86.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.1 R$334

$38.33 R$197

69.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$821 R$4,207

$346 R$1,773

137.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 R$2,554

$229 R$1,171

118.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,285 R$6,585

$652 R$3,341

97.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 R$3,673

$451 R$2,313

58.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,890 R$19.9K

$1,625 R$8,331

139.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,482 R$7,595

$1,150 R$5,897

28.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$649 R$3,329

$430 R$2,206

50.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.93

10.67

11.81%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: September 6, 2026

Last update for Sete Lagoas: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $821 in Rio de Janeiro and $346 in Sete Lagoas. 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: $39.00 in Rio de Janeiro vs $22.00 in Sete Lagoas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $212 vs $129 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 85% in total monthly costs ($1,217 vs $657 including rent). Sete Lagoas 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: $821 in Rio de Janeiro versus $346 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 $22.00 versus $39.00 in Rio de Janeiro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,217 per month in Rio de Janeiro versus $657 in Sete Lagoas – a 85% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $657 in Sete Lagoas versus $1,217 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 85% less than in Rio de Janeiro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.